DVD
with Jim Larranaga,
George Mason University Head Coach;
2006 NCAA Final Four

Jim Larranaga outlines the components of George Mason basketball and why this foundation is so important to the bigger picture. A staple of his winning program is the eight C's; character, competitiveness, competence, consistency, cohesiveness, commitment, communication and confidence. When teaching the game to his players, Coach Larranaga uses a four step process; demonstration, imitation, correction and repetition. Additional teaching categories include guarding an open player, defensive transition and defensive philosophy. Larranaga shows and explains many drills that are part of his daily practices. The second part of Larranaga's instruction focuses on defense. The main George Mason defense is man-to-man, with the scramble as a secondary defense. A combination of the two is a series of zones that he calls the Camouflage, which is used strategically as a surprise defense that forces the offense to react to the defense. Once the opponent gets used to a man-to-man and the scramble, the Camouflage defense puts them on their heels immediately. Included are three core drills for this defense. In a bonus section, the Camouflage and its teaching points are shown with players in a full court setting. Each pass, trap, deflection and player responsibility is analyzed. Two sets of strategies are used; one in the backcourt and one in the frontcourt.