November 10, 1942.

Mr. F. M. Parmer, Principal,
Colby Commmity High sohool,
Colby, Kansaae

Dear tir. Farmer:

I am sorry that I have delayed in answering your good letter
of Cotoher $9.

Shs Risin aii A Gc 10 0) ace es Mies te ns
ball is taken off the backboard until it crosses the division line;
that is, on « driving offense. In high school the time would be slight-
ly. less than this because the court is shorter. I always figured from
three to five seconds a team with a rushing offense to get a shot at the
basket after they take the ball off the ent‘s backboard.

 

Por the set plays it takes about 15 seconds, but the ball
handling is slower and surer and after the team crosses the division

line they must set all their men and then begin with a slow deployment.
Personally, we come across the division line in about 5 seconds and the
play is pulled in about 5 seconds more, or a total of 10 seconds on a
set play. Qn a fast breaking offense we will get a shot at the basket
from 5 to 7 seconds.

Personally, I like the two men in and three out offensive set
play formation because it leawes the area around the basket open for a
drive in. My two forwards are about & feet from the corner, end line,
and side line on each side, and my three rear men are about & to 10 feet
from the side line and about eight feet from the division line. The
reason I do not favor three men in is because the post man's defensive
men congest the area around the basket. If you have an exceptional post
man you can float him in from one of these set forward positions and
— ee ee en oe oe
 GOrnere

Anawering your last question in the last paragraph, we stress
pressing the opponent's guards, but it is, as you say, rather loose guard-
ing. If you press them too closely they will drive by. I like the re-
treating defense withaa checking pressing game. We act as if we are going
to play them close but we drop back because the five men present a more |
complex problem in driving through than if the defensive mon are distributed
out over the whole court. I think you can get that point.