How do you handle blowouts?

It comes up every year – some team blows out another and it makes national news. So, I’m curious, how do you handle blowouts?

I asked a few coaches this question a while back and three coaches agreed that once a game hits a 30-point difference, it’s time to take steps to keep things from getting out of hand.

Daniel Free is a basketball coach in Eureka, California, says when a lead reaches 30 points he reduces any pressure he’s been using and instructs his team only to attack for baskets if the other team has scored.

Arthan Gilder, the head coach of Kings Basketball, a youth program in Irving, Texas, says when a lead reaches 30 points, he removes his starters, his offense doesn’t score on fast breaks, he runs difficult-to-master sets to get extra reps and if an open shot isn’t creates, then they reset the ball at the top and rerun it again.

Kurt Guelsdorf, a frequent contributor to Basketball Coach Weekly, is the head girl coach at Oregon City High School and runs a full-court press all game…unless his team is up by 30. Then, he calls it off.