Dribble drive creator Vance Walhberg during a press conference Wednesday. He is in Manila to conduct coaching clinics. Photo by Bong Lozada
Filipinos love their basketball and with that affection comes an almost inevitable offensive that they usually employ.
The dribble drive.
This popular offensive strategy is simple: a guard drives to the lane to either shoot a layup or pass it to the open man.
Vance Wahlberg, the man credited as the creator of the dribble-drive offense said Filipinos can tweak with the system that best suit their generally short stature.
“Since you guys are not that tall, you can change the offense,” said Wahlberg Wednesday at Gerry’s Grill in Greenhills. “Every spot is interchangeable.”
Wahlberg, a former assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings, said guards who like to push the ball to the lane and shooters will thrive in this type of offensive scheme.
It also helps that, Wahlberg said, the dribble-drive offense will develop a scorer’s attitude with the players.
“This will teach the players three simple things– one, the attack mentality, every time you get the ball I want you to think score. Two, we got to learn how to open gaps. And three, get those gaps and learn how to use the space for you,” said Wahlberg.
“If you can drive, you’re gonna like this style, and if you can shoot you’re gonna like this style.”
Gilas Pilipinas used the dribble-drive offense to great extent during the 2014 Fiba World Cup and one of Wahlberg’s assistants with the Kings took notice of it.
“One of my assistants sends me a text and he goes ‘gosh they’re running the dribble drive out there,'” said Wahlberg.