Basketball Assist Hudl Opponent Scouting Coaching

Turning Stats into a Game Plan: How Data Elevated the Lady Warriors into State Co-champions

Feb 09, 2021

Stats play a pivot role for Andover high school (Mass.) girls’ head coach Alan Hibino. Whether he’s scouting opponents or developing his coaching instincts, the data always delivers.

The Andover girls' basketball team had a shot at a state title before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the playoffs. As it stands, the Lady Warriors are co-champions, and they have stats to thank.

Stats bring clarity to the hardwood, making it easy to measure aspects of performance otherwise left to interpretation. Most coaches will tell you that limiting turnovers and preventing opponents from securing offense rebounds are keys to winning, but Hibino takes coaching common sense to the next level. After studying four years of team data, Hibino found that if they can stay under 27 combined turnovers and opponent offensive rebounds, the Lady Warriors have a win all but secured. Here's the method behind the madness:

Hibino's appreciation for stats goes far beyond that of a typical coach. He feels most comfortable on the reports page, pouring through the data to discover any edge he can use with his players. Having a natural curiosity for stats, and letting the numbers tell the story make it easy for Hibino to refine his coaching instincts and adapt quickly.