Show Notes
Cal State East Bay head basketball coach Bryan Rooney discussing his team's historic 33-1 season and their connecting style of play. Rooney explained how his team implemented the "tagging up" system where all five players engage in defensive rebounding immediately after shots go up, creating pressure defense and transition opportunities. He detailed how the system connects full-court and half-court defense, emphasizing that defensive engagement starts as soon as possessions are decided rather than waiting for specific situations. Bryan Rooney has won over 300 games and during the 2025-26 at East Bay, Rooney guided the team to a historic 33-1 record, a perfect 22-0 CCAA mark (first undefeated conference season in league history), CCAA and NCAA West Regional championships, and an Elite Eight appearance. For this performance he was named the 2026 Clarence “Big House” Gaines National Coach of the Year, NABC Division II National Coach of the Year, and CCAA Coach of the Year. Rooney discussed the importance of playing "complementary basketball" where offensive and defensive efforts support each other, and shared how they tracked metrics like corner touches and transition grading to monitor player development. He also explained how his coaching staff operated with defined roles, allowing Rooney to focus more on leadership rather than specific tactical decisions. The coach emphasized the program's focus on "transformative" player development and role clarity, noting that players were encouraged to understand their interconnected responsibilities rather than individual statistics.
More from The Basketball Podcast
Korey McCray, Assistant Coach at the University of Florida and a key contributor to the Gators' National Championship-winning program, joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss Florida's philosophy of playing fast with purpose, using analytics to shape decision-making, and building a team around discipline, toughness, and high-IQ basketball. McCray breaks down how Florida uses multiple bigs to create spacing and dominate the offensive glass, the defensive principles behind taking calculated risks, the practice habits that fueled a championship run, and the "hustle stats" accountability system that measures winning beyond the box score. He also shares his "faith over fear" approach to player development, leadership, confidence building, and creating meaningful relationships with athletes.
Maureen Hirt, head coach of the 2026 NCAA Division III National Champion Denison University women’s basketball team, joined the Basketball Podcast to discuss one of the most remarkable championship runs in college basketball history. Hirt shares how Denison became the first unranked team to win a Division III national title, built on a process-driven culture, shared leadership, and player ownership.
Milwaukee Bucks Head of Player Development and Assistant Coach Johnny Carpenter joins The Basketball Podcast to explore how coaches can develop players who think, adapt and solve problems. He shares how relationships, film and analytics help identify what is holding a player back and shape an individualized development plan. Carpenter explains how to build learning into workouts and team practices through varied situations, live decisions and purposeful constraints. He also discusses reading space, finding the “play after the play,” and shifting the focus from practice intensity to player intent—offering practical ideas coaches can apply at any level. The conversation also explores how to refresh familiar activities like shell defense with random starts, disadvantage situations and live play. Carpenter shares how coaches can teach through those moments, balancing clear technical instruction with opportunities for players to discover solutions themselves.
Gabo Loaiza, head coach of Jämtland Basket, shared how he builds his teams around a shared way of seeing the game. That common picture comes from video work and clear communication so players can decide for themselves. Identity starts with energy and effort, then talent, then tactics chosen to multiply both. His game model is fast and risk-taking. He develops Plan A instead of inventing Plan B for every opponent, trusting the team’s strengths even in playoffs. Players must win individual battles and show “blind generosity”—unseen effort that helps teammates. Passing and constant movement sit at the core.
Stella Kaltsidou, one of European basketball's most accomplished female coaches, having won the Euro Cup with the London Lions. Stella discussed her coaching philosophy centered on making players feel good while being aggressive, explaining how she implemented the tagging up system at Athinaikos which generated 12.9 second chance points per game during the Euro Cup.