The first EBI on-line clinic, hosted by legendary CSKA Moscow head coach Ettore Messina, will be a complete overview of some of the most important aspects of winning basketball. The fingerprints of Coach Messina can be seen all over the course contents, beginning with a full month of concentration on defense. The course, which runs from February 18 to June 18, consists of bi-weekly sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays during those four months. There are a total of 21 such sessions, in addition to one special week per month devoted to an exchange of questions, answers and feedback between the students and Coach Messina.

The course outline shows that Coach Messina will put defense first, as always. The first eight sessions are devoted to individual defense with the focus progressing from basic concepts and positioning to pick-and-rolls and screens, with plenty more specifics in between. The first question-and-answer-and-feedback week comes next, from March 24 to 28, with Coach Messina responding individually to the students. The middle of the course calendar will address varied topics such as space, tempo and transition basketball. After another Q-and-A-and-F week, Coach Messina plans to spend a month on offense. His subjects include one-on-one within motion offense, the use of screens, the low-post game and more. In between the remaining three Q-and-A-and-F weeks, Coach Messina turns his attention first to zone defense, and then to practices, scouting and physical training.

Of course, the course culminates in a true hands-on experience for all students: a weekend of hands-on classes directed by Coach Messina from Thursday, June 26 to Sunday, June 29 in Barcelona. That's where course participants will see first-hand how his teachings can be put into practice.