Friday, May 14, 2021

Basketball Friday: Have a Best Five - ATO, BOB, SLOB, Man, and Zone Set

Ken Burns says, "It takes forty gallons of sap to make a gallon of maple syrup."  Devise actions that create high quality shots. "Great offense is multiple actions." Your "cleaner" should be able to execute the options available. Not saying these are all "A Listers" but develop a portfolio built off "hard to defend." 

Compile a Greatest Hits list and choose a "play lists." 

ATO. Celtics Iverson Backscreen 


The Celtics get the ball to Grant Williams via Iverson action and the clearing wing sets a backscreen for a lob. 

BOB. Triangle Double. 


Screening the middle of a 2-3 zone sets opportunity. 5 screens for 2 cutting to the corner to pull x3 out. 5 then screen for 4 across and the ball is entered to the 4. If x3 stays home, then open corner 3. 

SLOB. Horns Down. 


Sequential screens, the first to enter the ball and the second to free the opposite corner. This is a variation of Corner Rip. 

Man. Do we want an attack via screens, drives, threes, or isolation? It depends on our personnel. Five-out, open a gap. 


Zone. DR FlaPS - drive (gaps), reversal, flash, postup, screen? Ohio State screens the Orange.


OSU "knows" that Syracuse brings the ball side forward up and frees the corner by screening him and the middle. Problem? The 'short corner' jumper isn't for everyone. 

Drill. What was my favorite drill when I was a middle schooler (late 1960's)?


It combined offense, defense, and decision-making in simulated transition 3-on-2. The defense learned to "shape up" and stop the ball. The offense learned player and ball movement and major options (shot, drive, touch pass). 


For younger players, it's simpler than the upgrade to 3-on-3 chase transition drill (above). 

Lagniappe. I believe in the "economy of dribbling," but may be wrong. 


"Never take nine dribbles if you can do it in two." 

Lagniappe 2. Hat tip: Brook Kohlheim. “Youth football is not a team sport,” says Browaeys. “It is an individual sport.” Why individual coaching dominates upper echelons in the new pyramid paradigm. Become the Michelangelo whose job is to free the statue from the block of marble.