Monday, March 14, 2022

Another Basketball Breakdown: Middlesex League Boys

Learn by studying and breaking down film. Here's a look at Burlington which is a Massachusetts Division 2 Final Four club. Strategies and needs are not unique and 'the truth machine" reveals that reality.  

1. Zone offense. Good spacing, paucity of dribbling, good ball movement, penetrate to pass, and while Hubie Brown reminds us "only leave your feet to shoot", Burlington makes it work. 


2. Defensive mistakes and errors translate into points. Pick-and-roll leads to a corner pass, baseline drive, and the erstwhile help defender gets lost allowing an easy cut. 


3. Different alignment initially with a 1-4 high and still an economy of dribbling. Their post man seems more of a facilitator, triggering inside-outside action.
 

4. More penetrate to pass action with a three-ball. 


5. More penetrate and pass and help off the corner 3 proves costly.
 

6. Defending the BOB. Man-to-man but no screening or basket cut to defend.
 

7. "Movement kills defenses." Not the Spurs' 0.5 seconds but the ball moves and players pass unselfishly. 


8. The short roll to corner 3 is a conceptually good play but the defense draws a charge. 


9. Under pressure? The camera loses the action but this looks as though it could be "run and jump" pressure. To help players understand this, I've also called it "trap and go." 


10. 1-4 high. UCLA cut. Back screen and cross screen when the pass isn't there. "Good offense is multiple actions." 


11. "See both." Defenders have a tendency not to see the ball. When they don't, they can't provide help. Then they get beaten on the closeout. 


12. There's no substitute for talent. The guard turns the ball screen into a rescreen and nails the three.