Saturday, January 21, 2023

Basketball: A Dozen Lessons Shared from the Clash of Two Area Titans

 "In retelling the story of our lives inside our heads, we are constantly revisiting and revising how decisions played out, how we could have done things differently or better." - Ed Smith, Making Decisions

Video is the truth machine. When top teams compete, it affords us the privilege of engaging skill, strategy, athleticism, and resilience, hoping to translate it to our process. Medfield versus Norwood satisfies that chance. 

1. Medfield runs a horns variation out of the gate, with a backscreen, ball reversal set designed to get an open corner three. 


2. Spacing is offense. Medfield has excellent spacing and sets up a high ball screen. The PG rejects the ball screen, moves the ball and the screener alertly basket cuts with a good angle on her defender. The post feed delivers a hoop. 


3. Strong teams show clear 'intent'. This is what we do and that is how we do it. Medfield shows a "safe press" the 1-2-2 "jug" press that has two players back. Norwood throws "against the grain" and Medfield almost gets a steal. There may have been opportunity "behind" the press where receivers are 'invisible'. 


4. Medfield stays in the zone trap on the inbounds. Norwood makes them pay by attacking the middle, passing with a "one more" corner three. Good offense via "multiple actions." 


5. Norwood is led by Boston Herald Coach of the Decade Kristen McDonnell. Her offense responds by spacing, driving, and a "draw two" penetrate and pass open three.


6. "Win in space." As Mom would say, "don't play in the traffic." Medfield counterattacks three-on-four and gets caught in the traffic. Excellent teams like Medfield excel by winning possessions not by failing to create advantage. 


7. "The defense never rests." Norwood calls for a high ball screen and the PG delivers the pocket pass. But the spacing wasn't good enough and the help sniffs it out with a high degree of "contestedness" preventing the layup. 


8. Top area teams regularly score off open threes. Medfield again shows a spread offense and Norwood contains the ball. But the defense helps off the perimeter opening a quality scoring chance (for a good shooting team). Defenses calculate what's the best strategy, help or stay. It depends. 


9. Where the game changed. After a timeout with the score even, Medfield presses. I like to have two guards back against the 'odd' front to mitigate throwing longer passes. I am not saying I'm right, that's just my preference. Medfield gets a steal and turns it into a three.



10. "Win this possession." The three phases of possession are the initial setup, creating advantage, and exploiting it. Medfield eventually gets a wing attack and the driver alertly rebounds her miss and finds an open perimeter shooter. 


11. Live ball turnovers often translate into high points/possession offense. Norwood has good spacing but Medfield traps in a "primary trap zone." The ballhandler steps through the trap but loses the ball and Medfield is off to the races finishing with a Euro step. 



12. "Eyes in the back of your head." If you lack them, talk. Consecutive steals from behind. You don't see this every day. 


I follow Doc Rivers' rule of no more than thirteen clips to avoid 'film fatigue'. Consider sharing what works and what doesn't with your teams. 

Lagniappe (something extra). Are entry passes a lost art in your program? 
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