If there was ever a time to scheme plays or design something specific on offense, it would definitely be on zone offense. There are a lot of continuity or motion offenses that you can run against a zone, but I think in certain situations, you want to be able to have 2 or 3 designed and practiced plays that you can go to for a quick 2 or 3 points in a critical time in the game.
I went through some notes from a Larry Brown coaches clinic and found this neat zone offensive play. It's from USC head coach Tim Floyd and it's a misdirection play. So the basic idea is to move the ball quickly from sideline to sideline getting the zone defense to shift and react to the ball, then overload. Here is how it breaks down,
Misdirection:
3-out 2-in alignment. O1 passes to O2. Then O2 quickly reverses the ball back to O1 and O1 reverses to O3,
On the catch by O3, O4 goes to the other block and seals that zone defender. O5 flashes up to the middle, around the high-post. O2 shuffles to the opposite corner,
O3 first looks for O4 on the seal in the post. If O4 is unable to seal the zone defender there, then O3 looks for the skip to O2 who should be open in the corner,
Of course, you need to make sure your players can make good skip passes and long post-entry passes. If you're coaching at the lower levels, JV or lower, that pass is probably too difficult to make.
Summary:
There are of course many ways you can attack a zone, but this play demonstrates a couple of good things. First is moving the ball sideline to sideline. I really believe one of the best ways against a zone defense is to make the defense work. When you move the ball side to side, the defense eventually gets tired, they take shortcuts or get lazy, then they don't move as well, that is when you can exploit those weaknesses.
If you're interested in more overload or zone offense techniques, then you'll enjoy Tom Izzo's DVD on the 1-3-1 Zone Offense. As always, head over to the X's and O's Basketball forum to talk with other coaches about your favorite basketball topics.
Watched some Spanish League action (Supercopa Espana) earlier this morning. I'm not familiar with all the teams, but I did recognize Tau Ceramica so that's who I watched for the first half. It's was a decent game all around, very good defensive intensity by both teams, but Tau definitely played with more intensity.
From the start of the game, I couldn't help but notice how many turnovers that Tau had forced. It was only after I looked at the replays that I realized that most of them came from deflections. We always talk about pressure defense and trapping, etc.. But one of the best ways to force turnovers is by having active hands. Now, there is a difference between gambling for a steal and having active hands. Watch some great deflections from Tau from the first quarter,
On-ball Defensive Deflection:
I watch a lot of kids these days and their hands are on their hips. That's why as coaches, we should be emphasizing proper defensive stance and hand positioning at an early age. We say, bottom hand covers the ball, the top hand is up high, so that you can get those deflections like so,
Deny Defensive Deflection:
Most of you probably teach deny 1 pass away. But also key to the positioning is where and how their arms and hands are positioned. The outside arm should be outstretched with palms out and thumbs down. That way when an errant pass comes, it will deflect off your palm and you can gain control for the easy score, like so,
Help-side Defensive Deflection:
Like a zone defense, on help-side, you want to make sure your players have their hands outstretched. Don't make it easy for your opponent to make a pass in traffic, keep those arms outstretched for the deflection,
Summary:
I think deflections are a philosophy kind of thing. I know some coaches who don't want to emphasize deflections because kids get into a gambling mindset which can be dangerous. On the flip side, deflections can generate its fair share of turnovers and therefore easy baskets the other way, based on M2M halfcourt offense without pressing. Tom Crean, now of Indiana, is a coach that always preached deflections, and Dwyane Wade was one of his best deflectors. Anyways, some food for thought...
For video info on individual development drills, I recommend taking a look at Tom Crean's DVD on Competitive Practice Drills. Coach Crean, formerly of Marquette is now the head coach at Indiana. To discuss this and many more of your favorite basketball topics, head over to the X's and O's of Basketball Forum to talk with other coaches from around the world.
As the season approaches, I'm sure many of you coaches are evaluating your talent, thinking about what to run this coming season. Here is another one worth considering:
John Harmatuk’s SPACE AND ATTACK OFFENSE
Ay Cypress Springs High School in Houston, Texas we have been pretty successful with an aggressive attack on both ends of the floor. We call our offense, “Space and Attack”. This offense is essentially spacing and ball movement with the dribble. Our offensive players must get to the rim to score or get fouled. If they can’t get to the rim, that means they drew help from the defense. What we call “get 2 defenders to the ball.” If the offensive player draws help he must then make the correct read off the help. That is what we call “play off each other”.
What are the components of the space and attack offense?
• spacing
• personnel
• transition
• attacking the defender; attacking the rim; attacking the help
• scoring hierarchy
• terminology
If interested, please visit my website at www.coachtuk.blogspot.com
I think that nowadays, most coaches use some sort of a matchup zone instead of a straight up zone or straight up M2M. The matchup is a good way to use a zone formation but keep M2M principles. There are however, a lot of rules that you need to establish for how your matchup zone will function in the different scenarios, such as what to do with cutters, screens, etc...
Here are some great notes I went through the other day from a Nike coaching clinic that covered Mike Deane and how he goes through the different rules and progressions of teaching his matchup zone. Mike Deane is currently the head coach at Wagner University, he recently was featured by ESPN last season for wearing a seatbelt on the bench to avoid getting T'd up. I don't know the author of the notes, otherwise I'd certainly love to give them credit. Enjoy...
Guard Movements:
When the ball is in the middle, play normal M2M principals, defenders must travel on air time. Guards have to cover perimeter- they must cover 3 guards,
If the ball is in the outside 3rd, deny all back pass. Guards play the ball as if there is no help when they are guarding the ball. Must move on the air time- jump back to help. On closing out it's 2 steps towards the ball, then close out,
Forward Positions:
They cover everything from middle of the lane to the block, to opposite short corner. They play on the baseline side of the offensive player. Forwards work in a pair with the guard on their side. On the reversal of the ball, 3 covers the wing, like a 2-3 zone slide. It's like a bump,
On the bump 3 must pick up anybody who is in his area. If there is a player in the corner, he guards him.
If there is a post player on the block 3 must cover him and bump the other weak side defender off the block, 
Skip Pass:
Skip pass back to the top, 2 takes the ball, 1 is in help, and 3 bumps back to help side- help must have 1 foot on the basket line,
Center Position:
5 covers block to block, and high post. Ball enters paint, everybody drops to the level of the ball. 5 plays on the high side of every body,
High/Low Interchange:
4 takes 2 steps with 5 then yell high post and cover 4 on the low side,
Baseline Runner:
The defenders bump the runner from defender to defender,
Summary:
Matchup zones are a great disruptor defense in that they mask what your intentions are. It can throw the other team's offense off a little bit as they try to adjust to whether you are running a M2M or a zone. However, there are a lot of rules that you need to install that are very specific and cover very specific situations, such as how to defend certain kinds of cuts and screens. In my opinion, I would not install a matchup zone in any team lower than Varsity, I just think the complexities of it are more than a freshman or JV team can handle. Plus they should be focusing more on their fundamentals such as stance, ball-you-man, etc... anyways, before they learn the intracacies of a matchup zone.
If you're seriously thinking of going with the matchup zone this season, then you should check out Mike Deane's DVD on Inside Out Matchup Zone. To discuss this and many more of your favorite basketball topics, head over to the X's and O's of Basketball Forum to talk with other coaches from around the world.
Many of you have heard by now about the Read and React Offense, which is getting rave reviews as the most unique thing to come about in a long time. The system's creator, Rick Torbett, is hosting a clinic on the Read and React Offense this weekend in Atlanta, and you can buy the DVD set anytime at BetterBasketball.Com. If you haven't watched the free 10-minute video preview on the Read and React, here's a link to it. It's free, and definitely worth your time.
Mike Krzyzewski, Kobe and Kidd Talk USA Basketball
Posted by bruchu Labels: Motivation and LeadershipStill sporting smiles from their win over the summer in Beijing, Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd and Coach Mike Krzyzewski talked about Team USA's Gold medal win and the entire journey. It was really one of the best international basketball games I've ever watched, in more ways than one. I think that it's unfair to make the comparison between 2008 Redeem Team and 1992 Dream Team 1, simply because they had different makeup and the historical context was different. Watch and I'll post some more comments after,
I love Kobe's responses. He's really a one of a kind player. The guy that demands the ball at the end of the game. He's willing to put all the pressure on his shoulders. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, those guys also demanded the ball in the crucial situations. I don't think Team USA wins gold if Kobe Bryant and Lebron James are not on the team.
Coach K was great too. I really do feel that coaching a group of "superstars" and managing a group of individuals who are all so successful in their own right, to play together as a unit is tougher than coaching a mediocre team to overachieve. Kobe says that Coach K was a great motivator and a great communicator. That's where human psychology becomes so important, even more important than any X's and O's. I also like what Coach K said about how they coached the 4th quarter of the Gold medal game. The score was close, but in those situations, just put the ball in your best players hands and let them win the game for you. Sounds cheesy, but it's like Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder, "Just let me drive Harry, I won't make a fool out of you."
Jerry Colangelo does deserve the most credit for sure. He really picked the players that fit the team chemistry. Sure, there were more talented players out there, but guys like Chris Bosh, Tayshaun Prince and Deron Williams really made a big difference team wise in my opinion.
If you can't get enough of Coach K, then you should check out Mike Krzyzewski's DVD on Individual Defensive Development. As always, please check out the X's and O's Basketball forum to talk hoops and exchange notes and ideas.
Another early season skill to think about before games start is teaching the art of getting open. There are your basic v-cuts, l-cuts, curl cuts, backdoor, bump, etc... It's the teaching points that are most important. Change of speed and direction, these are all things that take patience and repetition. Here are some teaching points I gleaned from a set of notes on a Baylor coaching clinic,
Top Leg Explosion:
Use your top leg and walk into your opponent... go from slow to fast by stepping, gaining the advantage by putting your inside leg on top - use you butt to create space - use a slight forearm push-off then explode quickly to the area of choice,
You can work the wing, top of the key, and baseline to corner... once you hit the player you can work on several of your individual moves including rips, step-backs, finishes at the rim, etc.
If you want to watch some video info, Rip Hamilton did a good segment on the TNT fundamentals series last year on getting open, you can check it out and my notes on it by clicking here.
For more great info on offensive fundamentals, check out Don Meyer's new DVD on Drills for Individual Offensive Development. Coach Meyer is still recovering from his car accident and cancer, our thoughts remain with him during this difficult time. To discuss this and many more of your favorite basketball topics, head over to the X's and O's of Basketball Forum to talk with other coaches from around the world.
