Newsletter #259

Today's Theme... Adding a Few Plays Late in the Season

Your opponents have scouted your plays, so you need to add a few new ones late in the season.  Pick plays that get your best scorers open.  See Selecting Plays.

"Tiger" -  vs m2m.  This is a good counter against teams that deny the pass to the wing. O4 cuts up to the free-throw line and gets the pass from O1 (diagram A). O2 back-cuts for a back-door pass and lay-up.  If O2 does not get the pass, he/she cuts around a staggered screen created by O5 and O3. O4 could pass to O2 at the left wing for a 3-point shot.

After O2 cuts, (diagram B) O1 cuts around O4 for a possible hand-off/screen and a dribble to the hoop. If O1 does not get the hand-off, just like O2, O1 cuts around the staggered screens to the left wing for a pass and 3-point shot. O2 rotates to the top as O1 cuts. After O1 cuts around, O4 could keep the ball and make a dribble move to the hoop 1-on-1 against the X4 defender.

A couple additional options are possible. O2 gets the pass from O4 and dribbles right (diagram C). When O2 receives the pass, O3 makes a "flex" cut either over or under O5 for a pass from O2. Or if O4 passes to O1, O5 posts up on the left block for a pass from O1. If O1 doesn't get the pass, he/she rotates back to the point.

"Izzo" Baseline OB Play - vs both M2M and zone, Tom Izzo has used this play looking for the big guy inside. Your best low post scorer is the inbounder. Start in the stack formation (diagram BOB1).

O4 cuts to the weakside block and tries to seal for inside position and a pass there. O3 cuts to the ball-side corner and gets the inbounds pass. O1 moves out on top and gets the next pass from O3.

O2 down-screens for the inbounder O5, and O5 cuts around that screen for the pass from O1 and the inside shot (diagram BOB2).

Next, O3 down-screens for O2, who cuts hard out to the corner for the pass from O1, and the 3-point shot (diagram BOB3). Either O5 or O2 will be open for a shot.

Against the 2-3 zone, O2 screens the middle low defender, as the outside low defender will usually go out with O3. On the down-screen, O3 screens the outside low defender, so that O2 is open in the corner.

Sideline "X-Iso" - another play from Coach Izzo, a great play for a strong post player. O4 and O1 start out on top as seen in diagram SOB5. O5 is at the high-post, with O2 at the weak-side block, and O3 is the inbounder. O4 and O1 X-cut to the opposite corners. O5 down-screens for O2. O2 cuts hard up to the top to receive the inbounds pass from O3. O5 aggressively post-ups inside (diagram SOB6) and gets the "hi-lo" pass from O2 for the inside post move.

There are many plays to choose from here:  Selecting Plays