[UCCBball] Training this weekend

[Chas Stan-Bishop]

On Tue, 12 Mar 2019, Christopher Grubb wrote:

> We could also do top or side pick and rolls?

We should definitely do this at some point, but I don't know if it should 
be our first priority. I could be persuaded though.

> So we run a 4-out, 1-in high post offense. We have the post player, 2 wings,
> and one name for the 2 guys at the top is the "slot". Seems to me that the
> only pass we make that doesn't result in some motion is a slot-to-slot pass.
> 
> If others agree, then its probably something to practice (see diagram below,
> even though it shows 5 in the wrong position)

That motion is actually something that I had in the original design of our 
current offence (mostly because it's part of Read and React Layer 1, 
IIRC), but I think Tommo convinced me/we decided that it would add 
complexity without much benefit. We could certainly try it, now that we've 
got the basics down, but my concern these days is that it would add energy 
expenditure for possibly not a huge amount of benefit. ;P


> From the same page we could also take a look at the Slot to Wing dribble at
> back cut for situations where the wing pass is getting taken away... again
> our 5 is normally at the free throw line, but it still works to at least get
> us and the defense moving, and is better than just passing back and forth at
> the top.

I think that might also be part of R&R L1. :P
We probably need _something_ like this, if only for when we face a man 
defence. The other option that's been discussed is a dribble hand-off. I 
don't know which is likely to create more defensive confusion, but I guess 
the back-cut when dribbled at might be a better skill to practice first.

> Alternate Zone Offense
<snip>
> This isn't that much different from what we already run. It just has the
> guard continuing through to the strong corner. The post then cuts into the
> strong-side low post, and the weak-side wing cuts into high post.

IIRC, we actually used to run something similar to this. It might have 
migrated to the Wednesday team from the Claremont/UCC team?

> I actually disagree with 2 having to fill for 1 as 1 dribbles across the
> top.... they've already made a cut, 4 should stop being lazy and follow
> their pass. Either way the offense is now ready to be run on the other side
> of the floor.

The main difference with what we ran (again, IIRC) is that rather than 1 
dribbling across for reversal, 1 passed to 3, and 2 made the long cut 
all the way to the weak side for the swing. It was rather slow, and the 
defence never really got flustered. They knew we couldn't shoot from the 
corner, so the overload there never really accomplished much. They just 
played a box and 1 on Tommo the whole game. :/

Reversal via dribble might make a difference, but it might also require us 
to be able to dribble either direction under pressure. I'm also still not 
sure how much it would add for us, given how many of our players don't 
threaten on that corner three, which is what really causes the overload to 
tear up zones.

I mean, it would certainly do everything our current offence does, since 
it has similar spacing and movement, but the main things it adds are:
1) an additional perimeter shooter - questionble additional benefit; 
either the forward comes out or he doesn't. I doubt that any team we play 
is going to rotate all the way around to cover every perimeter threat.
2) a sneakier high post option, but one that might slow our reversal.

I could probably be convinced though. *shrug*

As for various drill, I'm sure just about anything we run that involves a 
defender and passing will make us better, so I'll probably be happy 
whatever. :P
The closer to in-game sistuations the better though.

Chas