“ALL THINGS BASKETBALL BLOG”

http://www.guidetocoachingbasketball.com/motion.htm (copy and paste)

Posted by Greg Haskell

Be hard to guard by better learning how to move without the basketball i.e. V-Cut, Back door Cut, L-Cut, Curl Cut,flare cut, Screen away (Down Screen), Back Screen, Angle Screen and roll, etc… Players that stand are easy to guard. Learn how to change speeds and move with purpose! Remember to always move in the opposite direction first i.e. if I want to go back door I will take my man high. If I want to receive the ball, I will take my man down (V-Cut)

Posted By Coach Greg Haskell

Written By Greg Haskell

I’m certainly not going to attack Coach Howland. UCLA is lucky to have him as their coach. I wasn’t a UCLA fan for years until Coach Howland brought in some meaningful physical and mental toughness to that program. He has done a great job and I’m not sure anyone has consistently done it any better in the last three years.

I believe the Bruins ran into a situation where the Memphis guards were just as quick (or even more so) and bigger/ stronger than UCLA’s. In my mind the only way to combat that is to clog the lane to limit dribble penetration with more of a sagging man to man defense laying off the #4 and #5 options on offense. In most cases UCLA could dictate the game, but Memphis seemed bigger, faster, and stronger. I also understand the psychology involved in telling your players that these guys are so good we have to adjust. Most nights at UCLA the other team must adjust to the superior personnel.

On offense poor Darrin Collison was unable to take the Memphis guards off of the dribble because he was physically in over his head against Rose of Memphis. A little more movement away from the ball (motion offense) with Kevin Love and Lorenzo Mata setting some bone crushing screens (followed by posting or flashing off of the inevitable switching on defense) at multiple angles and sets might have softened Memphis up a little. At the very least they would have had their heads on a swivel rather than loading up on the UCLA perimeter players. Those are a few of my thoughts that might have made a difference. What do you think and why?

Posted By Coach Greg Haskell

What offense best allows one to compete against superior athleticism? I think it’s Motion Offense because it creates controlled yet unpredictable movements and screening angles for the defense. Any pattern (set play) can be scouted. The best one can hope for against good Motion Offense is to scout the tendencies of the personnel, and even then if the defense decides not guard certain individuals it can lead to great ball screening opportunities. A given defender will be unable to to step out against the ball screen if they are sagging off of the player laying the screen.

Watch this informative clip of Bob Hurley “Building Motion Offense”