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Day #1 of the NCAA Tournament provided us with a little of everything - upsets, blowouts, possible impactful injuries, and, most importantly, some great Xs & Os! Here are few that caught my eye…
Kansas Jayhawks’ End of Clock Middle Ball Screen
I mentioned yesterday on Twitter that college coaches are getting creative at getting into middle ball screen actions. Gone are the days of 4 low sets ending with your 5 coming out for a high ball screen (those are easier to trap and easier for help defense to prepare for). Nowadays, Ghost screens, Spain action and other traditional actions are being used as pre-actions to that middle ball screen finish.
The ghost screen from Grady Dick for Dajuan Harris draws a switch from the defense. That action is immediately followed by a back screen (similar to Spain). The 5 sets a ball screen for Harris to drive the paint. The big dives hard and Dick loops back to the top of the key. Dick’s defender tags on the hard roll, which leaves the throw back pass open, ending in a 3PA.
Howard was well-prepared for the play, but you can see how it even draws help from the corner Howard defender.
Charleston Cougars Triple Stagger
In need of a quick score? A lot of teams will clear a side and let their point guard get down hill to score (if possible). In order to keep help defense preoccupied (and create a back-up scoring opportunity), teams will do something on the other side of the floor. Charleston used a triple stagger in their game against SDSU to get a layup.
And if the 2 isn’t open, have the 3 come off the 5 and 4’s stagger for another loop, or even a 3PA at the top of the key.
Duke Blue Devils’ Stack Series
If you’re an AQTO+ member, you received Jon Scheyer’s FastDraw Playbook last week, which included several sets out of the Blue Devils’ stack series. Here’s one of their go-to’s for Kyle Filipowski. After some movement/passes to draw the defense to one side, Jeremy Roach will set a guard-to-big back screen for the 7-foot freshman for a lob over the top of the defense.
The stack alignment is a great alternative to Horns. Teams like Auburn, Illinois, and Oklahoma State have all used the two-high stack to kick-start a possession on offense.
Want more Xs & Os? Check out my Inside March Madness series all month long…