National Championship Coach UNC Roy Williams on Leadership

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

National Championship Coach UNC Roy Williams on Leadership

National Championship Coach UNC Roy Williams on Leadership
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As part of the cutting edge Carolina Leadership Academy, UNC national champion men's basketball coach Roy Williams recently shared his insights on leadership and team building as well as some behind the scenes stories during Carolina's run to the 2005 National Championship.

Here are some of the highlights from Coach Williams talk with the Tar Heels captains and coaches:

1. Trust is the foundation of leadership.
Coach William's first goal when he made the transition from Kansas to Carolina was to establish a sense of trust with the UNC players. "You've got to get your players to believe in you." Coach Williams immediately scheduled individual meetings with each of the players to begin the trust-building process. Because first impressions are so important, especially when taking over a different program, Coach Williams wanted to start off on the right foot with each of the players.

2. We'll have a chance to win it all next year...
Coach Williams told the UNC players that if they did exactly what he and his staff asked them to do, they would make the NCAA tournament in the first year and have a chance to win it all in the second year. This inspiring vision gave the players an exciting goal to shoot for as well as a realistic timeline to accomplish it. It set the program's expectations from the onset and gave them a motivating reason for the daily work they would need to do.

3. Coaching is about adjustments. Your game plan is only good for the first six minutes - the rest is all about adjustments. According to Coach Williams, coaching (and playing for that matter) is all about adjustments. You can and should formulate a game plan going in, but much of your team's success depends on your ability to make efficient and effective adjustments. As a coach you must be able make the strategically adjustments, but just as important, you must help your team make the mental adjustments that need to be made to manage the momentum of competition.

4. You can push them but you can't go personal.
Many thought former North Carolina coach Matt Doherty was excused because the Tar Heel players thought he was too tough on them. Interestingly, most Carolina insiders note that Coach Williams is much more demanding of his players than was Coach Doherty. The primary difference lies in how Coach Williams is tough on them. Coach Williams insists that you can and must push your players - but you can't make it personal. Much like effective parenting, coaches should criticize the behavior, not the person.

5. Regardless of how hard you work, I will be working harder. It all starts at the top. Coach Williams talked about how his passion, commitment, and work ethic must set the tone for everyone in the program. He has to continually demonstrate in his actions the standard necessary to achieve success. The players see how much he invests in them and the program and are naturally inspired to give a high level of commitment back to him.

6. I'll take a person who is a little short on ability and academics, but I will not take anyone who is short on character. For Coach Williams, character in recruiting is a non-negotiable factor. He flat out refuses to sign anyone who is not a person of character. "You can't consistently win that way, and it certainly is not as much fun." This bedrock principle was especially satisfying to hear in light of today's Terrell Owens-type athletes.

7. Be on the lookout for the little things in recruiting.
While he is a very personable guy, Coach Williams directly tells people not to chit-chat with him over the summer when he is recruiting. From the time he walks into the gym before games start to the end of the day, he is on a mission. Coach Williams meticulously watches EVERYTHING a potential Carolina recruit does. He especially watches how kids act before and after games, how they interact with coaches, teammates, parents, and officials. He even watches water breaks closely.

He related a story about current Atlanta Hawk and last season's ACC Freshman of the Year Marvin Williams: Marvin fouled out near the end of a close AAU game. His coach called a time out to talk with the rest of the players. Marvin ran to the end of the bench and filled cups of water for each of his teammates who were still in the game as a way to contribute even though he was on the bench with five fouls. "I don't want the kids who are too cool. I want guys who are focused on how they can help the team. I absolutely love it when the best player on the team is also the best leader."

8. Winning TEAMS get the individual awards and rewards.
Coach Williams continuously stressed to his players that the end of the year individual awards and rewards go to the teams that win the most games. Player of the Year and All-Conference Awards almost always go to players on the teams that win the most. Thus, Coach Williams team approach would yield the collective rewards of a championship season as well as the individuals awards.

9. Team vs. Talent - that's a welcomed insult.
The media billed the Illinois vs. Carolina national championship game as Team vs. Talent. Coach Williams took great offense to this characterization and bombarded his team with it in the 48 hours before the game. "Everyone thinks we're too selfish to win a championship. They think we are just a bunch of superstars who aren't willing to play together to win. Let's show them that they're wrong and we can win this thing as a team."

10. Illinois is too good of a team not to make a run - I've got to be the calmest person in the crowd when they do. Going into the championship game against the #1 ranked Illinois' high-octane offense, Coach Williams realized that there would be a point when Illinois would get on a roll. He knew that his composure during this run might be a critical factor in the game and prepared himself ahead of time to deal with it.

Sure enough, during a nine-minute span in the second half of the championship game, Illinois made 60% of their three-pointers to close within one of Carolina. As his panicked players came to the bench for the media time out, Coach Williams got their attention and calmly reminded them that everything was okay. "Hey guys, we're fine. Illinois is a great team; they've been ranked #1 most of the year. You have to expect them to hit some shots. But as the game goes on and the pressure mounts, they'll start to tighten up. And there's no way that they will make those jump shots." By preparing for and remaining calm in a potential crisis, Coach Williams effectively refocused his team and helped them weather the inevitable storm of adversity that too often spooks other teams.

11. You can coach someone and still see 30 years later the impact you had - whether good or bad. Not many outside of Asheville, NC have ever heard of high school basketball coach Buddy Baldwin. But without his example and influence decades ago on an impressionable high school hoopster named Roy Williams, Coach Williams would likely not be coaching today. "Coach Baldwin was the first person to give me confidence that I could do something. And I really enjoyed how good he made me feel. And I thought that coaching would allow me the opportunity to help other people feel as good as Coach Baldwin made me feel about myself." Although seemingly insignificant perhaps at the time, Coach Baldwin's leadership legacy lives on through Coach Williams - who has made thousands of Kansas and Carolina players and alums feel good about themselves.

Finally, all coaches will take some comfort in knowing that Coach Williams' first season as a high school coach his team went 2-19. Ouch! From an inauspicious start to the pinnacle of Division I men's college basketball, Coach Roy Williams has always stayed true to himself and his roots and is clearly one of the class acts in coaching today.

http://www.basketballcoachesclub.blogspot.com/

"HOW TO SCRIMMAGE" by Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs

"HOW TO SCRIMMAGE" by Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs

"HOW TO SCRIMMAGE"
BY GREGG POPOVICH OF THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Coaches you have got to try this drill. It is called "3 Ways" *You can run this drill for 30 minutes if you want to. (This is a controlled Scrimmage)

1. This is a five on five drill full court. Team A against Team B

2. You play to ten points. You get one point for scoring and one point for a stop. *Even if a kid makes a three point shot it counts one point. (You will need a score keeper)

3. Team A is on offense and Team B is on defense. You call a set and throw the ball to team A's point guard. They will run the play, now we are in regular basketball going full court. Team B will now try and score on the far end of the floor and then Team A will come back to the original end and try and score here (do you see 3 Ways?) (This is a great time to work on your secondary break)

4. After they go down and back (Team A would have been on offense twice) they will throw the ball to you the coach and you will start over again, but this time Team B will be on offense first?

5. If the ball goes out of bounds under a goal you can run an out of bounds play.

6. Coach Popovich likes this drill because he is controlling the scrimmage and they are not just ripping and running while scrimmaging out of control. You can teach after they go down and back.

http://www.basketballcoachesclub.blogspot.com/

Building Positive Relationships with Your Players

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

Building Positive Relationships with Your Players

By Matt Monroe, Sophomore Boys’ Basketball Coach, St. Patrick High School (IL)

An essential part of coaching is building relationships. We, as coaches, spend a lot of time diagramming plays and developing new drills, but we don’t spend enough time trying to figure out how to better foster relationships with our players. The greatest compliment a coach can receive is “his/her players will run through a brick wall for him/her.” The question is: how do coaches develop strong enough relationships with their players that drive such a spirit?

1. Show them that you care.
Always remind your players that you care about them. You must show them that you understand their condition, that you always have their best interests in mind, and that they can trust you. Understand that developing relationships with your players transcends basketball. You must show interest in their lives off the court – ask them about their day, their families, or how their classes are going. If your players feel that you are invested in them as people, they will buy into you as a coach. Don’t just tell your players that you care, show them!

2. Be their friend, not their “buddy.”
Make sure that your players feel that you are approachable. Have fun with them, and at times joke around to show your lighter side. Develop a relationship with your players so that they feel that they can confide in you during times of crisis or so that they feel compelled to share with you when something good happens in their lives. Even with all of this, remember that you are not their “buddy.” There needs to be a figurative line in place that maintains the distinction between player and coach. If you become their “buddy,” you will lose their respect as a coach and authoritative figure.

3. Give them ownership.
It’s very important to give your players ownership in your team and your program. You and your staff will make all of the major decisions and will have the final say, but it is important to get as much player input as possible. You can create a sense of ownership by trying the following:
- Ask them to decide on a team shoe or other gear.
- Get their opinion on the summer tournaments your program is in.
- Find out what the “pulse” of the team is at various points throughout the year. Ask them how they feel about their team.
- Have your players construct some team rules.
- Have players fill out a program and/or team questionnaire.
- Ask players to share their “scouting report” of another team or player if they know pertinent information about your opponent.
- There are a wide variety of options that you can use. Be creative!
- If your players feel like they have stock in your program, the success of your team becomes more important to them.

4. Remember that it’s about them.
Don’t lose sight of your purpose as a coach. If you got into coaching to make money or gain professional notoriety, then you are in it for all of the wrong reasons. Your primary purpose as a coach is to help your players develop positively as players and as young men and women. It should be about THEM. If you make it as such, players won’t have to be reminded too often that you have their best interests in mind.

5. We and us, not me and I.
You must try to talk in the form of “we” and “us” and try to avoid always referencing “me” and “I.” It’s OUR team, OUR loss, OUR big win. WE need to get better. OUR man scored. WE need to take better shots. If you speak in terms of “we” and “us,” it will help bring everyone together to reach common goals.

6. Reinforce good habits and actions.
Don’t always comment on the negative. Make sure you always reinforce the positive. This can be very difficult to do at times, but make sure you make an attempt. Coaches who are too negative often times will “lose” their players.

Relationship building can be very difficult to accomplish successfully. It takes up a lot of time and effort and requires much patience. Sometimes the process won’t always go the way you think it should or want it to. Even with all of the work and struggle that it may be, you must always attempt to develop positive relationships with your players. Without the foundation of positive relationships with your athletes, even the best of coaching will fall on deaf ears.

http://www.basketballcoachesclub.blogspot.com/

Basketball Offense - Michigan-Style 2-Guard Offense

From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook, @ http://www.coachesclipboard.net

High School Coach Tom Jicha (Miami Sunset Senior High School) has spent years breaking down the 2-guard offense made famous by Michigan's John Beilein. He presents the offense in this excellent DVD, detailing the three sets ("chin", "motion" and "shuffle"), and shows how they easily flow into one another. Many options are available at each point in the offense. It is a read and react, perimeter-based, patterned offense that also allows for free-lance motion.

"Michigan-Style 2-Guard Front Offense" with Tom Jicha High School Coach Tom Jicha has spent years breaking down this offense made famous by Michigan's John Beilein. In this DVD Coach Jicha shows the three main sets (chin, motion and shuffle) and how they flow together in one seamless offensive system. The offense is run out of a 2-3 alignment and gives the coach the opportunity to control the offense by calling sets or the players the responsibility by reading the defense. Each set has it's own unique action that makes the offense hard to scout and defend. Jicha thoroughly takes you through each aspect of the offense and each option off every pass. Running Time: 58 Minutes. 2009.

"20 Quick Hitters for 2 Guard Front Offense" with Tom Jicha Tom Jicha shows 20 quick hitters that can be utilized with the spread offense. Each set has quick hitters designed specifically to take advantage of the defense with that set. There are six quick hitters for the shuffle series, six for motion and five for chin. Each play will flow back into the offense if the quick hit isn't available and each has multiple scoring options. The DVD concludes with five drills to help implement the 2-guard front offense. Running Time: 49 Minutes. 2009.

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"Chin" Set

The "chin" set is the basic set that our motion and shuffle sets may fall back into, so it will be discussed first. The two-guard front is used with two wings (free-throw line extended) and a high post player (diagram A), giving us a "2-3 high" look. There are four ways to start the chin series.

Chin Entry #1 - Point to High-Post Pass

The point guard O1 starts the offense here by passing to O5 who sprints up to the arc to meet the pass (diagram B). O1 and O4 cut inside to the low blocks and either could receive a pass back from O5. O2 and O3 rotate up to fill the two guard spots on top.

O5 passes back out to O2 (diagram C), O2 passes to O3, and then O3 swings it to O4 on the left wing.



O2 cuts around O5 for a possible pass from O4 (diagram D). O2 has to time this cut for when the ball gets to O4, not sooner. O2 moves out to the left corner. Now O3 "bumps" off a flare-screen set by O5 (diagram E) and could receive the pass at the 3-point arc for an outside shot, or a dribble-drive off O5's ball-screen (diagram F), with a kick-out option to O1 on the right wing.



If the pass to O3 on the top is not open, O3 then cuts around O5 to the hoop (diagram G) and could get the pass from O4. If nothing is open, O4 dribbles up top and passes to O1 cutting up from the wing (diagram H). It's very important that O3 dribble up very high, to the left lane-line extended, and similarly, O1 must cut all the way up to the right lane-line extended. Thus the pass from O4 to O1 is a very short pass. O2 and O3 fill out to the wing spots.

O1 swings it to O3 on the right wing (diagram I). O4 either back-cuts or front-cuts around O5 for a possible pass from O3. Again, our cutter O4 has to time this cut and must wait until the pass goes up the side to O3. Are you starting to see the continuity? We are now using the same options on the right side.



O1 bumps off O5's flare-screen (diagram J) and could get the pass up top, but if not, cuts through off O5 (diagram K), and could get the pass inside from O3. Diagram L shows that O1 moves out to the right wing as O2 cuts up to the top left guard spot (lane-line extended). O3 dribbles up to the top right guard spot (lane-line extended), and passes to O2.



O2 swings it to O1 (diagram M), and O3 back-cuts off O5 for a possible pass from O1.

Chin Entry #2 - Reverse Pass to Trailer

The second way of starting the chin series is to pass to our trailer O4 (the pass to O5 is denied). Except for this starting point, the pattern runs exactly the same as described above. Diagram N shows O1 passing to O4. O4 swings it to O3 on the left wing. O1 cuts through off O5 for a possible pass from O3. If the pass is not open, O4 "bumps" off O5's flare-screen for a possible pass, but if not open, O4 cuts around O5's back-screen (diagram P).



Next, Diagram Q shows that O3 dribbles up top (lane-line extended) and passes to O2 (lane-line extended), as O1 and O4 fill the wing spots. O2 swings it to O4 on the right wing (diagram R). O3 times the cut and cuts off O5 for a possible pass from O4. I think you can see that the pattern is exactly the same here, only the starting point was different.

Chin Entry #3 - Pass to Wing

The third way of starting the chin series is to pass to wing O2. Except for this starting point, the pattern runs exactly the same as described above. Diagram S shows O1 passing to O2, and O1 and O4 cut through to the blocks. Next (diagram T), O2 dribbles up top (lane-line extended) and passes to O3 cutting up to the lane-line extended top left guard spot. O1 and O4 fill the wing spots. O3 swings it to O4 (diagram U) as O2 cuts through looking for the pass from O4. From here, everything in the chin pattern is the same.



O3 bumps off O5's flare-screen (diagram V),and then cuts around O5 (diagram W). O4 then dribbles up top (diagram X) and passes to O1 cutting up top, as O2 and O3 fill the wing spots. Next, O1 passes to O3 on the wing and O4 cuts through (diagram Y)... everything in the chin pattern is the same.

Chin Entry #4 - Dribble Hand-Off

The fourth way of starting the chin series is for O1 to dribble hand-off with O2 (diagram Z). O4 cuts through to the left block, as O3 moves up to the left top guard spot (diagram A1). O2 dribbles up top and passes to O3 as O4 fills the left wing spot. From here, the chin pattern is exactly the same as described above. O3 swings it to O4 on the left wing (diagram A2) and O2 cuts through. Next, O3 bumps off O5's flare-screen for a pass on top, or a cut to the hoop off O5 (diagram A3). In diagram A4, O4 dribbles up top and passes across to O1 (lane-line extended) and O2 and O3 fill the wing spots.



Next (diagram A5), O1 reverses the ball to O3 on the right wing, and O4 cuts through. O1 bumps off O5's screen (diagram A6) and cuts through... everything is the same with our chin pattern.

Counter - What to do when the defense denies the guard-to-guard pass

Diagram A7 shows the that the guard-to-guard pass from O3 to O2 is being overplayed and denied by the X2 defender. Here, O2 recognizes this and back-cuts through to the hoop. O5 steps out to the guard spot to accept the pass from O3 (diagram A8), and O3 cuts through to the block, as O4 and O1 rotate up. O5 passes to O4 (diagram A9) and we are back in our chin pattern.

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"Motion" Set

The "motion" set uses the same 2-3 high set as seen in the chin series. "Motion" is started with a guard to wing entry pass... for all the details of the motion set get Coach Jicha's DVDs and become a Premium Member.

"Shuffle" Set

The "shuffle" set uses the same 2-3 high set as seen in the chin and motion series. "Shuffle" starts just like "motion" with a guard to wing entry pass... for all the details of the shuffle set get Coach Jicha's DVDs and become a Premium Member.

Get the rest of this article in the Premium Members section and the Deluxe CD and downloads.

It also includes all of these important parts of the Michigan-Style 2-Guard offense:
• Chin set with options.
• Motion set with many options, including how it flows seamlessly into the "chin" series.
• Shuffle set with options, including how "motion" can flow easily into "shuffle" and then into "chin".
• Counters for defensive overplays.
• Multiple options - 23 motion options (described in the DVD)!
• Summary - simple offensive actions, or triggers, that determine which set we are in, chin, motion, or shuffle.

In the DVD, Coach Tom Jicha demonstrates many more options, which are not discussed here. For example, in the "motion" set, there are three options on the first pass, nine options on the second pass, three options on the third pass, three options on the fourth pass, and five options on the fifth pass! Thus players do have freedom to read and react freely, in spite of the patterns presented above. So if you are serious about using this Michigan-style offense, be sure to get the DVDs below.

http://www.coachesclipboard.net/MichiganOffense.html

Basketball Offense - Princeton Offense

Writing an article on the Princeton offense is not an easy task as there is really no set "pattern" per se (such as the flex offense). Instead, it's more of a way of playing offense using certain principles that require the offensive player to read the defense. For the most part, it is unstructured, using screens and cuts, reading and reacting to the defense. The Princeton offense was pioneered by Pete Carril at Princeton some years ago. Variations are used by college teams (Georgetown, Northwestern, Arizona State, Air Force and Colorado) and NBA teams (New Jersey, Washington, Sacramento, New Orleans).

It has been said that this offense might benefit a team whose players are less athletic than most of their opponents. However, I don't think this is correct, as the Princeton offense requires all players to be good passers, ball-handlers (dribbling skills), and good outside shooters (3-point shots), as well as possess a high basketball IQ, or savvy. If you have a bunch of players like that you can probably win with any offense! Since players must have a good understanding of the game and know how to read the defense, this offense would not be an ideal choice for a youth or middle-school level team in my opinion. This offense would fit a team lacking tall post players, but with good, smart perimeter players.

The Princeton offense is a more deliberate offense, oftentimes with many passes each possession. This tends to slow the game down, controlling the tempo, usually resulting in lower game scores. Coaches have to be completely committed to this offense as it is a free-lance offense with less control from the bench. Certainly, however, plays and quick hitters can be called. The Princeton offense can be used against man-to-man and zone defenses. Against zones that pack the paint, open 3-point shots, attacking the gaps in the zone and attacking the baseline are effective techniques.

The hallmarks of the offense are the spread offense and spacing, constant motion, the back-door cut and lay-up, hitting open 3-point shots, flare screens and screens away from the ball. The basic set can be 4-out with 1-in (either at the high post, or low post), a 2-3 high set, or a 1-2-2 (5-out) set. A smart post player with good passing skills is important as the offense will tend to revolve around the center, who is often a playmaker. When in the 4-out high or 2-3 high set (diagram A), you can see that all players are located at or above the free-throw line extended. This creates space underneath for cutting, especially back-door cuts. The high set and constant motion help eliminate the helpside defense inside. A variety of entries are possible... pass with give and go, UCLA cut, dribble-at with back-cut, high post feed, weave-screen, etc.

http://www.coachesclipboard.net/PrincetonOffense.html

John Beilein Two Guard Princeton Offense vs. Duke Blue Devils–Basketball Plays

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Coach Peterman

http://www.mensbasketballhoopscoop.com/basketball-playbooks-john-beilein-two-guard-princeton-offense-vs-duke-blue-devils-basketball-plays/

John Beilein's 2-Guard Offense

"If the Princeton is Japanese, where the Wheel is Chinese, the 2-Guard Vietnamese, and the Triangle might be Korean. They may not be the same languages, but they're similar phonics." --John Beilein, Michigan--

With the recent success of the Michigan basketball program there has been much written about the next great offense: The Michigan 2-Guard Offense. This system which is currently being utilized by John Beilein (Michigan) and his former assistant Jeff Neubauer (Eastern Kentucky), is becoming the most sought after system in the coaching community today.

However, both coaches are very apprehensive about sharing their concepts with fellow coaches. Their system is mixture of the Princeton, Wheel, and Triangle all rolled into one. "If the Princeton is Japanese, where the Wheel is Chinese, the 2-Guard Vietnamese, and the Triangle might be Korean. They may not be the same languages, but they're similar phonics." What I have done is given you the best interpretation of this unique offense and some of the sets we have used at the high school level that have been successful. This is definitely a perimeter dominated offense based on your ability to shoot the 3-pointer and take what the defense gives you. It is a true read and react type of offense where every pass several different counters or options depending on how the defense defends your cuts. If you think this might be a risky system, you might want to take a look at the success programs are having with this offense

May 28, 2011 10:45 PM

http://community.active.com/thread/154716

How to Run the Michigan Two Guard Front Offense

• Control game tempo and cut down on turnovers
• Counter defensive pressure with precision backdoor cuts for easy lay-ups
• Includes 20 quick hitters you can use from the main sets

with Tom Jicha,

Sunset High School, (FL) Head Coach

Level the playing field with a system designed to upset more athletic teams on a consistent basis.

Tom Jicha presents his interpretation of the two guard front offense, which is based on the offensive system made famous by John Beilein at West Virginia and now at the University of Michigan. This perimeter-based offense is designed to provide scoring opportunities for smaller teams that lack a "true post" player.

Coach Jicha introduces his three main sets: motion, shuffle and chin and blends them together to form one of the most difficult to defend offenses in the game today.

Chin Set
Jicha dissects the chin set on the dry-erase board guiding you through its precision movement. Included are the four ways to get into the chin: the middle pass, the side pass, reversal, and the hand-off. Moving to the court, Jicha demonstrates the tremendous spacing and ball movement options that this offense provides. You will learn the bump cut and pull-through techniques to counter intense defensive pressure. Jicha demonstrates the importance of high dribble outs and the hand-off to create back door cut opportunities.

Motion Set
Jicha delivers the primary set he uses on nearly every trip down the floor: the Motion Set. After starting with a quick pass to the wing and a blast cut from the point guard, seven motion options are demonstrated on the court versus defense. The secret to this offense is how smoothly it flows directly into the chin set, frustrating defenders who attempt to guard every v-cut, screen and the lightening quick ball reversal.

Shuffle Set
This unique set provides wing-to-block shuffle cutting action and it also flows directly into the chin set.

In addition to step-by-step breakdown of each set, Jicha teaches 20 effective quick hitters that can be utilized with this offense. Each set has quick hitters designed specifically to take advantage of what the defense is giving. You will see five quick hitters for the chin series, five for the motion series and 10 for the shuffle series. Each quick hitter flows back into the offense and each has multiple scoring options.

Jicha closes with 10 drills he uses to teach the offensive action and to demonstrate how to get game shots from the action.

Coach Jicha has effectively dissected this complex offensive system so that it can be totally effective at any level of play.

250 minutes (2 DVDs). 2010.

http://www.championshipproductions.com/cgi-bin/champ/p/Basketball/How-to-Run-the-Michigan-Two-Guard-Front-Offense_BD-03643.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M3uXuCVfak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqKJRnPASbo

The Dry Erase Board: John Beilein's "2 Guard-Offense"

The Dry Erase Board: John Beilein's "2 Guard-Offense"

There are two facts all basketball fans should be accepting right now. 1) We won't be watching professional basketball for at least another month or so and 2) No matter how much we love college basketball, it is not as good. Watching two teams play super hard is only fun if they are playing hard AND playing well. Let's face it, there is a ton of ugly, 48-46 college basketball games and that's even at the highest levels. There is excitement for the upcoming college basketball season not only because of the NBA lockout but because the power teams are littered with NBA talent and no matter what "purists'' say that is what we all want to see. Since the large majority of college teams are not blessed with elite physical talent hoops fans have to find some other way to be interested in the product. One of the ways basketball nerds can find enjoyment in college hoops is watching "systems" instead of players.

Basketball systems, or playing styles, are created by the coaching staff to provide the program with an identity. In "The Dry Erase Board" series (who uses chalk boards?) I will breakdown some of college basketball's more unique systems that maximize talent and hide physical shortcomings. And no, the "Pro-Style" or "Dribble-Drive" offense will not be featured. To quote Coach Cal from a Nike clinic I attended the key to the "Dribble-Drive" offense is to "have more talented and athletic players than your opponent"...pure genius. Today we will look at Upstate New York's own John Beilein and his "2 Guard Offense". (Interesting note: Beilein has been a JUCO, D3, D2 and D1 coach for 35 years and never an assistant)

The General Concept An off-spring of the Princeton offense, the 2-Guard offense emphasizes unique floor spacing, back-screening, hard cuts to the basket and perimeter shooting. The 2-Guard is most known for having 4 offense players on the perimeter (2 in the slots and 2 on the wings) and 1 post player that positions himself between the foul line and the top of the key (i.e. Pittsnogle). When spaced correctly the players should form a flat "X" and the deep corners should be left unoccupied for cutters to fill.

The Action The 2-Guard offense is sometimes unfairly labeled as a "continuity" offense where a pattern can be run over and over (i.e. the "Flex" or "Swing") but it's really more of a quick hit motion like the "Triangle". The action is determined by the first pass made and that pass triggers a serious of deep corner cuts, back screens, down screens and pick and rolls. No matter what action is triggered it depends on one important element; shooting. The idea is to get the defense spread out and off the help-line which neutralizes shot-blocking and athleticism.

The Players Many times unique offensive systems are created because not all programs can recruit the elite talent so they recruit the talent that is right for them. John Beilein's programs are a perfect example of this philosophy. I recently had the opportunity to sit-in on two University of Michigan practices. The first thing I noticed was how physically unimposing the roster was as they came out on the court. The second thing I noticed was how unbelievably quick they were to pick-up on everything the coaching staff put in front of them. The number one skill a John Beilein player must possess is basketball IQ. The actual system is not that complicated and it doesn't come attached with 30 set calls but the players must know how to play the game. 18-22 year-olds must know how to play like old dudes at the Y who have lost there athleticism. If basketball IQ is skill 1A) then shooting is skill 1AA) and arguably even more important. The 2-Guard can only operate at full-strength when all 5 players on the floor are knock down shooters. It can be argued that some of Beilein's struggles at Michigan can be attributed to the fact that he hasn't found that guy yet. Since players 1-4 in the 2-Guard are for the most part interchangeable you do not have to have a traditional point guard or power forward on the roster, which are two of the hardest positions to recruit. Ultimately you need to recruit players with versatile skill-sets who are a knock down shooters, are somewhere between 6'2"-6'7" and know how to play. So pretty much Euros...

The Strengths Like all effective "systems" the 2-Guard offense does an excellent job of emphasizing strengths and hiding weaknesses. If your team doesn't feature elite athletes the floor spacing that is created by the 2-Guard generates the space needed to get to the basket for high percentage shots either through cuts, back screens or dribble drives. Of course the 3-point shot is a major weapon and is associated as the vocal point of an offense like this. However, it is the the threat of a 3-pointer in your face that is more important than the actual shot. That threat starts forcing a defender to hug his man and neglect his helpside defensive duties leaving the basket open for uncontested lay-ups. The video above is a perfect example of a more talented Michigan State team uncharacteristically giving up easy buckets and leaving the rim unprotected.

The Weaknesses Smart coaches will stay true to the "live by the 3, die by the 3" philosophy and not panic if a couple of bombs drop in and the building is rocking. For the most part, teams do not lose from 3-pointers. Even if a team goes 12 for 20 from 3-point land that's still only 36 points, so how did they score 80? Teams should stay true to protecting the rim from the weak-side and making the other team contested jump shooters. The trap that 2-Guard teams fall into is too many jump shots, long rebounds and run-outs the other way. However, teams defending the 2-Guard do want to limit corner threes by not helping on dribble drives from the strong-side creating easy drive-and-kick opportunities. Stay at home and force the ball-handler to finish over help. If the center is not a great shooter than the other team can have their 5-man protect the rim at all times which is why it is important for the 5-man to be a shooting threat.

Conclusion Like many systems that are dependent on shooting the 2-Guard offense can be either unstoppable or extremely stoppable, there is no in-between. It looks like Michigan is going to land blue-chipper Mitch McGary, a skilled and athletic 4-man, and it will be interesting to see how an elite-level talent fits into this niche style of play. As a coach, I was on the bench when we whooped teams trying to run this and and I have sat there helpless when it was kicking our butt. Like 99.9% of all other situations in life the key is still talent, both on the court and on the sideline.

Posted by Ryan MahannThursday, November 3, 2011

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