NABC Clinic Notes Part IV - Jay Wright (Villanova)

Today's entry is the notes from the NABC clinic conducted by Villanova head coach Jay Wright. Coach Wright presented some great concepts relating to their base man/man offensive system. One of the things he stressed the most was the lengths they go to in making their system fit their personnel, and making their movements consistent between their motion and their sets. He talked about having a designated set of movements for a specific action (such as a post entry) - and then using those movements regardless of where you're at in your offense. As with the other entries in this series, my notes are in italics. Enjoy!

·         Idea to drill setting up/using screens: place something on the floor at designated point. Cutter must sprint to spot, touch object, then go off the screen.

o   Forces cutter to get to spot and set up screen.

o   Forces cutter to change speed when changing directions.

o   Allows cutter time to read defender as the screen approaches b/c defender will have to shift position.

o   Allows screener time to read defender and get to screening position.

·         “Respect the precious present.”

Be here, now. Keep eyes on the future, and never forget where you came from.

• Having a base offense is great, but it needs to be malleable.
• Everything we do should fit OUR personnel, for THIS team.
• It's okay to have a system in place, to steal from others, or create your own. But you need to be sure that you adjust whatever it is you're going to use from season to season to fit each team specifically.
• 4 components to the base offense that should remain consistent in all sets:
• Drive and space
• Reaction to drives to the middle or the baseline by the other 4 players
• Where do bigs go? Where do guards go?
• Post and rip
• Reaction to post feed by other 4 players
• Do we move on the catch or on the move?
• If you reaction on the move, big must be able to make passing reads DURING his move.
• Ball Screen
• Reaction to a ball screen by the other 3 players
• What opportunities are we trying to create?
• Slips? Pick + pop? Hard roll? Open space to drive?
• Screener/cutter
• Reaction to screens or cuts off the ball
• Probably the most difficult to plan because of the number of screens/cuts available.
• Drill to set up/use screens
• Place object on floor (cone, bell, ball, tape) where you want the screen to occur
• Place offensive players in positions that lead to the screen
• (EX: elbow and corner for a down screen leading to pop)
• Cutter sprints to the spot, TOUCHES OBJECT, and then uses screen
• Forces the cutter to get to the spot and set up the angle
• Forces the cutter to change speed when changing directions
• Allows the cutter to read the defense as he adjusts to the cut and the screen
• Allows the screener to read the defense and time to get to the screen - spacing = open shots!
• "Respect the precious present."
• Be here, now. Keep your eyes on the future, but don't forget where you came from.