Hey everyone...it's been a little
while since I last posted. I wanted to share some notes from a recent
video purchase, Bruce Weber: Drills & Plays for Scoring Against Zone
Defenses.
I've always found Bruce Weber, Head Coach of Kansas State University, to
be an intriguing coach. Maybe it's because, if I'm honest, we share some
offensive sensibilities. He's been quoted as saying about shot selection:
"Closer isn't always better.
Open is better." ("K-State basketball
under coach Bruce Weber has unique tempo, strategy", The Collegian,
February 7, 2013)
And regarding his offensive
philosophy:
Weber’s offense has been predicated on the ability of his
players to make open jumpers. His fluid motion system is meant to create these
opportunities. Players are constantly on the go, making instant reads on how to
react. What it does not do is present a plethora of opportunities to get to the
foul line. (The Collegian, February 7, 2013)
When he was at the University of Illinois, it was said...
“Weber's offense…requires players to create significant
spacing in a half-court setting to spread out defenders and establishes roles
for players either to screen or cut for the ball with astonishing quickness.
The players are in constant motion without a distinct
directive, making it extremely tough for opponents to scout the Illini. Each
time Illinois runs motion, its unpredictability leaves even Weber guessing what
might happen next.
"I lose control; they have freedom," Weber said.
"Some coaches can't deal with it and can't run motion." ("Poetry
in Motion", Chicago Tribune, February 11, 2005)
Regarding his thoughts on zone offense as he shared in his
new video:
“You want to teach them how to play. The more you teach them
how to play, it makes it easier on you as a coach. If you have to draw a play
and have them execute it every time down the court you’re going to fail as a
coach.”
Against Zone
1.) Push the basketball. Don’t let the zone set up. Worse thing
you can do is see that they’re playing zone and start to walk it up. Get into a
secondary break.
2.) Take the basketball up to the defense. Have the confidence to
make someone guard you.
3.) Reverse the basketball. Move the ball and make the defense
work.
4.) Get the basketball inside every 3 or 4 possessions. Make the
defense drop in and open up the outside.
5.) Attack the gaps of the zone. Make two guys guard one. Attack
closeouts so you can get into the gap. That gives you an advantage.
6.) Use the skip pass to distract defenders.
7.) Overload the zone to create advantages. Put more players on a
side than they have defenders.
8.) Use screening actions against the zone. Screens are difficult
to defend. Use the same screening actions from your man offense, you’ll put the
defense in a bind. Ball screens can lead to overloads and the defense
scrambling. Cross screens to put defense and let someone flash, you’ll put the
defense in a disadvantage.
9.) Space the court. You want to be where they’re not…like the
short corner, mid-post.
10.) Use the misdirection. Take the ball one way to pull the zone
and then go back the other direction, you get the defense to shirt.
11.) Rebound.
Here is a clip from Coach Weber's video:
In the clip below, is one of Team Hurricane's favorite sets, VCU "Flood".
And here is another clip of some quality zone offense plays:
