Defending the pick

[91jack]

If I remember right, last year the guards switched with the guards and the posts switched with the posts. There were few times last year when a guard would guard a post but that didn't happen very often.
Last night, they seemed to switch on every pick. Did Maria switch like that last year? I think some coaches will have their center set a pick for their point guard and then Macie will be guarding their center. I know we can help out and double team down low but that leaves Maria on their point guard, too. We don't need her getting a tickey tack foul out on the perimeter. If it's Ketty or Kristin, they can hold their own for a while but it seemed like Macie was down there a lot last night.
I thought the posts bodied up on their gal and the perimeter players went around. I didn't like the foul call when the posts bodied up but that didn't seem to happen very often. Maybe with some of the youth of the post players they would be too physical(bodying up) and get into foul trouble.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Defending the pick

I think over all, the team is playing with more of a passion for the game of basketball than they were earlier.It shows up in the ability to score points it seems much more effortlessly , before, they seemed to struggle, now, it seems thier's a more natural flow to the offense.It's a lot more fun for the fans to watch,& more fun for the players too.Someone said earlier, I think they've gelled as a team.Our defense is steadily getting better too,which is why our margin of victory is starting to get to last years range,depending on what team we're playing against of course.I think by tournement time , this team will be hitting on all cylinders & will be awesome to watch.Hope i'm not over-stating(sp)

[SoDakJack]

Re: Defending the pick

AJ said earlier this season that the younger players were still playing like "robots" because they were new to the system and competitive DI basketball. Perhaps they as individuals, and as a team, are now able to adjust on the fly instead of having to be told what needs to be done.

I think that the play we are seeing now is only the tip of the iceberg. Young players always have the chance of the "2 steps forward, one step back" happening, but I think that we will see the steps forward being larger and the step back being much smaller.

I am excited to see what this team can do the rest of the season and into the future.

[leeshajo]

Re: Defending the pick

A good test this weekend against Oral Roberts to see the development.

but I agree, they are looking much better, starting to gel and play with confidence again. That was missing earlier in the year.

[zooropa]

Re: Defending the pick

If I remember right, last year the guards switched with the guards and the posts switched with the posts. There were few times last year when a guard would guard a post but that didn't happen very often.
Last night, they seemed to switch on every pick. Did Maria switch like that last year? I think some coaches will have their center set a pick for their point guard and then Macie will be guarding their center. I know we can help out and double team down low but that leaves Maria on their point guard, too. We don't need her getting a tickey tack foul out on the perimeter. If it's Ketty or Kristin, they can hold their own for a while but it seemed like Macie was down there a lot last night.
I thought the posts bodied up on their gal and the perimeter players went around. I didn't like the foul call when the posts bodied up but that didn't seem to happen very often. Maybe with some of the youth of the post players they would be too physical(bodying up) and get into foul trouble.

Macie, as a general rule, is pretty good about going under or over a screen when rotating off of it would create a size disadvantage, and apart from her and Jill Young (and maybe Ashley Eide as she works her way into the rotation), the Jacks won't be at a size disadvantage if they rotate off a screen instead of letting the defender cross over or under it. My recollection is that they rotated off screens as a matter of routine last year; that the small guards played through them, but everybody else rotated (including Kristen when she was playing the #2 spot).

IMO, with the Jacks' fairly even heights, it's fun to watch them rotate off screens, when they're clicking on defense. It's choreography.

One of the things last year that I noticed about Jill, is that when she went under a screen she had a tendency to float on the other side of it, instead of getting right back up on her opposite.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Defending the pick

IMO, with the Jacks' fairly even heights, it's fun to watch them rotate off screens, when they're clicking on defense. It's choreography.

Well, IMO it wasn't working very well last night. There were numerous times when Maria, Jenny or Katie were out on the small guards, and down low were Macie and Allison on the posts. Honestly, it was kind of driving me crazy...especially when they had the opportunity to switch back and didn't do it...at least quickly enough, IPFW took advantage of it. Will be interesting to see if we find a way to rectify that a bit.

[zooropa]

Re: Defending the pick

Jennie & Katie need to stop rotating off the screen when there's a size discrepancy. Macie & Maria know what to do.

If the opponent is setting a screen on Maria, she'll hold her spot and Macie will either go above or under the screen. They're veterans.

But if Jennie or Katie rotate off as Macie comes up defending a guard, well, there you go....

[JamesJacks]

Re: Defending the pick

It is obvious that the switching on all those ball screens and handoffs was a gameplan put in place, otherwise it would not have been done as much. It simplifies things defensively to do this, but you do get caught with some mismatches. Our defense has improved a lot over the past few weeks, but we have not been very solid defending out on the perimeter. Maybe the switches we saw last night were an effort to help that????? I don't know.

[zooropa]

Re: Defending the pick

It is obvious that the switching on all those ball screens and handoffs was a gameplan put in place, otherwise it would not have been done as much. It simplifies things defensively to do this, but you do get caught with some mismatches. Our defense has improved a lot over the past few weeks, but we have not been very solid defending out on the perimeter. Maybe the switches we saw last night were an effort to help that????? I don't know.

They don't -always- rotate off screens; I think the screened defender has the option to rotate or stay.

At the Gonzaga game, during the first half, the team looked very confused handling screens.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Defending the pick

At the Gonzaga game, during the first half, the team looked very confused handling screens.

The Gonzaga game being the first real DI game of the year could have played a big part in the confusion too.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Defending the pick

Going under the screen will most likely not be an option Saturday, that will give Bigham and Luper too much room to shoot.

[JamesJacks]

Re: Defending the pick

Going under the screen will most likely not be an option Saturday, that will give Bigham and Luper too much room to shoot.

Good point 1stRowFANatic. Perimeter defense will be a top priority on Saturday.

[91jack]

Re: Defending the pick

Jennie & Katie need to stop rotating off the screen when there's a size discrepancy. Macie & Maria know what to do.

If the opponent is setting a screen on Maria, she'll hold her spot and Macie will either go above or under the screen. They're veterans.

But if Jennie or Katie rotate off as Macie comes up defending a guard, well, there you go....

I brought up Maria because she switched on about every screen in this game. Maybe she did because that way the other players know to do it every time. I think some teams will hurt us if we keep playing like that.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Defending the pick

Getting better at handling screens will go a long way's in improving our defense.We are currently # 30 in the nation in 3pt field goal defense allowing only a 27.7% completion rate.Our 3 pt defense isn't too bad already, but, there's alway's room for improvement.The defensive scheme has to be the complete package, not just outside shooting , but must encompass (sp?) everything a good offensive team can throw at us.A lot of game film will be looked at & new defensive adjustments will be made i'm sure.We've stepped up our offensive scoring & shored up our defense quite a bit since we last played ORU.I think they have a lot to worry about us as we do them.The game will go to whoever wants it the most.The commentators on the radio say the jacks are at thier best when they stay aggressive on offense and smart on defense.I agree.One focus of the team should be rebounding, it can keep you in the game till your shooting comes around.There's nothing more deflating to a team than to play tough defense & the player misses the shot attempt, only to have them get the offensive board & have to play tough D again & this time they don,t miss.A little energy boxing out & securing the rebound can save you a lot of energy going through another defensive set.One & done is all they should get.Turnovers are crucial too, that alway's kills momentem.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Defending the pick

Watched the Oral Roberts game replay tonight.My thoughts are that both Bigham & Luper never intended to drive all the way , but were off center enough to shift our defense to one side or the other, opening up the back door for Pyle.All the drive does is set the offense into motion, everything comes off the drive to the hoop.I think early in the game it was Pyle who hurt us the most underneath as evryone was intent on stopping the drive.Both players start thier move quite a ways out to build up enough speed to blow by the defenders comming up to help.Anytime you get three or more defenders being drawn out of position,bad things are going to happen.Alison Anderson can gaurd Bigham like a glove,Bigham wasn't nearly as effective when Alison was gaurding her.Ashley Eide really bothers thier defense, with her slashing style of play.She can find the smallest seam to drive to the hoop.Paluch had some nice short jumpers.Early in the game we got the ball to Maria for our first eight points.With the way Jenn Sunnarborg is playing,and Maria, this next game will definately be a different game.More for them to worry about.Jill made some nice 3 ptrs, but she,s got to be open, she's not nearly as effective rushing the shot.I'll have to watch it again more carefully to see if i can validate my observations.Oral Roberts definately did not inbound the one play with the ref's watching, this is gross neglegence on thier part .Any other game they stand there with the ball for seconds before handing it to the player to inbound.Thier reputation for being poor officials is well earned with mistakes like this.We don't need ref's in the league that don't even know it's required to inbound the ball after every made basket.