Marquette Basketball Low Post Plays by John Zall

Written by Coach Peterman

I have coached at the NCAA Division 2 (Southwestern Oklahoma State University), NAIA (USAO), and JUCO Levels (Blinn College and Carl Albert State College) as well as high school. I just felt that fellow coaches especially young coaches need to constantly work on their “game”. Just like the basketball players that we coach. We as coaches need to improve ourselves. That is my story and why I do this blog.

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Basketball Plays | Basketball Set Plays | Horns Set Plays

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July 24, 2014

Marquette Basketball Low Post Plays by John Zall

Former Marquette University and current Virginia Tech University Head Coach Buzz Williams is known for changing his style year to year based on the personnel he has on his team. This past season, Buzz Williams recognized his strength were basketball low post plays with his senior big men. Seniors Davante Gardner (#54) and Jamil Wilson (#0) were the top two leading scorers and rebounders respectively for Marquette last season. Gardner averaged 14.9 points-per-game(PPG) and 5.7 rebounds-per-game(RPG). Jamil Wilson’s averages were 11.7 PPG and 5.7 RPG.

Marquette knew they needed to get the ball down low as often as possible and as a result became very reliant on “Post-Ups.” Post-Ups or basketball low post plays are when the ball is throw in to a player, usually a forward or center, in the paint area or just outside of it. According to Synergy a whopping 15% of Marquette’s offensive play’s last year were considered Post-Ups, while most every possession involved a big touching the ball in some capacity.

During these possessions, Marquette scored at an outstanding rate of .978 points-per-possession (PPP) which was good for 27th in the country. They had 356 possessions that were considered Post-Ups according to Synergy. The only two teams in the country with a higher PPP and more Post-Up possessions than Marquette were Gonzaga with 360 and Wisconsin-Milwaukee with 409.

As to be expected, they were led by Davante Gardner who accounted for half of Marquette’s Post-Up possessions and scored at a rate of 1.061 PPP. Jamil Wilson scored at a rate of .881 PPP.

The following Youtube video and diagrams contain 7 different plays that Marquette ran frequently in order to get the ball to one of their post players. They vary in length and complexity; with a wide range of actions including Hi-Lo, Secondary Breaks, Decoy, Back Screens, Stagger Screens, Hand-Offs and Cross-Screens.

In the first clip of the basketball low post plays, Marquette runs a Horns set late shot clock. The screener rolls to the rim and the opposite pinch post elevates. The ball is reversed to the big on the perimeter who looks to enter for hi-lo action.

The second clip of the basketball low post plays has a big flash from the short corner to above the free throw line. When he receives the pass he looks in to the post player who has a defender on his back for more hi-lo action.

In the third clip of the basketball low post plays, they have a big “Iverson cut” over the top and get a back screen at the opposite pinch post down to the block. The pass is thrown to the screener and he looks to dump it in for more hi-lo action.

The fourth clip of the basketball low post plays involves a simple Secondary break where the big who receives it, reverses it one more pass and they enter it to the post.

In the fifth clip of the basketball low post plays, the ball is entered into the post and they have a backside stagger screen that acts as a decoy for any defenders trying to help or double the ball in the post. As you will see later stagger screens are staples of Marquette’s offense.

The sixth clip of the basketball low post plays involves the big starting the elbow and being screened across to the opposite wing. He receives a pass and enters into a dribble hand-off with a guard from the corner heading towards the middle of the floor. The big then cuts to the ball side block where he gets a cross screen to the opposite block for a pass.

In the seventh and final clip of the basketball low post plays, the point guard passes and goes through to ball-side corner and the next guard get’s back screened to the block. The ball is reversed and both bigs set delayed stagger screens for the guards. One big then set a cross-screen for the other and they flash to the ball for a post entry.

John Zall BIO

Coach John Zall just completed his first season as an Assistant Coach at Division II Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH. This past season Franklin Pierce University won 20 games and advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. Zall arrived at Franklin Pierce after spending the past 3 seasons as the Associate Head Coach/Head JV Coach at O’Bryant High school in Roxbury, MA. During his tenure at O’Bryant the program improved from 4 wins to 12 wins and qualified for the MIAA State Tournament twice.

Coach Zall also has experience as an AAU Head Coach for the Boston Warriors. As Head Coach for the Warriors his team won the 2011 16U State Title and twice competed in AAU Nationals down in Orlando, FL. On top of being a student at Northeastern University, Zall was named Head Coach of the Men’s Club Basketball team for the 2012-13 season. During his lone season as Head Coach, Northeastern finished second in the Northeast Regional Tournament featuring colleges from throughout the East Coast. Coach Zall has also spent time as a Head Coach in the Bay State Games where his team won the Bronze Medal in 2012 and at various camps including: Five Star, Boston Celtics, NIKE, Franklin Pierce University, Hoop Group and The Elite 75.