Thad Matta Ohio State Ballscreen Pick and Roll Sets by Gibson Pyper

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 Offenses | Basketball Set Plays | Continuity Offense Plays

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May 13, 2013

Ohio State Ballscreen Pick and Roll Sets

Ohio State was not the most efficient offensive team early on in the 2012-13 basketball season, but when Thad Matta switched to a small lineup his pick and roll and pick and pop sets began to work wonders. With Aaron Craft and Shannon Scott effectively driving off dribble handoffs into ball screens and essentially two “stretch 4’s” on the floor at the same time it was a matchup nightmare for opponents. At any time you could have a drive to the rim, a roll to the rim from the screener or a pop from the screener who could score at any moment, always keeping the defense on edge. A few keys to the offense late in 2012-13 that led to their 10 game win streak and an Elite Eight appearance were:

1. Moving the defense before the pick and roll:

-With the dribble handoff sequences before the high or wing pick and roll what Matta and the Buckeyes were looking to do is to move the defense from side to side, not allowing continuous help side defense and recovery like most great defenses effectively use in college basketball today.

2. Shooters on the floor both as screeners and off the ball:

-The biggest thing to have when running any pick and roll offense is to have effective threats to make open jump shots. What Matta employed late in the season was removing Amir Williams, an ineffective offensive center, and inserting Laquinton Ross (essentially a 6’8” Shooting Guard) into the 4 spot and playing All-American Deshaun Thomas to the Center Position. Both Ross and Thomas can make 3 point shots as well as score from any position on the floor creating space and driving lanes off of the picks for Craft and Scott to attack off. This move created pick and pop, roll and replace and mismatches if the opposition decided to switch the ball screens.

3. Attacks direct to the rim creating a bad hedge:

-Off of the picks set by the versatile big men, late in the season Aaron Craft decided to attack viciously using a high pick and roll set by either big man in the game. After moving the defense side to side Craft would receive the ball late into the shot clock, receive a high ball screen and create space moving north and south attacking into the paint. More often than not Craft would get to the rim and when he didn’t he had drive and kick opportunities that the defense had to account for as well as making sure the big men did not pop. Out of these attacks by Craft, Ross made a living off setting a high ball screen and then just sliding over after Craft attacked for a drop pass for a wide open 3.

I think that you are going to like Coach Gipson Pyper’s basketball coaching clinic notes that he has assembled. He is one of our newest basketball contributors that we have added on Men’s Basketball HoopScoop.