Basketball Play: Thad Matta Ohio State Buckeyes Set Play

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 Set Plays

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September 3, 2013

Thad Matta Ohio State Buckeyes Set Play

I named this play “Buckeye” because I saw Ohio State run this post up for Deshaun Thomas in the NCAA tournament. I added the handoff, back screen, and staggered screen part to this play because we ran a play very similar at Avila and on the A.A.U. circuit. When ran right, you will either get a layup at the basket or a shot on the top of the key. When the 5 man first catches the ball from 1, he must catch, rip, and face up the basket. He can’t put the ball on top of his head because he will not be able to make a good pass to 3. The post up by the 3 man is effective because more times than not, his man will be “ball watching”. If 5 can’t hit 3, he will dribble handoff with 2. It is important that 2 cuts back door before he receives his handoff. By cutting back door, his defender will have to respect the cut. The handoff from 5 will be easier as a result. When 2 receives the handoff from 5, 1 will set his man up and will come off the flare screen from 4. 1 must sprint off the flare screen, not back pedal. With the whole left side cleared out, if 4 sets a good screen 1 will have an uncontested shot. If 1 doesn’t have a shot, 3 will set a back screen for 5. This puts 3’s defender in a tough spot. If he doesn’t help on the back screen, 5 will have a wide open layup. If 3’s defender helps, 2 and 4 will set a staggered screen for 3. Coaches, it is important to teach the angle that must be taken when setting the staggered screen. 2 and 4’s backs must be to the top of the key. If their backs are angled to the right wing, 3’s defender will be able to shoot the gap. 2 and 4 must go head hunt 3’s man. If your team has gotten a few wide open shots at the top of the key, next time you run this play, 4’s defender might try to jump the screen. Teach your 4 man to read this and slip to the basket for a layup. For this Thad Matta Ohio State Buckeyes Set Play to be effective, your players must not only set good screen but they must know what angle needs to be taken when setting the screens.

Adam Short begins his first year as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Cowley College.

Short grew up in Indiana and was a First-Team All-Conference selection as a senior at Lake Central High School. He went on to attend Joliet (Ill) Junior College and helped the team to a NJCAA Division III national runner-up finish, while being named First-Team All-Conference and a two-time Region 4 Player of the Week.

After Joliet, Short spent his final two years of college basketball playing at NAIA school Avila University in Kansas City, MO. At Avila, he scored more than 1,000 points in his career and earned all-conference honors each year at the school.

He graduated from Avila in 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in writing. Short then served as a graduate assistant coach with the Avila men’s basketball team from 2011-2013, and earned a Masters degree in Organizational Development in 2013.

He also spent the past two years working with MoKan Nike Elite Youth Basketball League out of Kansas City, MO. His job duties consisted of coaching, scouting, and breaking down film.