“Ice” Counter: Washington Wizards Slip Pin by Adam Spinella

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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February 26, 2015

“Ice” Counter: Washington Wizards Slip Pin by Adam Spinella

Increasingly at the collegiate and even high school levels, teams are running ball screen sets. As the postseason nears and high level teams remain, offenses must be prepared for all different styles of defensive play. Some nuanced defensive teams will throw a counter to good ball screen offenses – known as icing. Icing a ball screen occurs on side ball screens, where the man guarding the ball squares his shoulders to the sideline and does not let the ball go middle. The man guarding the screener does not hedge the screen, instead being ready to contain the ball as it gets driven towards the baseline. He contains, the original defender recovers and the man guarding the screener is in position to take away any rolls to the rim.

The most obvious counter to icing a ball screen is hitting the pick-and-pop game, since coverage on the screener is non-existent at the moment the ball gets driven baseline. After that, teams adjust to set alley screens which lead the ball handler to the baseline. However, coaches of ball screen-heavy offenses may consider putting in a counter during the postseason. If your side ball screen set usually happens with a filled corner on the side of the screen, this play is a good way to put the pressure on the defense to decide how much they value defending your shooters.

Whenever the ball screen comes to be set on the side, 1 tries to come off it. However the man setting the screen slips and goes into the corner to seek out the defender of 2. 2 raises quickly and looks for the shot. There should be no help on this screen, with x4 staying on the inside ready to contain any baseline drive, and there should be a passing angle with x1 forcing 1 to the sideline. 1 doesn’t need to come off to attack, if he dribbles out towards half-court he will keep his defender engaged and open enough space for 2 to either catch-and-shoot or attack the middle of the court.

Coach Adam Spinella is entering his first season as an Assistant Coach at Culver Academies in Culver, IN. Spinella spent the three years prior as a Student Assistant Coach at Division III Dickinson College. The Dickinson Men’s Team advanced to two NCAA Tournaments and accumulated an overall record of 59-26 (.694) during the three-year span, with the 2013-2014 season ending in the Division III Elite Eight. A native of Bow, New Hampshire, Spinella has a keen interest in X’s and O’s, particularly in professional basketball, and skill development.

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