WBB: Parham article on Pressing Stanford - Printable Version

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WBB: Parham article on Pressing Stanford - 81alum - 02-14-2012

I just read an interesting article by Nate Parham at Swish Appeal "Five Reasons Why Teams Have Struggled To Press The Stanford Cardinal."  Teams that press Stanford have long been a source of enormous fear for me--dating at least back to Tennessee's win in the finals in 2008 and last year's loss to A&M in the semis.  So I found this article interesting, and wonder if the rest of you agree with his analysis.

http://www.swishappeal.com/2012/2/14/2796972/stanford-cardinal-womens-basketball

Some of what he says seems clear or even obvious.  He discusses our athleticism that others may underestimate and decision making.  He lauds Toni especially but Amber also.  He praises Tara's ability to adjust in the second half (and points out C.AL's success was due in part to saving the full court zone press until late in the game when there was less time to adjust. )  All that was nice to read but not especially insightful to me.

The most interesting point he makes, though, is how important Stanford's defense is to stopping the press.  Holding opponents to a low % of field goals gives opponents only a low% of opportunities to set up the press after a made basket.  He points out that if Clarendon didn't make all those baskets at the end of regulation in the C.AL game, then C.AL would have been unable to press.  So it was not the press, but the combination of press and conversion efficiency that proved troublesome for us.  That may be obvious to more experienced basketball fans but I had never quite thought of it that way.

Are we getting to the point where we no longer fear quick pressing teams any more than any other good team?

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Re: WBB: Parham article on Pressing Stanford - Griffins78 - 02-15-2012

This has been a multi-year project. The coaching staff has tried many different strategies and continues to refine them. Having to deal with increasingly quick, aggressive teams' press has helped us get better at combating it to the point that this year - it seems that teams are doing it less. There are times, we burn them too (Nneka to Toni against UCLA) - which is important to keeping them from trying.

Toni has been the key - her speed, quickness, and vision have been a big part of our ability to beat the press. Amber and our other freshmen guards also give us that ability. Also - we've used big, athletic bigs that can dribble and pass, e.g, Kayla, Nneka, Chiney, Taylor - because it is more difficult to trap and shield them.

Now teams are using it selectively as you say - in the second half or at the end of the game or when we don't have the right personnel in the game - which is smart. Its a chess match and Tara will have to figure out how to adjust.

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