[BosCard]

Quite a chess match between Kate Paye and Nell Fortner with both squads playing at a high level. Really impressed with our offense - got off to a fast start and then kept it going against a mix of defenses, at least a couple of zone defenses and full court pressure at times. The coaches and/or players recognized and attacked (i.e., did not wait till late in the shot clock to put up a desperate heave). IIRC, GT made their first comeback on drives and kick-outs to open shooters on the perimeter and their second on pick-and-rolls; it took a few possessions to adjust but we did eventually. And we got stops at the end - their only basket in the last 3.5 minutes came off a steal at mid court; otherwise six misses. A great game on Senior Day - shows how much progress the team has made in a challenging year! Things are coming together just in time for the conference tourney!

I think your "chess match" analogy is perfect.  In the presser, MAS says that they were scheming all game long to find a way to shut down the pick and roll.  They seem to have done just barely enough, but they never really solved it.

I was impressed at how GT ball handlers used their screens. They got super close to the screener so that fighting through without fouling was very difficult. The screeners did commit a couple of moving screen offensive fouls, but mostly the screens were set cleanly.

We tried a lot of pick and roll action back in the Lili Thompson/ Amber Orrange days, and as I recall, it worked fairly well but Kaylee Johnson did pick up a lot of offensive screening fouls. 

Like the Princeton, the pick and roll requires a lot of muscle memory, but a lot fewer decisions and fewer assists and passing.  I wonder if it might be a better offense for the team going forward.  I offer it as a question only.  Which system will Hailee Swain flourish in?  Either?  Both?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_h0WSOetVY&t=20s

I hope we move towards a pick and roll offense and away from the Princeton.  For the pick and roll to be effective you need guards with great ball handling that are effective at driving to the basket if they are unguarded.  We will have that next year with Swain, Clardy and Ijiwoye.  My problem with the Princeton is that it requires perfect passing and if it’s off by just a little bit then it’s a turnover.  We aren’t going to win many games if we turnover the ball 20 times (many of them unforced) and give the opponent 10 more shots.

[BosCard]

Quite a chess match between Kate Paye and Nell Fortner with both squads playing at a high level. Really impressed with our offense - got off to a fast start and then kept it going against a mix of defenses, at least a couple of zone defenses and full court pressure at times. The coaches and/or players recognized and attacked (i.e., did not wait till late in the shot clock to put up a desperate heave). IIRC, GT made their first comeback on drives and kick-outs to open shooters on the perimeter and their second on pick-and-rolls; it took a few possessions to adjust but we did eventually. And we got stops at the end - their only basket in the last 3.5 minutes came off a steal at mid court; otherwise six misses. A great game on Senior Day - shows how much progress the team has made in a challenging year! Things are coming together just in time for the conference tourney!

I think your "chess match" analogy is perfect.  In the presser, MAS says that they were scheming all game long to find a way to shut down the pick and roll.  They seem to have done just barely enough, but they never really solved it.

I was impressed at how GT ball handlers used their screens. They got super close to the screener so that fighting through without fouling was very difficult. The screeners did commit a couple of moving screen offensive fouls, but mostly the screens were set cleanly.

We tried a lot of pick and roll action back in the Lili Thompson/ Amber Orrange days, and as I recall, it worked fairly well but Kaylee Johnson did pick up a lot of offensive screening fouls. 

Like the Princeton, the pick and roll requires a lot of muscle memory, but a lot fewer decisions and fewer assists and passing.  I wonder if it might be a better offense for the team going forward.  I offer it as a question only.  Which system will Hailee Swain flourish in?  Either?  Both?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_h0WSOetVY&t=20s

I hope we move towards a pick and roll offense and away from the Princeton.  For the pick and roll to be effective you need guards with great ball handling that are effective at driving to the basket if they are unguarded.  We will have that next year with Swain, Clardy and Ijiwoye.  My problem with the Princeton is that it requires perfect passing and if it’s off by just a little bit then it’s a turnover.  We aren’t going to win many games if we turnover the ball 20 times (many of them unforced) and give the opponent 10 more shots.