[81alum]

I was intrigued by something Chiney said to the media after the USC win, as reported in Palo Alto online.  She was describing what happened after our lead was cut to 5 and Tara called a time out.

"After one timeout we went back to a triangle, where we're more comfortable," said Ogwumike, who was two points and three rebounds shy of matching her career highs. "I had turned the ball over, which is not good when a team is making a run at you. We already have one loss in the conference. We're not trying to get another."

So the triangle was what Tara called when the game was on the line.  I have begun to recognize the characteristic movement of the triangle which I saw quite often yesterday, but I found a well done video by Sports Science explaining how and why it works.  If you are still learning the game like me I found it quite helpful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ7QMNUFqMw

As the Sports Science people explain it, the triangle works becauses passes are faster than players, and the 15' spacing punishes double teams since there is insufficient time to leave a double team to cover the open player. 

But as I thought it through--the triangle then would absolutely demand that all 5 offensive players be able to take and make their shots from whereever they are in the formation.  If even one player is known to the opponents as being reluctant or incapable of shooting, then the triangle would accomplish...nothing, since they could simply ignore that player to double up as needed elsewhere, breaking the advantage of the spacing and the passing.  What good does it do to use the formation to get a player open if that player won't shoot?

I think VG said something like this a while ago, but now it is soaking in.  That offense is well suited to an inside-out game where you have a great inside presence like Chiney complemented by great outside shooting.  But if you don't have great outside shooting, then strategies that emphasize dribble drives would work better.  Getting people like Amber open for mid range jump shots or cuts to the basket would work better.

Do I have that right?

[81alum]

I was intrigued by something Chiney said to the media after the USC win, as reported in Palo Alto online.  She was describing what happened after our lead was cut to 5 and Tara called a time out.

"After one timeout we went back to a triangle, where we're more comfortable," said Ogwumike, who was two points and three rebounds shy of matching her career highs. "I had turned the ball over, which is not good when a team is making a run at you. We already have one loss in the conference. We're not trying to get another."

So the triangle was what Tara called when the game was on the line.  I have begun to recognize the characteristic movement of the triangle which I saw quite often yesterday, but I found a well done video by Sports Science explaining how and why it works.  If you are still learning the game like me I found it quite helpful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ7QMNUFqMw

As the Sports Science people explain it, the triangle works becauses passes are faster than players, and the 15' spacing punishes double teams since there is insufficient time to leave a double team to cover the open player. 

But as I thought it through--the triangle then would absolutely demand that all 5 offensive players be able to take and make their shots from whereever they are in the formation.  If even one player is known to the opponents as being reluctant or incapable of shooting, then the triangle would accomplish...nothing, since they could simply ignore that player to double up as needed elsewhere, breaking the advantage of the spacing and the passing.  What good does it do to use the formation to get a player open if that player won't shoot?

I think VG said something like this a while ago, but now it is soaking in.  That offense is well suited to an inside-out game where you have a great inside presence like Chiney complemented by great outside shooting.  But if you don't have great outside shooting, then strategies that emphasize dribble drives would work better.  Getting people like Amber open for mid range jump shots or cuts to the basket would work better.

Do I have that right?