Exploring basketball's best ideas, strategies, and coaches around the world

Happy Sunday and welcome to all the new subscribers from around the world!

🗓This is the 195th straight Sunday of the newsletter! All past deep-dive articles are available in the Coaches Corner for members of SG Plus.

ICYMI: Last week we kicked off our Summer Coaches Roundtable series with an insightful discussion on offensive efficiency, practice evaluation, late-game coaching mindset and much more. Read a few of our takeaways HERE.

This Week at a Glance:

🔒 SG Plus Content: Nick Pasqua - Hybrid Ballscreen/Princeton Continuity {UCLA Screens & Shallow Cuts}​

🎤 Slappin' Glass Podcast: TJ Saint {Birmingham Squadron}

🥇Best of the Week: Flex ATO's & Dunker Pin Screen​

🎉 🏀 Summer League Coaches Social in Las Vegas!!

We'll be back again at the Summer League hosting another great Coaches Social! As an SG Plus member you can get an invite! A fun look at last year's event HERE.​

​

Let's dive in...

Ballscreen Continuity & Princeton Motion

Big Spacing & Middle Man Decisions

*Today's Full Deep Dive, usually reserved for SG Plus members, is brought to you by our Parter's at Just Play and their latest, game-changing innovation, AInsights. For more on getting automated scouting reports in just a couple clicks see more on AInsights below.

Early this year we had a tremendous conversation on the podcast with Converse University Head Coach, Nick Pasqua 🎙, and in what has become one of the most popular episodes in 2024, we openly discussed some hard hitting topics like being fired, difficult paths in coaching, becoming comfortable in your own skin, and the perseverance needed to break through in a tough business. In addition to those subjects, during our "Start, Sub, or Sit?!" segment, we wandered into a tantalizing part of Coach Pasqua's offense, which was how he combines the great "Euro Ballscreen Continuity" with "Princeton Offense" to create a unique hybrid motion.

After our conversation we just had to dig a little deeper, so we asked Coach Pasqua back to join us for a "Film Room" session on SGTV to dive into his installation, insights, and teaching points behind the offense that he calls "structured but random." And share he did...

In Part 1 of this 2-Part series, Coach Pasqua generously introduces us to all parts of the offense including:

• The 4 and 5 "tandem" spacing and rules
• Converse's "Trips" concepts and the actions they will play out of it

These are two fundamental building blocks that allow the offense to maintain its alignments and dictate which offensive concepts they will use.

4 & 5 "Tandem" Spacing

The ability to quickly recognize and reorganize into preferred alignments (stay tuned for more on this in Part 2) is the cornerstone that allows Converse to toggle between ballscreen continuity and Princeton actions. This "alignment recognition" enables the offense to "stay random" and maintain flow through the middle of possessions without having to stop, back it out, and reset. Therefore, key to creating the floor balance and these alignments is the spacing and synergy between the 4's & 5's.

As Coach Pasqua highlights in our session, their offense is essentially always looking to get to "Trips" spacing on either the strong or weak side of the floor. To create these situations, the 4 and 5 must work in unison, never being on the same side of the basketball line and more or less maintaining a "high-low" relationship with each other.

*Note: Above is an example of Converse playing in what would be considered "Euro Ballscreen" Motion, characterized by continuous empty ballscreen action on one side, with a trips alignment set on the other. For much more on Euro Ballscreen Motion you can watch our 2-Part Series HERE {🔒} and HERE {🔒}.

Zooming In: In the example above, when both the 4 and 5 find themselves on the same side of the floor, the 5-man corrects the floor balance by switching sides as the 4-man flows into an empty-side ball screen. This action triggers the 5-man to lift to the elbow, creating space should the 4-man roll, and forming their "Trips" on the opposite side. Converse then flows into their "UCLA" Screen action on the backside (more on that later).

Zooming In 2.0: Referring still to the example above, instead of flowing into the empty-side PNR, the 4-Man could have played to the left side of the floor, creating the "Trips" alignment and triggering one of their (many) concepts. In this situation, and as shown below, the 5-Man would have held his position on the same side of the floor before lifting to the elbow to free the rim and play to the next action.

*Note: This constant "freeing of the rim" by the 4's and 5's is a sneaky good part of what Mark Pope and BYU did so well last season. We highlighted that concept deeper HERE {🔒}.

With the 4 & 5 constantly playing a "2-Man" game within the possession, Coach Pasqua's offense can always get to an empty-side ballscreen or their "Trips" spacing.

As Coach Pasqua has continued to adapt this offense to the strengths of different teams, particularly when playing with 4 Guards around 1 Big, he will have the sole big pop on most middle third ballscreens to maintain their floor balance and ensure his offense can transition to the next action smoothly. Coach Pasqua has found if they roll the big and no scoring solution presents itself, the offense struggles to find their next alignment to play out of. Additionally, as we detailed in our recent breakdown on the "Get" Rescreen {🔒}, the middle third ball screen can create a lot of clutter for the ball handler when the big is rolling at the same time, so the pop keeps the paint free or forces the defensive big to be late on the next action.

Additionally, when playing with 4 Guards he has incorporated Princeton "Snap" action or flares to solve poor floor balance and create their "Trips" action (again stay tuned for more on this next week in Part 2)...

Middle Man Decisions

With their alignments established and their preference to play to "Trips", Coach Pasqua aims to introduce randomness into their actions and steer away from solely running the "Burn 45, Corner Fill, Burn 45, Corner Fill..." sequences. To achieve this outcome, he assigns the responsibility to the "45 Man" or "Middle Man" in the "Trips" to call out the intended action. This approach adds a layer of unpredictability to their offense, with each call triggering a structured quick hitting action, but the defense remains uncertain about which action the offense will play to. As Coach Pasqua discusses in the video, a vital component to achieving the "Randomness" is for the 45 Man to observe which action unfolded previously and avoid playing to the same action again.

In Part 1, we detail Coach Pasqua's UCLA Screen and Shallow Cut calls...

Zooming In: Shown above, and covered in our "Film Room" session, Coach Pasqua speaks on the teaching points of the Bigs receiving the UCLA screen and emphasizes how they must "Win the Race" off the screen.

As for the Shallow Cut, we discuss how this action allows Converse to seamlessly flow into a variety of "Princeton" actions...

Zooming In: In the clip above, Converse is "playing small" and in more of a 4 guard lineup, thus creating a "Trips" with 3 Guards. Knowing the UCLA Screen is better suited for a big in the slot position, the middle man calls out the Shallow Cut. From this position, the offense can play directly into a Step Up Screen or to the Princeton Pinch.

With the offense able to transition seamlessly between different spacing configurations and the middle man triggering various actions, the groundwork is laid for each possession to be completely random, toggling between ballscreen and Princeton concepts.

To expand upon these teaching points including:

• Filling to Score
• Pinch or Pick Decision?
• Big Men using the Dribble
• Attacking Unders
• And much more...

View Part 1 now on SGTV!

Stay tuned next week as we dive deeper into the intricacies of Coach Pasqua's offense in Part 2 to discuss their Chase Action, Princeton Snap to solve spacings, drill work to build the offense, and much more!

Official Sponsor of "Start, Sub, or Sit?"

Imagine scouting opponents, validating on-court observations, and evaluating players with just a few clicks. Our partners at Just Play's latest innovation, AInsights, empowers you to do all that, tailoring reports to your specific needs in seconds. This is more than just data; it's your personalized narrative. AInsights puts you in control, letting you curate reports that focus on the metrics most relevant to your strategy. Don't settle for generic analytics – AInsights lets you craft the information you need to gain a decisive edge.

AInsights is a game-changer for coaches. It removes the analytical barrier, replacing it with a user-friendly interface and actionable insights. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a rising star, AInsights puts the power of advanced analytics at your fingertips, allowing you to optimize your scouting, refine your game plan, and ultimately, secure victories on the court.

If you are interested in learning more, go to justplaysolutions.com/slappinglass.​

Slappin' Glass Podcast

We were joined on the podcast this week by the Head Coach of the G-League's Birmingham Squadron, TJ Saint! In this very detailed conversation we dive into a variety of topics including building a connected offense, "hot stove" screens, "mastery days" in practice, and discuss guarding "Delay Action" and defensive rebounding riddles during the always fun "Start, Sub, or Sit?!"

Listen to the entire conversation here...

Together with Hudl

We're proud to partner with one of the best tech companies in the world of sports, Hudl! Every play, every stat, every breakdown. On their own, they’re essential. But all together, they’re undeniable. Hudl recently introduced their newest product, Hudl Instat – a new advanced data platform that integrates with Sportscode and every Hudl product you rely on to create an all-in-one data powerhouse. Hudl Instat’s advanced tagging and next-level stat reports help you develop your team – and its global film library helps you find the missing piece to get the most out of every second of film. Visit ​hudl.com/slappinglass​ to learn more.

Tactical

📺 Flex Offense - RIP Screen • Exit Screen​

"Levallois (France) running a few variation off the flex action for a shooter."

✚ Pair With: Olympiacos using the Flex to Twirl Screen their 4-Man back to the ball.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Recent podcast guest Trevor Gleeson's {🎙} Flex Offense with the Perth Wildcats.

​

📺 Dunker Pin Screen - Post Trigger​

"A mash-up of the Dunker Pin from both the Memphis Tigers and Phoenix Suns."

✚ Pair With: Xavi Pascual use of the Post to Exit Screen the post passer back out after the rim cut.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our "Crunch Time" Session with Stan Van Gundy on playing through the Post and Barkleys.

Interesting Reads

📚 5 Lessons on Life Purpose: Hunter S. Thompson

"And indeed, that IS the question: whether to float with the tide, or to swim for a goal. It is a choice we must all make consciously or unconsciously at one time in our lives. So few people understand this! Think of any decision you’ve ever made which had a bearing on your future: I may be wrong, but I don’t see how it could have been anything but a choice however indirect— between the two things I’ve mentioned: the floating or the swimming."

​

📚 A Cultural Hypothesis ​

“The best leaders are deliberate and intentional in their commitment to culture. They are ‘students of culture’ and clearly understand their responsibility in cultivating an optimal environment. The case studies explored as part of the hypothesis consistently identified purpose, psychological safety, and belonging as critical enablers, and it is evident that the best leaders prioritise these components. Given culture is a product of people, it is perhaps unsurprising that the most skilled leaders invest in their people and ensure cultural guardians helpfully translate expectations at all levels of an organisation.”

​

📚 Women's Basketball: Evaluating The Growing Landscape​

"Clark's impact has amplified an already upward trend of fan interest in women's basketball.

Records she helped set while at Iowa:

• Broke the women’s basketball single-game attendance record with 55,646 for its exhibition game in Iowa’s football stadium.
• Away from Iowa City, the Hawkeyes have helped sell out or break an attendance record in 30 of 32 regular season games.
• The average price of tickets for the Hawkeyes since Clark joined the team in 2020 increased 224%, and the average distance traveled by a fan to watch Iowa play was up 34% from last season.
• Iowa’s championship game against South Carolina was the most-watched women’s game ever with a peak of 24 million viewers."

Quote of the Week

Thank you for reading and have a great week coaching,

Dan and Pat

info@slappinglass.com

We're proud to partner with the leading Sports Travel company in the basketball world, Beyond Sports! Follow the link above to learn more about why more than 600 universities have trusted Beyond Sports for their team's foreign trips. Let them know Slappin' Glass sent you!

​