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

Happy Sunday and welcome to all the new members from around the world! Today is the 196th straight Sunday of the newsletter!

ICYMI: Last week we released a highly popular Part 1 of our "Film Room" session with Converse University Head Coach, Nick Pasqua, diving into his Hybrid Ballscreen/Princeton Continuity offense. View Part 1 HERE.

This Week at a Glance:

🔒 SG Plus Content: Nick Pasqua - Hybrid Ballscreen/Princeton Continuity {Chase & Scrambe Drill}​

🎤 Slappin' Glass Podcast: Robyn Fralick {Michigan State}

🥇Best of the Week: Iverson Keep & 5 Out Offense​

🎉 🏀 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...

Hybrid Ballscreen & Princeton Motion

Princeton Concepts

Toy Story, The Godfather, Home Alone, The Bourne Identity... some of Hollywood's greatest films just begged for a sequel (or trilogy!) Last week's Part 1 of Converse University Head Coach, Nick Pasqua's 🎙, "Hybrid Ballscreen/Princeton Continuity" is already one of the most popular/viewed breakdowns of the year on SGTV. We don't have a high level executive demanding we send Woody and Buzz out on another adventure, but what we do have is a bunch more of additional material to build on last week's pairing of Euro Ballscreen and Princeton concepts within Coach Pasqua's offense.

In Part 1, we discussed how his offense spaces with two bigs to maintain their "tandem" alignment as well as the role the middle man within their "Trips" actions plays in signaling which action they'll play to next. Today, we will see how the various "Trips" actions contribute to the desired randomness within a single possession and the major role the Princeton Offense plays in maintaining pace and flow during the middle of possessions.

Structured...but Random

To begin Part 2, we open our Film Session with Coach Pasqua discussing their "Chase" action (following the ball for a potential DHO) out of the "Trips" alignment...

With several different actions defined in "Trips," Coach Pasqua equips his offense to seamlessly move from one "Trips" sequence to another, ensuring the offense always "shuffles the deck" and doesn't repeat the same sequence within possessions. Above was "Chase" followed by a PNR "Hi-Low" look, and below is that same "Chase" action instead flowing into a Pinch Post catch and "0 Cut" finish...

Maintaining Flow

The challenge within any offensive possession is maintaining flow from one action to another. As discussed last week, we focused heavily on the role the bigs play in spacing off one another to create the necessary alignments for their offense to continually establish "Trips" and string together multiple actions at pace. As Coach Pasqua has evolved and adapted the offense over time, a great unlock in all of these actions was finding a way to play with four perimeter players around one offensive big, instead of always two. This is where some of the Princeton concepts have helped unlock the overall flow and return to "Trips" spacing when needed.

In playing more "4 Out" and without a partner big to fill behind or roll/replace off a ballscreen, the offense can get stuck in unfamiliar alignments. To keep things fluid and put them back into a familiar alignment, Coach Pasqua began using more of the Princeton "Snap" action.

Possessions are won and lost in the middle. Playing to the Princeton "Snap" or Pinch, Coach Pasqua has found solutions to fix possessions without having to back things up and reset. Understanding this value, to finish out our "Film Session," Coach Pasqua talks us through his 5v0 "Scramble" Drill, which he uses, especially early in the year, to teach his players how to recognize alignments and flow into their offensive concepts.

To learn and view more on the Princeton "Snap" and Coach Pasqua's "Scramble" Drill, become an SG Plus Member to gain access to the complete "Film Room" session on SGTV!

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Slappin' Glass Podcast

We were joined on the podcast this week by the Head Coach of Michigan State WBB, Robyn Fralick! In this terrific discussion Coach Fralick discusses their unique style of play, the toughness needed to play with pace, operating through the post, and dives into making decisions as a Head Coach, and defensive transition 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

📺 Chemnitz - Iverson Keep • Pick & Pop 4​

"Using the Iverson entry to mask and space the Pick & Pop ballscreen with a shooting 4-Man."

✚ Pair With: Iverson Keep to a corner Stampede.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Coach Tuomas Iisalo's Iverson Step Up and the "Art of the Pick & Pop" with Ben McCollum.

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📺 5 Out "Single Away" - Flex Stagger • Double Ballscreen​

"A few variations to play to off the 5 Out "Single Away" screen."

✚ Pair With: Marquette's "High Quad" spacing behind a Double Ballscreen.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our Film Room session with Coach Ryan Pannone on the Modern Day 5 Out Motion.

Interesting Reads

📚 Tom Brady’s Speech from his Patriots Hall of Fame Ceremony​

"To be successful at anything. The truth is — you don’t have to be special. You just have to be what most people aren’t. Consistent, determined and willing to work for it. No shortcuts. If you look at all my teammates here tonight, it would be impossible to find better examples of men who embody that work ethic, integrity, purpose, determination, and discipline that it takes to be a champion in life."

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📚 Good Leaders Seek To Express Themselves, Not Prove Themselves​

“The always-idealistic and principled Bennis believed deep in his bones that a person who is intent on faithfully expressing her talents and gifts will bring a fundamentally healthy approach to leadership, and will be less likely to manipulate situations or the truth for personal benefit. Her actions will flow from a place of integrity and will provide the most genuine and lasting benefit to the world.”

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📚 How to Become More Likable Using 9 Techniques From the World’s Most Charismatic People​

"1. They set the energy when they walk into a room

How do you enter a room? Are you nervous and frenetic or are you calm and confident? Do you pay attention only to the person you’re trying to impress or do you take the time to greet everyone around?"

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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!

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