The backdoor cut at the end of the game

[RF2044]

So... right before that play, JB called timeout. Did he design the play for Cooney to cut to the hole, or was that free lanced?

Great pass from Rak, either way.

 

[stuckinbig11]

I vote for free-lanced.

 

[Eagles20]

So... right before that play, JB called timeout. Did he design the play for Cooney to cut to the hole, or was that free lanced?

Great pass from Rak, either way.

It was a designed play. Did same play last year vs cal and Gmac did it a bunch over his career on same play.

 

[Coach Orange]

Looked like a good read by Cooney on a defensive overplay. Christmas also made a nice read of the cut and delivered a perfect pass.

 

[scottynguyen]

That's a play. We've definitely ran that in the past.

 

[LetMeIn]

I vote designed. looked very similiar to the play we used to run last year with baye at the top of the key. Plus it put the ball in the hands of the 2 most experienced players.

 

[RF2044]

Looked like a good read by Cooney on an defensive overplay. Christmas also made a nice read of the cut and delivered a perfect pass.

That's what I thought, too--nice improvised cut on an overplay, not necessarily the play that was drawn up. But regardless, nice read / high post pass from Christmas.

Would have been pretty ballsy play to be called in the huddle by JB.

 

[orangemass]

That's a play. We've definitely ran that in the past.

The hall of famer.

 

[Cusefan0307]

We have that before with Waiters, Triche, and Rautins...

 

[Toga]

On the other hand - following a TO with about 5 minutes left, an SU player (can't remember who) jacked a 3 pointer about 7 seconds into the shot clock. :bang:

 

[TinyManInside]

So... right before that play, JB called timeout. Did he design the play for Cooney to cut to the hole, or was that free lanced?

Great pass from Rak, either way.

It's both. My guess is they are running a play to get Cooney a 3 in the corner but the ball is reversed to Christmas at the top of the key and it's up to Cooney to read if the defender is overplaying to protect against the 3. If he's not, break for the corner, if he is, backdoor him. It's likely a second option that is built into the play.

We've seen this play in JB's playbook arsensal several times - Fab Melo and Dion ran it a few times in Dion's SO year, and we ran it last year with Baye/Cooney about 3 or 4 times.

 

[007]

It's both. My guess is they are running a play to get Cooney a 3 in the corner but the ball is reversed to Christmas at the top of the key and it's up to Cooney to read if the defender is overplaying to protect against the 3. If he's not, break for the corner, if he is, backdoor him. It's likely a second option that is built into the play.

We've seen this play in JB's playbook arsensal several times - Fab Melo and Dion ran it a few times in Dion's SO year, and we ran it last year with Baye/Cooney about 3 or 4 times.

This is correct. Back door cuts are a part of every spread motion offense and are predicated on, in this case, TC correctly reading the overplay by his defender and going backdoor. It's not so much a designed "play" in the way some here are talking. It is more of a reaction to defensive overplay.

But, Coming out of a time out, I think it's highly likely that JB cleared out underneath and told TC to look for the backdoor cut. If you watch Rak at the high post after he receives the pass, he was looking for it the entire time.

TC needs to do a lot more of those types of reads. It would make it a lot harder for defenders to try to out muscle him to a spot on the perimeter if they also have to play the backdoor.

 

[Cuse315Pat]

Always liked that play. Rak and Cooney been doing it for a while now

 

[ORANGEsPHK]

It was a designed play. Did same play last year vs cal and Gmac did it a bunch over his career on same play.

Agreed. And Rak and Baye were reasonably good at making the right call/pass when the defender over commits on the cutting guard.

 

[llandz]

I say play. I yelled out "that was a brilliant play" No way are they looking for Cooney to make that move. The 3 in the corner, yes they are looking for that. I think it was planned and I think it was brilliant. Cooney never does that. He was instructed to.

 

[ORANGEsPHK]

Oh, and BTW, defenses finally caught onto this play later in the season and the defender would not over commit and expected Cooney (or, sometimes, another guard) to cut back. There were a few turn overs that resulted from our centers trying to force the feed towards the end of the year.

But this is definitely a play we run when the center has the ball out there. Its the center that makes that call. This is why its so important that Cooney can shake his defender and either get out for the three, or cut back for that layup. The more Cooney hits his shot, the more that cut-back is open.

 

[Coach Orange]

It's both. It's a set play, but Cooney makes a great read based on how his defender plays him, cutting backdoor.

You can watch the play at the 1:20 mark:


This is a variation of our basic pin-down screens that start many of our sets. G passes to Rak and screens away. Joseph is coming off the screen on one side, Cooney on the other. Cooney's defender is caught looking at the screen as he overplays that cut. Cooney cuts behind him to the hoop, where Rak hits him with a perfect pass.

This is an excellent fundamental play executed well by all involved. One would have to assume it is a read that the coaching staff teaches and drills.

 

[stuckinbig11]

I will buy that it is a play that has been taught, but I still think Cooney read the defender and opted to go back door rather than JB calling for the play to be run at that time.

 

[longtimefan]

I will buy that it is a play that has been taught, but I still think Cooney read the defender and opted to go back door rather than JB calling for the play to be run at that time.

The coach calls the set--clearing the low post and popping the center high. Then it's up to Rak and Cooney to make the right reads. They did.

 

[jdubs30]

Rak has always been really good at making that pass. Wish we would use that play more.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Keita actually made that pass a lot

 

[007]

It's both. It's a set play, but Cooney makes a great read based on how his defender plays him, cutting backdoor.

You can watch the play at the 1:20 mark:


This is a variation of our basic pin-down screens that start many of our sets. G passes to Rak and screens away. Joseph is coming off the screen on one side, Cooney on the other. Cooney's defender is caught looking at the screen as he overplays that cut. Cooney cuts behind him to the hoop, where Rak hits him with a perfect pass.

This is an excellent fundamental play executed well by all involved. One would have to assume it is a read that the coaching staff teaches and drills.

Nice job, coach. As several of us have pointed out, ANY team that runs ANY type of motion offense (SU runs a motion offense, and a secondary motion offense off set plays) drills and drills backdoor cuts when defenders overplay passing lanes, cheat over screens, attempt to beat the O to a spot, etc. This is such a basic concept of the O and the players become ingrained to think and react that way. It never has to be "called" as it is ALWAYS an option. The Princeton motion offense became famous for the precision of all the backdoor cutting. We used to teach our players, particularly when we were trying to set up backdoor cuts, to get your defender leaning one way and cut the other. Ball fakes help. It is coaching O 101 kind of stuff.

Of course, you can always instruct the players to specifically run a backdoor NOW. That's what happened last night and it was wide open.

The way teams over play TC for the last years, he should be making a living off of backdoor cuts...

 

[scottynguyen]

Keita actually made that pass a lot

found one

 

[Coach Orange]

found one

Again, notice how the defender overplays the pass to the perimeter. Ennis reads this and cuts backdoor. As 007 states above, this is a facet of every motion offense as it is a fundamental way to "take what the defense gives."

It comes right out of the play's design: it pulls the defense's center away from the basket by having our 5 pop to the top to receive the pass. Depending on how the defense plays the two pin-down screens, the lane is open for back cuts. If they don't overplay the perimeter pass, each of our guards has the option of popping out to the three-point arc or curling the screen if the defender chases.

In short, it is a "simple" play that is highly effective if our players read the defense properly.