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Message: [QUOTE="Coach Orange, post: 3644610, member: 2260"] In analyzing the last two games, two actions really stand out on the offensive end as our "go-tos" for good looks: 1) Marek in ball screens, especially when he slips them (which happens both in transition and in half-court sets) 2) Marek facilitating at the slot or elbow (against both man and zone defenses) Marek slips the ball screen effectively (see :52.6 left in the first half against BC for an example), but it's almost too habitual. At times, he doesn't seem to do so as a read, but rather as his default. Good defensive teams will counter that. In some instances, he never really sets a screen nor allows his defender to lose contact with him so that the slip is available. Let's hope he learns to be more patient and read the defense in those spots, because doing so would make him even more effective as a weapon. For example, with 5:00 or so in the first half against Rutgers, Marek patiently set a side ball screen rather than slipping. As Kadary cleared his screen, he rolled to the hoop. Rutgers soft-played Kadary coming off the screen, but Marek's defender never made it back to him, and Griffin's defender didn't pinch to help (which is smart given Griffin's shooting ability; it would be a long recovery back to him). Kadary feeds Marek for the layup (though a little luck helped because a Rutgers defender tipped the pass). He could get this multiple times a game with a tad more patience. If teams choose to rotate Griffin's defender to help stop Marek, Alan should be open for a three-point opportunity. I'd take that every time the defense gives it. I don't think it's surprising that our half-court offense is effective when run through Marek in the slot or elbow. His ability to dribble and pass at his size creates problems for certain teams that don't have the personnel to limit him. Spacing the floor with 3-4 shooters gives him lots of options if teams help on his dribble drives, and it creates gaps for those drives. If defenders key too much on him, our perimeter guys have been pretty good at recognizing and cutting backdoor. Marek makes that pass well. See 4:48 in the first half vs. Rutgers for an excellent version of this. When he drives, he needs to take it stronger and finish through contact at times. He has a tendency to fade at the hoop rather than go to it (see the 18:35 mark of the second half against Rutgers for an example). I'd love to see him add a jump stop, too. Just an interesting wrinkle to these actions: our first possession of the 2nd half vs. Rutgers, we ran a side ball screen with Kadary and Marek. It was really false action, though, designed to occupy Guerrier's defender in help defense. Guerrier cut from the opposite low block to the slot, received a pass from Kadary, and then drove past his defender, who was off-balance from chasing, for an "and-1." It seems we are emphasizing the slot area by design this season - a concept that is central to the dribble drive motion offense. We ran other actions against Rutgers - Double Fist, the "1" and "3" plays, etc. - but they weren't all that successful. We ran a "3" and a "1" against BC but, again, found little success. Joe made a 30-footer off of a "1" in the second half, but the action was complete for a few moments before Joe took the shot. The look was really due to a lazy contest after a switch by a BC defender, which the "1's" action provided. It wasn't really a good shot despite the make (yeah, I know, "hand down, man down."). If he misses it, Coach Boeheim and fans alike would probably question his shot selection. Finally, I love that our transition game accounts for more of the offense recently. It's much easier to score in transition - whether primary or secondary break - and it's fun to watch. [/QUOTE]

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