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[QUOTE="jdubs30, post: 2068145, member: 1620"]
The light bulb finally went off for me last night (I'm sure everyone else has noticed this by now). Our press isn't good - we rarely get a trap, rarely get a steal (the one last night was big), and never even come CLOSE to a 10 second call. Yet it has been crucial in a few comebacks dating back to UVA in the E8 last year. 90% of the time that we press, the other team ends up in a 3-on-1 or 3-on-2 fast break towards our basket.

So why has it helped? UVA and Clemson have a very methodical game plan against the zone - they use most of the shot clock, pass around the perimeter, to the foul line, then back out, etc. I wouldn't say their "comfortable" against it - but you can tell it doesn't bother them too much.

So what does the press do? SPEEDS THEM UP. They have guys going full steam to the basket with no real game plan - they have guys in the corner rushing a 3 because the zone isn't back yet - they also have most of their ball handlers in the backcourt - so if they use the pass to beat the press, more often than that it will end up in the hand of a big in the paint feels hurried and rushes his shot. Clemson had 2 missed layups last night in it - both were contested by Lydon (my favorite was when the kid did the behind the back and I think in his head just wanted a top 10 play so decided to try to score instead of passing). They got sped up and nervous. We were pretty much inviting them to go 3 on 1. Most college players aren't great in transistion when there's a defender back.

It's a bad press - but I'll be damned if it doesn't get the job done. Brilliant by JB.
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