Last weekend the McDonald’s All-American committee released the players that will play in the 2016 McDonald’s All-American game. We have worked individually at camps with many of these players in the past few years. In addition we have evaluated courtside while all of the players competed at the nation’s premier exposure tournaments.
With that context, it is worthwhile to diagram some actions that we would run in an All-Star game like this. In doing so we can highlight strengths of a few of the players and how they could work together at such a high level.
WEST BREAKOWN
Here are the five I choose to work with on this team:
Point Guard – Destiny Slocum (Maryland)
Wing – Chassity Carter (Vanderbilt)
Wing – Jackie Young (Notre Dame)
Forward – Tori McCoy (Ohio State)
Center – Lauren Cox (Baylor)
The play I would choose for this group would be a horns set that would provide options for everyone in this group.
You can see in this frame, we would make an immediate post entry to Lauren Cox around the elbow to 3pt area. Cox is a versatile post player who can handle the ball, stretch the defense with her range and make decisions while facing up. Forcing the opposing team’s post player away from the basket opens up the lane and gives us added options.
After the post entry, we want Destiny Slocum to run right off of Cox’s hip for a possible hand-off. This will be a read that both players will have to make. If the defender tries to over the top of this action, it will be a good chance to get Slocum going down hill with the basketball. It will create either a switch or a help situation where Slocum can make the appropriate read.
One of the fun parts of a setting like this is utilizing the talents and versatile skill sets of the players on the roster. Jackie Young is one of those truly versatile players who can hurt the opposition in a number of ways. In this frame you can see Young ducking in from the weakside for a possible post up situation. Although a wing, she has the skill to post up much like former Notre Dame wing, Jewell Loyd, who now plays for the Seattle Storm.
If we do not score off of the initial looks that we get in the offense, it is important to have some secondary action to ensure ball movement. Here we look at a down screen into a dribble handoff for Chassity Carter in the corner. Carter is a very good distributor of the basketball from the wing. Giving her the ball in this situation will allow her to find an open cutting teammate or perhaps even turn the corner for her own shot. On the weakside we will get Young a pin down screen, which could pop her open for a jumper.
Here we see a post-up option for Tori McCoy on the weakside. This would be particularly effective should the defense try to switch. Nonetheless, getting McCoy in a seal in a 1/1 situation provides a great scoring opportunity.
Here is a look back to the strong side. After Cox delivers the hand-off to Carter, she would then set another down screen for Slocum in the corner. Slocum is such a dangerous threat from the arc, she will garner extra attention off of this screen. This would provide the perfect opportunity for a slip for Cox to the rim. Again you see Carter’s vision and passing ability with the ball.
Click the link below for the entire PDF
EAST BREAKDOWN
Here are the five I choose to work with on this team:
Point Guard – Alecia Sutton (Texas)
Guard – Crystal Dangerfield (UConn)
Guard – Amber Ramirez (TCU)
Forward – Erin Boley (Notre Dame)
Center – Joyner Holmes (Baylor)
This basic box set gives us plenty of options to get players shots. However, the best type of shots are the ones that are improvised. Here you can see Alecia Sutton taking advantage of the defense being off guard when the guard runs to set a screen. Sutton is one of the best slashers nationally and she can score in these type of 1/1 situations.
We would set this cross screen for Joyner Holmes at the elbow. Holmes is an athletic specimen with strength and mobility. Allowing her to catch the ball on the move is very hard for the defense to contain. Plus opposing defenders at this position will struggle to deal with her strength in the paint.
Many coaches like to run the screen the screen action for 3 in this set, but we will mix it up and set a double for Crystal Dangerfield on the opposite block. She is a point guard, but she is effective off the ball where she can spot up or as you see here – curling into the lane to finish on the move.
With Dangerfield curling into the lane, that is going to draw the attention of helpside defenders. This a perfect time to set a consecutive pin-down screen for Amber Ramirez. Again, she is a combo guard that make things happen with the ball in her hands. However, she can light it up from 3-point range as well. Getting her the ball in this situation would make for plenty of good opportunities.
Finally we get a chance to get the ball to our most versatile player on the floor – Erin Boley. After she sets the down screen we have a chance to get her in an isolation situation. She can post up in the case that there is a switch. Or she can also step out to the perimeter for a 1/1 iso with the opposing defender. Note – how Dangerfield clears out the other side to clear out the lane for Boley to make her moves.
Click the link below for the entire PDF
Congrats to Jackie Young on being named to @McDAAG team. Worked w/ her at #CoachHemiShowcase https://t.co/NOnvxNhsNt pic.twitter.com/bXmy02bzxm — Jonathan Hemingway (@JLHemingwayPSB) January 19, 2016
Congrats to Alecia Sutton: Earned her way on @McDAAG team. Saw why at the #CoachHemiWorkout https://t.co/NOnvxNz4c3 pic.twitter.com/c8ni5lYzx1 — Jonathan Hemingway (@JLHemingwayPSB) January 18, 2016
Congrats to Crystal Dangerfield for making the @McDAAG team. Shined at #CoachHemiWorkouthttps://t.co/dvnmCpmJMxpic.twitter.com/AV1kU5C4EB — Jonathan Hemingway (@JLHemingwayPSB) January 18, 2016
Congrats to @Carter_lealea4 on being named to @McDAAG team. Starred at #CoachHemiShowcase https://t.co/NOnvxNz4c3 pic.twitter.com/Vsv4LWL9R0 — Jonathan Hemingway (@JLHemingwayPSB) January 19, 2016
Start your search today and become a CoachHemi.com member and gain access to the library of plays, coaching notes and camp ideas.
Register today!
Jonathan Hemingway is the Director of Domestic Scouting for the JumpOffPlus.com International Scouting Report, is on the Naismith Trophy Board of Selectors and owns CoachHemi.com, the go-to source for coaches for X’s and O’s. He is the floor director of #TeamEBA camps, a site director for #TeamPSB tournaments and can be reached at jonathanhemingway@peachstatebasketball.com.
