Senior forward Alexyz Vaioletama leads the women of Troy this year with a 12.8 points per game average. Photo: USC Athletic Department
Program Overview
When the University of Southern California hired Cynthia Cooper-Dyke in the spring of 2013, not only did they hire a legend within the world of women’s basketball but they also hired a coach who is a proven winner. Few former players, man or woman, can boast of accomplishments on the hardwood like Cooper. Two NCAA championships, an Olympic gold medal and four WNBA championships show that she has been to the mountain top of athletic greatness as a competitor. However, we have seen other former stars fall short when it comes to achieving success on the sideline. Cooper is proving that she can attain greatness from the coaching box as she did on the court.
Photo: @USCWBB
She took over programs without much history of success such as Prairie View A&M, UNC-Wilmington and Texas Southern and led them all to post season births. In the eight years before that she coached at those programs she reached the 20 win mark five times as well. In her first season as the Trojans coach she earned 22 victories and a NCAA birth.
Cooper has been noted as a tireless worker and recruiter. In her first year in Los Angeles she inked four players within the ProspectsNation.com ELITE 150. Two of those freshman are giving major minutes for the Trojans this year. Guard McKenzie Calvert ranks second on the team in points scored at 10.8 per game. While forward Kristen Simon is important contributor averaging 6.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
In the class of 2015 she has locked down another ELITE 100 point guard in Aliyah Mazyck from Charlotte, N.C. You can read Brandon Clay’s take on her in his Prospect Eval.
12/8/14 Game Recap
USC 85 CSUN 74
McKenzie Calvert Photo: USCWBB
The Trojans received an early season test from in-state foe of Cal-State Northridge. This game went to overtime and required a 3-point shot with :21 left by Calvert to force the extra period. The Trojans would receive a game high 24 points by senior post Alexyz Vaioletama in the win. Calvert would add 21 in the non conference match-up on 8 of 16 shooting, which included 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.
In this game, the Trojans used their ball screen offense to get the ball to the interior. Cooper’s staff has done an effective job of getting her guards to understand that the purpose of the ball screen is to force two defenders to guard you and then find the open player off of the pass.
The first play of the game, the Trojans used a basic high screen and roll with point guard Jordan Adams and Vaioletama, which led to a hi-lo feed from senior forward Kaneisha Horn to the senior post. A few possessions later, the Trojans went back to the very same play but this time Horn attacked off of the drive for the finish. This was all set up because of the help that was created from the ball screen action.
See the high Pick and Roll diagram below:
USC Trojan Offense Takeaways
1. Guards must understand their role in the ball screen action. It is not always their job to look for their shot, but instead draw the help and dish quickly.
2. Post players who set screens on the perimeter can become post up players on the block. Moving quickly from spot to spot puts stress on the defense.
3. Understand that each action on offense has multiple reads. Do not get locked into the first read, but instead read the defense and make the proper play.
CoachHemi.com Members can see the USC double high ball screen along with analysis below:
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DOUBLE HIGH BALL SCREEN
FRAME 1 – This is a 1-4 High set that starts with a wing entry. Instead of the PG cutting through or getting an UCLA cut, she will space to the other wing pushing 3 to the corner.
FRAME 2 – The near post player runs to set a wing ball screen. Now this offense is really good versus a defense that hard hedges the screen. So a quick slip here by 4 is the first look. USC got this pass & score several times.
FRAME 3 – Now the second ball screen comes from the opposite elbow. This long run makes it hard for x5 to be there to jam the ball handler on the screen. Now with 4 moving to the other block, 5 can easily roll to the rim for a score. Because there is no help on the back side. If they defend the roll well, then the guard will kick to the opposite wing.
FRAME 4 – What USC was very good at doing was being patient and working the offense even when the first pick and roll was not there. So they would run another series of ball screens to stretch the defense or even force a switch and a mismatch. Here you see 4 again running up to the wing and then slipping quickly to the block.
FRAME 5 – Now with the second ball screen coming, this will open up the lane once again. The PG will have the chance to hit the rolling post player again or kick to an open shooter on the weakside.
FRAME 6 – Another option that the Trojans did not find in this game, but would be valuable for other teams is the throw-back skip. If x3 slides down to take away the roll, a good PG will be able to find the open shooter in the corner.
HALF – COURT USC WBB DOUBLE HIGH BALL SCREEN
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Jonathan Hemingway is the owner of Coach Hemingway Basketball, Inc. Hemingway is on the Board of Selectors for the Naismith Trophy. He has worked within the basketball community since 1995 as a coach, camp director and journalist. He works as the assistant director of scouting for the JumpOffPlus.com and the OTRHoopsReport.com, which are scouting reports that service over 200 college and universities nationwide. Reach him via email at JonathanHemingway@PeachStateBasketball.com.
