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By Adam Stanco
BasketballWriter@cs.com
NCAA Tournament: Confusion is the
X-Factor
The
mere thought of it makes you squirm…
Your
friend drags you to a party full of strangers. Everyone is new. The faces
are so unfamiliar they don’t even resemble anyone you know. And
they’re all staring at you.
You
don’t notice the smooth nacho dip on the coffee table or the fridge full of
your favorite beer. You barely even notice the perky blonde blinking in your
direction.
It
could be a painful night. And it could be far worse. Whenever we are tossed
into a pit of uncertainty, there is potential for disaster.
Just
ask members of the Big XII conference about Syracuse’s 2003 National
Championship run. To the teams in the Big XII, the Orange provided the
great unknown, or – as anyone who follows the Big East calls it – their
2-3 zone. Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas were all befuddled by
the Orange’s special defensive set. They couldn’t decipher the soft spots in
the zone, just as you might miss snacks, drinks, or perky blondes when your
common party environment is suddenly distorted.
Grit
and resolve are synonymous with the Midwestern conference. Zones aren’t. The
entire league played man-to-man almost exclusively for the duration of the
2003 season and, consequently, each of the Cuse victims were ill-equipped to
handle the 2-3. By the time they hit Syracuse in the bracket, the Big XII
teams toppled like Greg Ostertag on a balance beam.
The
2-3 zone is humdrum for anyone who knows basketball. Syracuse plays a unique
version of it, however, featuring defenders with condor wingspans. They trap
quickly, they recover quickly, and they move fluidly as a unit. This ain’t
your fifth-grade 2-3 zone.
Still,
teams within the Big East understand how to pounce on the weaknesses in the
zone. They move the ball around the perimeter, fasten a post player at the
foul line to jumpstart the high-low game, and they play with patience. The
Big XII teams weren’t outclassed by Syracuse, they were simply confused.
And, in the big dance, confusion is a terminal disease.
An
unfamiliar defense is not the only source of confusion for tourney coaches.
They must also deal with preparing to play rare offensive sets, such as
Princeton’s Motion Offense. The Tigers’ offense is based upon read-and-react
principles, resulting in an endless string of back door cuts. The purpose of
the offense is to generate flawless shot selection and limit the amount of
possessions in a given game.
Any
unusual style of play can baffle an opponent. The mystique alone can often
shatter confidence. In fact, almost as famous as the Princeton Offense is,
the fear of the offense burrows deeply into the mindset of favored
tournament teams. In 1996, Princeton knocked off #3 seeded UCLA, the year
after the Bruins won the title. The game-winning shot was a lay-up off of a
back door cut.
Regardless of how they attempt to perplex the elite, none of the #16 seeds
should present a problem for the best seeds. In fact, a #16 seed has never
beaten a #1. Top-seeded Georgetown nearly lost to one in the first round of
the 1989 tournament, but they narrowly skimmed out a 50-49 victory. Their
opponent that game? The Princeton Tigers and their confusing motion offense.
But
confusion sometimes leads to knowledge. Georgetown is now coached by the son
of the coach who lost that infamous game in ’89, John Thompson, III. And,
coincidentally, the Hoyas will be running their own unique offense… an
adapted version of “The Princeton Offense.”
Secrets For NCAA Tournament
Success:
-
Talent
- NBA potential is no joke.
-
Post Defense
- The bigger, the better.
-
Sharp Shooting
- Simple math: three is better than two.
-
Experience
- Who has nerves of steel?
-
Star Power
- Winning is the All-American way.
-
Guard Play
- Little guys point the way.
-
X-Factor
- Fear of the unknown.
The March Manifesto is the secret
to filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket.
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