March Maddness - Using screens

The NCAA tournament is my favorite sporting event and specifically the opening rounds of 64 and 32 which feature 48 games in 4 days all played under the pressure of win or go home.  As a fan I love that this setting never fails to create drama throughout the opening 4 days and as a coach I love writing down as many ideas, thoughts, sets, and strategies I can obtain from watching the games. 

One thing that stood out in the opening rounds this year was the successful teams attention to detail when it comes to using screens.  The majority of teams still playing this time of year are extremely physical on defense and often so physical (especially on off the ball action) they prevent the offense from utilizing a screen.  Players tough enough to run shoulder to shoulder off screens whether it be an on ball screen or off the ball screen put the defense on their heels and often gives their own team an opportunity to play the game with greater shot selection. 

Texas guard Jacovan Brown helped his team advance against Oakland and helped provide Texas a great chance of beating Arizona in the next round by attacking the hedge defender when utilizing ball screens.  Brown went shoulder to shoulder off ball screens forcing the defense to help by hedging, switching, or allowing Brown to shoot behind the ball screen.  Brown really exposed teams choosing to hedge by attacking the outside hip and shoulder of the hedging defender and even though he was creating the contact the official will almost always call the foul on the hedging defender.  Brown used this strategy to shoot double digit FTs in both games (shooting 100% I might add!).  Arizona finally adjusted their ball screen defense late in the game on Brown electing to not hedge and go under the ball screen.  The adjustment worked well as Brown was looking for contact off the ball screen and not ready to shoot the jump shot.

Ball screens seem to be more popular than ever, but the execution and attention to detail isn't always there.  Many times the ball handler will dribble too wide around the ball screen leaving enough room for his defender to slide over the top of the screen and rendering it ineffective.  Some players are doing a nice job going shoulder to shoulder preventing the on ball defender from guarding over the top without help, but allow the hedge defender to force their dribble out wide giving the screened defender plenty of time to recover.  The key, and I do believe its a mental toughness issue, is for the ball handler to go shoulder to shoulder every time off the ball screen and if the defense is choosing to hedge then attack the outside shoulder and hip (not chest - this will prompt a charging call) with their inside shoulder (not an extended forearm). 

Are your players mentally tough enough to go shoulder to shoulder off screens?