Doin' the Minnehaha Shuffle!

Unfortunately our season came to an abrupt halt on Tuesday as we lost to St. Paul Johnson in the seocnd round of section play. I always hate when our season is over, but it does give me a chance to get out and see some basketball. It also gives me a chance to resume my never ending quest to learn new stuff and improve as a coach. In light of that my goal is to try and find 25 things to share on this blog between now and June, this is the first one.

Went out and watched Breck vs Minnehaha tonight. I got to see the Redhawks of Minnehaha punch their ticket to the state tournament. Minnehaha runs a lot of different stuff, but something that caught my eye was their shuffle offense. It's a simple continuity, and even though I am not a continuity coach, I love the action that it creates. It really can get you some quality paint touches.


The offense starts in a 1-3-1 set with the post player in the high post.

 

The point guard (1) passes to the wing away from the low post (3). The opposite wing (2) cuts off the high pust and curls to the rim. The low post player (4) sets a backscreen for the point guard (1) who cuts to the backside block.

The player who came off the back screen at the point (1) fills the backside wing. The player who set the backscreen on the point guard (4) steps out to the point, gets a pass from the wing, and reverses the ball to the player on the backside wing (1). The wing who made the first pass (3) now comes off of the shuffle cut to the block and the lost post (2) screens for the player at the point (4). You keep running it until you score.

Minnehaha had a pretty skilled inside player at the five and sometimes they would throw him the ball. This would also him to go iso from the high post and was effective. Which ever way he drove, teh post player would pop out and make room for him to go to work. I would either put your defensive stopper here and not throw him the ball, or your best 1 on 1 player here and use the offense as a decoy to get him the ball in a 1 on 1, attacking situation. Depends on how you want to play it.

As with any continuity you need some counters for when teams try and take things away. If they deny the point, you dribble up from the wing, the point back cuts to the rim and fills the wing that was emptied by the dribble over. The player on the opposite block (4) pops to receive the pass as he normally would. Pass and get it into the shuffle.

 

 

 If the wing is overplayed the point (2) can dribble at the wing. He backcuts hard to the rim. The backside wing (1) rotates up to take the point spot. The backside block (3) cuts to the wing. The backcutting player (4) can fill the backside block. As soon as the ball gets to the wing the player who fills from block to backside wing (3) comes hard off the shuffle screen.

And there you have it, simple yet effective, especially if you add in the back cut actions. I think this would be a nice continuity to complement what we try to do in our motion offense - get to the rim.