ATTACKING SWITCHING MAN TO MAN - By John Peterson

Attacking Switching Man to Man

By John Peterson - Assistant Coach, Loyola Marymount University

Considerations:

- How often do you see it?

- Non conference or conference?

- When do you work it into practice?

Specifics:

- What are they switching, by size? (Small-Small screen, Big-Big screen, Big-Small screen, Small-Big screen?)

- What are they switching, by screen type? (PNR, down screen, up screen, flare screen, cross screen, etc.)

- When are they switching? (Late in clock? EOG?)

- What is your strength? Post Play? Quickness?

- Can you manipulate the switch to highlight that advantage?

- Does your screener have and maintain eye contact with your passer? (e.g. flare screens) 

Thoughts/Options for attacking teams that switch:

- Pass, Cut and play off the bounce:   Huge spacing, quick ball movement and hard cuts.  Must have actions in place for when the ball gets bounced – what do the other 4 guys do?

- Tight curls, curl picks and/or backcuts on all down screens – especially if there is contact on the screen

- Screen your own man out of your sets

- Double cuts - counter (e.g. Floppy/X actions)

- Flare screens – don’t come together, make it a spot or area screen

- Slips and/or step to the ball (if they don’t “touch” defensively on the switch)

- Drive the mismatch to make two commit to the ball (e.g. 1 vs 5) 

- Fake screens and step to the ball/slip out of your motion

- Drive the ball as screening occurs - forces second level of defense to help

- Drag screens off break/early offense

- Arrange your actions to take advantage of the switch

- Get ball moving early in your sets/actions before you screen (false action)

- No Guard to Guard screens, or Big to Big screens - make every screen Small on Big, or Big on Small, to create mismatch opportunities for post play or penetration