Dušan IVKOVIĆ Head coach BC Dinamo, Moscow How to Initiate a Decisive Match How to approach a decisive match, the match under great psychological and competitive pressure. Mostly such matches decide on the destiny of us- coaches. It is possible that a player with one, maybe decisive point or rebound, with good defense compensates and let all the bad that preceeded the match be forgotten. Big quarter finals at the Olympics and World Championships do not only decide on who will continue fighting for medals, but they also destroy four-year long competition ambitions, numerous trainings, selfsacrifices, dreams. Finals as a rule are easier to prepare, because the best will always win. How to set a decisive match of play-off or any other that has to be won, how to make a „break“ at the opponent’s court with the quality rival who knows to use all the advantages offered by his own court.

Although it’s hard to resist, I’ve never looked forward to quick and easy led of ten or more points at the beginning of the match. As a rule there is a fall in concentration and it’s only a matter how quickly an opponent will establish a score balance. I never use newly set offense or defense detail at the beginning of the match. The opponent’s coach will read them very early. Easily achieved points from the newly set detail I rather save for key moments, when the match is slowed, ie. to offer new solution when one has to score. Easy points at the match beginning are „back door“, dunking, it is possible that they surprise opponent’s rivals, but they hardly provide safe entry into the game. New defense or defense key of the match surely should not be shown early, one should patiently wait at least for the second half. One should not play in continuity

because the rival’s coach will read it more easily, and experienced and quality players will adapt more easily. Fake in defense is often much efficient than fake in offense. I never want to show to the rival’s coach at the beginning of the match that I know his weak sides in defense. Key „mis-match“ situations should be realized practically in the moment when an opponent cannot avoid them.

Introduction of the 8 sec and 24 sec rules into the FIBA competitions has given extremely positive results, the game became more aggressive, number of stolen balls has increased, ie. offenses, number of scores per match has risen, and shoot per cent has not fallen. There are less matches with small scores. Many have considered that such games are the consequence of good defense, however they have always been the result of well organized, controlled, ie. small number of performed offenses!

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8 sec and 24 sec rule hasn’t affected my coaching phylosophy in a great deal. Regarding the aggressive defense at the whole court and ¾ of the court, they were more present. Offense strategy remained the same. My objective has always been that the team scores more than 50% points from the fastbreak and secondary offense, that realize the highest shot per cent. The adequate choice of offense I consider the most important condition for stable entry into the game and a decisive factor for further game control and a successful score. Such offense at the semicourt has to have its balance, often as a joke I tell players that at least at the match beginning they have the possibility to touch the ball. Cuttings without ball of all players should not be tied to the stressed perfection in timing and blockades in order to provide continuity and flow of passing. My initial setting must impose its own style of playing: 1) in offense at least equal „post in up“ game with firm jumping triangle, good balance for 2) well organized defense transition, that at least until the bonus, won’t let the opponent’s fastbreak points.

When defense plays and imposes high game rhythm, often not before bonus reached, sometimes even after, realization of the basic offense phylosophy and high per cent of realization in fastbreak and early offense start. Changes affect change of game style, most often in a fit team, offers more freedom in the game, more pick and rolls.

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Offense set that I most often used to start the matches. The initial position has to be the one that players take while in fastbreak (diagram 1). Playmaker 1 at the elbow position, 5 a dominant post at the position of low post, 2 shooting guard at the same side, placed in the triangle with 1 and 5, 4 power forward at the high post position has to receive the ball with agressive cutting without ball, good cut move, between forth and sixth second of offense, 3 forward at the help side should be active and ready in the case that defense tries to denide first pass 4 and to make cooperation with the power forward. At the pass of the player with the ball 1 towards the player 4, player 2 in full sprint uses screens of the players 5 and 3 and changes forward position from one to the other side. In the introductory setting of offense one should not look for the solutions at the left offense side, however, if the rival does bad overtaking and doesn’t let pass to the player 3 at the low post position (diagram 2) or if ball is passed to the player 2 at the corner (diagrams 3 and 4) that has a few solutions. If the ball is not passed to the left side, the player 4 has the ball, then there is a down screen for the player 1 and pass to the player 5 and the player 4 immediately offenses with „back door“ receiving the back screen from 3, while 1 for a short time open toward the corner in order to provide space (diagram 5). In the moment when 1 set the second screen for player 4 to receive the ball at the position of low post, 5 passes to 4, player 3 screens the player 2 and immediately after the pass player 5 screens the player 2 (diagram 6).

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I believe that this position is interesting for analysis. In modern basketball where vertical cutting towards the basket and screens dominate, here we have at the same time three horizontal screens. Player 4 has the option to shoot from the corner, he may pass to 2 that can shoot or to make a „U“ cut around the screener or player 1 after the screen made for the player 4 makes a back screen for the player 5 and this one receives the ball under the basket (diagram 7). Even in early 90s in PAOK (Thessaloniki) at the position 4 I had a player who was extremely well „reading“ from the corner. After the shoot from the corner Fasulas often used back screen of Korfas (who is 1 in this situation) for jump in offense. He like a master knew after fake passing towards player 2 (in described situation) to Prelević and back screen of Korfas towards Fasulas to play one-on-one and dunk at other side of basket. Players 2 or 3 with 4 and 5 are always aggressive jumpers and 1 with 2 or 3 always prevent fastbreak. It is often possible in this set offense to change some, even all positions. In the case that the opponent’s team has such great players, over 7 feet tall block makers like over the past few years Žalgiris has had unbeatable master Sabonis or Unix and Ulker, for example E. Zukauskas, 4 and 5 would exchange their positions, 5 good shooter like for example Alexander would take good shooters and block shooters into the corner, score and open space under the basket.

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Following offense set Playmaker 1 at the position of elbow left, power forward 4 at the position of low post left, shooting guard 2 on the left side on guard position. Post 5 at the position of middle post right and forward 3 at the position of high post right. Player 3 makes a screen for the post 5 who receives the ball at the position of high post and the player 3 opens on 45d. Players 2, 4 and 1 run into „flex“ movement at the left court side (diagram 8), player 5 passes the ball to the player 4 at the high post position, 4 passes to playmaker 1 at the left court side and in the continuation of the offense 2 makes back screen for player 3 (diagram 9). In the case that player 3 has not passed under the basket then players 1 and 4 play pick and pop, and then player 2 set the back screen for player 5 and player 3 set the back screen for player 4 (diagram 10). In this situation a player with the ball 1 has the possibility to shoot from pick and roll and four passes (options). If none of this options works, most often ball is passed at the post side (diagram 11). If pass goes to 3 and defense switch (after the back screen) there is a play 1-on-1 (diagram 12). I avoid „pick and roll“ plays to be dominant as a chosen offense at the beginning of the match. Except the set of offense at the half court, the same principle is also in the game of early offense at the match beginning, I don’t want my post to be the first ones to enter foul problems.

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Early offense, taking of the offensive position directly from the transition after pass to the player 5, placed at low post, 3 cuts around 5 with the possibility of easy scored shot from handing in. Player 1 moves to the position of the player 3, and the second big player 4 makes a screen for the guard 2 (diagram 13). In the situation when player 5 receives the ball at the low post position and plays 1-on-1, if he attacks with the ball the middle of the court, the players move as shown in the diagram 14. In the case that player 5 enters the 1-on-1 situation on the low post along the baseline, the cutting and moving of rest of the players is like in the diagram 15.

When we keep the post in front and prevent ball passing to the power forward on the top of the key, we teach player 4 to attack with back door move or quick exchange of places and pass as shown in the diagram 16 or a penetration of 7

player 1 (diagram 17 and 18). While I try to end up these thoughts, Sunday, 15th of January, 2006, there is statistics from the yesterday match at the table. In this year’s championship of the Russian super league my team Dinamo from Moscow had a bad start and after the first part of the championship (13 rounds) it was defeated 4 times. If we had lost also the fifth match with extremely well team Himki, we would certainly not have any chances for good start position in the play-off, and this means in the first four. We have lost the match in the first part of the championship with 5 points of difference. We should win the team at the opponent’s court with +6, the team that in the last match of the FIBA Euroleague won Juventud from Badalona with 24 points of difference.

We won the match with dominant 71:87 and our defense functioned perfectly. In all categories of the shoot we achieved better percent, time out defense, in timeout the offense details had almost 100% of success. Most percent we had in the fastbreak, 37 scores, in the early fastbreak 13 points, totally 50 points, ie. 57% of all the achieved.

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I believe that the right choice of set offenses at the beginning was giving us selfconfidence and security. I had the experiences from the first match where we lost first quarter with 14:32, and then we could not play but chased the result, we failed 17 free throws, with 39% per cent!!! These were just few of my thoughts. The match is a live creature. It is impossible, even with the same rival to play a similar match. The role of the coach is to set the game, and most quality solutions are left to the great players at the court.

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