Modern 2-Game Offense: Concepts, Installation Plan, Drills & Set Plays with Perimeter or Post Options

with Matt Figger,
University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley Head Men's Coach from 2021 to 2024;
Austin Peay Head Coach from 2017 to 2021;
2018 Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year;
University of South Carolina Assistant Coach from 2013 to 2017 (2017 Final Four);
Kansas State Assistant Coach from 2013 to 2017;
Arkansas Assistant Coach in 2007;
South Alabama Assistant Coach from 2003 to 2007;
Odessa College Assistant Coach from 2000 to 2002;
Vincennes University Assistant Coach from 1994 to 1999;
Wabash Valley College Assistant Coach from 1993 to 1994

One way to win basketball games is to get the ball to the paint! Getting into the key creates open threes, high percentage shots, and gets teams to the free throw line. Typically, an offense can get there by the drive or post touch. In this video Coach Matt Figger will show the concepts of the modern 2-Game offense that focuses on getting the ball to paint through post touches, while simultaneously keeping the floor spread.

The options and sets that flow into 2-Game are shown, giving you what you’ll need to implement it right away! 

You’ll learn:

• Basic setup
• Post and perimeter options
• Set plays
• All the drills to make it work!

Introduction and Overview of 2-Game

Coach Matt Figger reflects on the lessons we all learned as coaches during time away from the game during the COVID pandemic and how this introspection has led some coaches to seek out ways to become more effective.

In response to the analytics surrounding the effectiveness of 3-point shots and points in the paint, Figger has tweaked the offense to allow more space for guards to drive and more aggressive posting of the bigs.  

Coach Figger shows how the 2-Game Offense can make you a more effective post team, even if you don’t have over-sized bigs on your team.  With a variety of cuts and screen reads, this offense is difficult to scout and extremely challenging to guard effectively which opens the door for great opportunity!

2-Game Options

Next, Coach Figger goes over the nuts and bolts of the offense and each player's positioning and responsibilities. He shows the initial set up to get to the right spots and proper spacing for the offense. Once the ball is entered, Coach Figger shows post players how to use their body to gain an advantage in the paint, no matter how the defense guards it.

One of the points of the offense is to create 2-man games and scenarios within the flow of offense. If the ball is not directly entered into the post, Coach Figger shows how to keep pressure on the defense by having a 2-man game on the perimeter with a screen at the elbow. From there the cutter has three options: curl, fade, or reject. Each option is shown in detail and how each player responds to each option.

If things are well covered, Coach Figger shows how to easily flow into an on-ball screen to continue the attacking mentality. The Pinch Post option is a great action to keep the defense honest and then is shown how to flow into DHOs and ball screens right out of the set. If the cutter in 2-Game decides to reject the screen, Coach Figger shows how to keep pressure by adding another post up option and a baseline stagger to create shots on the perimeter.

Ball Screens

Coach Figger loves to incorporate ball screens within his offense and shows how to keep things flowing anytime there is a breakdown within 2-Game. Options to running the ball screen are when the ball hits the post and comes back out, offensive rebounds, and any breakdown in any of the actions shown.

Drills

To complete your install of the 2-Game offense, Coach Figger shows drills that can be done to help develop your posts and guards. When instructing the posts, he shows them his philosophy of posting up in transition by getting under the defense. He then shows how to run two post players in transition and work on getting high low looks. Drills are shown to get guards reps out of the elbow screening actions.

Putting things together in a 4 on 4 drill, players will learn how to get the ball inside. The post player begins with an offensive advantage and learns how to post up while everyone runs through the basics of the offense.

Games and Sets

Wrapping it up, Coach Figger explains a drill he uses to work on learning how to play fast with the “150” game. Here players will learn the importance of moving the ball and making quick decisions.

Coach Figger then shows two ball screen plays that can be used within the offense or as standalone plays. He also shows how to easily transition into 2-Game no matter if the ball is dribbled or passed ahead. He then concludes with a whiteboard diagram of one of his favorite zone sets. 

Want to dominate the pace of every game and pound the ball inside? This is a great offense for that and Coach Matt Figger gives you all the tools you will need to successfully run the Modern 2-Game Offense!

64 minutes. 2022.