Nathan Davis' Offensive System

with Nathan Davis,
Bucknell University Head Coach from 2015 to 2023;
2x Patriot League Coach of the Year ('16, '17);
4x Patriot League regular season champs ('16-'19);
2x Patriot League Tournament champs ('17, '18);
former Randolph-Macon College Head Coach;
2x ODAC Coach of the Year ('14, '15);
3x ODAC regular season champs ('11, '14, '15);
3x ODAC Tournament champs ('11, '13, '15);
through 2019 season, Davis' .732 career winning percentage is 11th-best among all active Division I coaches

Creating a high-octane offense that also has the ability to milk the clock if easy baskets aren't possible isn't an easy task. However, Nathan Davis has accomplished this and demonstrates exactly how you can run the floor, flow into a 5-man motion offense with multiple actions to create scoring opportunities, and utilize a variety of ball screen actions.

Transition to Motion

On offense, Coach Davis believes in finding a way to get out and run on makes or misses and flow into motion offense if his team is unable to score right away. His offense is designed to score in either the first six seconds of the shot clock, or the last six seconds of the shot clock.

In running the floor, a number of options are presented looking for opportunities for dribble penetration, kick-outs, pitch-backs, and screening actions that are designed to create a free-flowing offense. Another point of emphasis is for the low post player to stay opposite of the ball to create space and to get catches with two feet in the paint.

5-Man Motion

In utilizing 5-man motion offense, Davis has his bigs work together, with one on the perimeter and one in the post. Meanwhile, guards fill the corners and the slot on the side opposite the ball. The only exception is when a guard is brought to the ball-side slot by a post player.

The first action that is presented is the big-to-big screen. When the post players look to exchange, the posted big will step out and set a back screen to initiate the exchange. One hidden benefit of this action is that the ball-side corner can have a driving opportunity develop with the opposite side occupied.

Another action that is used is the away screen with the post player setting a screen for a guard when the ball is passed. The guard looks to read the defense by either curling to the basket for a lay-up, back cutting off of the screen for a lay-up, or popping back for an open 3-point shot.

For shooters, a weak-side flare screen is another effective action that can be utilized. With the ball in the hands of a post player in the slot, the guard in the weak-side corner steps up and sets a flare screen for the guard in the weak-side slot to set up an opportunity to get a shooter an open look.

Ball Screens

On top of running a transition-heavy offense and 5-man motion offense, Coach Davis utilizes ball screen actions with the element of surprise. He teaches ball screeners to sprint into their screens to surprise the defense in a moment of confusion.

With the ball screen actions Triple and Jazz, Davis creates opportunities for three- and two-player actions. Techniques on how to set effective ball screens that allow for more dribble penetration opportunities and how to set up actions are presented. The ball screen action "Warrior" incorporates a back cut by one guard and a pass-and-follow ball screen. With the spacing that results, opportunities for 3-point shots and a duck-in opposite the action present themselves.

Coach Davis does an outstanding job of demonstrating a high-octane offense that can open up opportunities for quick-strike scores as well as open looks for shots while dictating pace.

52 minutes. 2019.