The Spread Ball Screen Offense with Counters & Breakdown Drills

with Dave Paulsen,
Holy Cross Head Coach;
Fordham Assistant Coach from 2022 to 2023;
George Mason University Head Coach from 2015 to 2021;
Bucknell University Head Coach from 2008 to 2015;
2x Patriot League Coach of the Year;
4x Patriot League Regular Season Champions;
2x Patriot League Tournament Champions;
Williams College Head Basketball Coach from 2000 to 2008;
2003 NCAA Division III National Champions;
2004 NCAA Division III National Championship Runner-up;
2001 ECAC New England Champions;
2x NESCAC Regular Season Champions;
3x NESCAC Tournament Champions;
3x NESCAC Coach of the Year;
2x NABC D III National Coach of the Year;
2003 NABC D-III New England Coach of the Year;
Le Moyne Head Coach from 1997 to 2000;
1998 NNE10 Regular Season Champions;
St, Lawrence Head Coach from 1994 to 1997;
1997 UCAA Regular Season Champions;
1996 NABC D-III New England Coach of the Year

Dave Paulsen, who has had continued success at many levels of the game, breaks down his patented ball screen offense in this exclusive video.

Learn how you can use this offense to limit turnovers and bad shots. By flowing into multiple pick and rolls, you will create constant advantage situations that lead to open looks for your players. Coach Paulsen breaks down all of the details to this offense, shows you how it runs, and gives you strategies for defeating any tactic your opponent might try to run against you.

BONUS: See below for details on a special bonus included with this video.

Types of Ball Screens

Coach Paulsen begins with a basic breakdown of the offense and explains the importance of spacing the floor, along with how his actions are dictated by spacing. He shares details on the side, spread, and alley ball screen alignments that make up the motion offense.

From there, you'll see the reads and actions the ball handler and screener must make to create 2-on-1 advantage situations. You'll also discover why the ball handler should refuse the screen 30% of the time.

Actions

To prevent the defense from keying on ball screens, you'll learn various weak side spacing actions that can be employed to counter any defensive action. You'll also see how the perimeter players away from the action are involved in spacing the court with down screens, back cuts, and loops.

Paulsen shows actions for players who need to create scoring opportunities for themselves by spacing off dribble penetration or with the lunge, punch, euro, or lift moves. After you've seen the basic concepts to Coach Paulsen's offense, you'll learn how players can run the motion offense 5-on-0 to learn how to flow into multiple ball screen actions.

Post Play

Low post play is an essential aspect of the Ball Screen Motion Offense. An effective low post presence will create better spacing for your team, as defenses have a harder time rotating to help on ball screens. Coach Paulsen discusses how to use post-ups and why the ball must go into the post, regardless of the post player's ability.

Counters

Coach Paulsen breaks down seven strategies your opponents will use to disrupt the ball screen offense. You'll learn multiple counters to help your players manage each of these tactics including four ways to attack hard hedges.

Other strategies discussed include:

• how to take advantage of defenses that rotate to cover the screener,
• taking advantage of mismatches created by switches,
• creating outlets against a trap,
• and more.

The session finishes with Coach Paulsen fielding questions that address the defensive strategies that gives this offense the most trouble and how to flow into the offense out of transition.

With this ball screen offense, coaches of all levels will have the tools to get uncontested shots against any man-to-man defensive strategy that opponents use.

BONUS: This video also features a nearly two hour presentation on how to instill discipline, accountability, work ethic, dedication, and unselfishness into your team. Coach Paulsen showcases his "Vision, Values, and Voyage" approach for building a unified team on and off the court. Each element of the "Vision, Values, and Voyage" approach is thoroughly explained and utilizes motivational quotes, core values, and acronyms that help foster leadership and a winning culture.

195 minutes (2 videos). 2015.