The Dribble Drive Motion Offense

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Since we have a couple of days until the next UK Men's basketball game there's time to coach up the players, as well as the KSR readers, on Calipari's dribble drive offense. Calipari recently said that his team hasn't had the opportunity to become comfortable in the offense, and understand their roles because of time restrictions. The practices between game days, and most of the earlier games before SEC play will allow Coach Cal to coach on the fly. Calipari's Kentucky teams have historically gotten more comfortable with the offense as they start to identify their roles, what their responsibilities are, and understanding how the offense works. This team will be no different. Coach Cal started to use the dribble drive offense during his tenure at the University of Memphis. Upon implementation in 2005-2006, he took the Tigers to two straight elite eight appearances and a national championship game. After another sweet sixteen appearance with Memphis, Cal brought his talents to Lexington and his offense too. His success has been because of talent, yes, but also because of the ability to teach his style of basketball to young players so quickly. Here is a play from Cal's offense called the Loop Cut (from Coaching Better B-Ball):

Ordinarily, O5 is down low, but in this case O4 is down low and O5 is up top. The continuity starts with O1 trying to beat his defender off the dribble. If he cannot get past, he passes to O2 who comes straight up from the corner. O1 loop cuts to the corner after the pass

O2 attempts to take his defender off the dribble by turning the corner with a middle drive. O5 relocates cross the lane up top. O3 steps up out of the corner to the opposite free-throw line extended. O4 relocates block to block. If O2 is unable to turn the corner, he can find O4. If O4 is not open, then the pass goes to O3,

The same action repeats except with O3 driving and O1 in the opposite corner coming up to the opposite free-throw line.

You can pass up top to O5, if the defense is keyed on the ball, O1 can basket cut looking for the give and go lob from O5. If not there, then loop cut. O4 waits for O2 to loop cut before relocating, in the confusion, O4 may also open up. O5 passes to O2 on the wing and you're back into the same setup.

This play should look really familiar to UK fans, especially if you saw the Kansas game Tuesday night. As readers get to know me you will find out that I am an X and O guy. I enjoy scheme and coaching match-ups as much as the competitiveness of the game. Calipari v. Self and Krzyzewski v. Izzo in Madison Square Garden helps captures the essence and greatness of college basketball. It doesn't get better than that.