Pressing and the 30 second shot

[Monroevillefan]

From watching games this year it seems to me that pressing is more effective with the 30 second clock.

If you can slow the team down for 7-9 seconds and then delay for another 5 seconds before they get into their offense it only leaves 16-18 seconds to run your offense. Watching the Louisville game that is exactly what happened and Pitt never got comfortable in their offense. I think it is worse for teams like Pitt that play a pattern offense. If the first set didn't work then Pitt was struggling to get off a clean shot.

I have watched WVU play a couple of times this year and that is exactly what they do to teams. Kansas never got comfortable in their offense.

I for one think you have to make teams pay for pressing. If you don't then you better be ready to go deep
Into the shot clock.

I would also like to see Pitt press just to disrupt other team's offense.

Bottom line the 30 second clock makes this defense far more effective.

 

[PittMBA]

From watching games this year it seems to me that pressing is more effective with the 30 second clock.

If you can slow the team down for 7-9 seconds and then delay for another 5 seconds before they get into their offense it only leaves 16-18 seconds to run your offense. Watching the Louisville game that is exactly what happened and Pitt never got comfortable in their offense. I think it is worse for teams like Pitt that play a pattern offense. If the first set didn't work then Pitt was struggling to get off a clean shot.

I have watched WVU play a couple of times this year and that is exactly what they do to teams. Kansas never got comfortable in their offense.

I for one think you have to make teams pay for pressing. If you don't then you better be ready to go deep
Into the shot clock.

I would also like to see Pitt press just to disrupt other team's offense.

Bottom line the 30 second clock makes this defense far more effective.[/QUOTE
Pitt has pressed a bit this year too- not looking for steals but to eat the shot clock as you described. They did this a lot vs BC with the 2nd half lead-- essentially limiting BC's posessions.
It seems a simple tactic- if played correctly you aren't vulnerable to easy transition baskets because you're bigs play deep and you're aren't looking for traps or steals - just slowing a team's advance across 1/2 court.

 

[UPitt '89]

The shorter the shot clock, the easier it is to defend and the less likely it is that a team will find a high quality open shot.

Shorter clock means more possessions means more overall points.... but it also means lower shooting percentages and more turnovers.

What has offset that, is that (generally) the refs are calling the games tighter with the "freedom of movement" rules. So while a team only has to defend for 30 seconds instead of 35, they can't defend as aggressively as they used to and get away with it - with some notable games being exceptions (*cough*Pitt-UL*cough).

Any coach will tell you that the shorter the clock, the easier it is to defend per possession.