Houston is the current number one ranked adjusted efficiency defense in the country. This video breaks down the X's and O's, defensive concepts, and players behind Kelvin Sampson's defensive scheme. Including the Cougars' "blitz" ball screen coverage.
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I used to student manage UH basketball before I got my bachelors. Coach Sampson and his staff teaches toughness and effort first and then the defensive strategies fall in place. Great video!
Very cool. Must have been a great experience
Were you treated like you were apart of the team or did they see you as a servant essentially. I’m a team manager for the university I’m at for the women’s team and they treat us like dog shit
@@lonedolo644what school lol
@@HAZEandNFLBUCCS ima just say it’s in Virginia on the water
Have you ever heard of Dan Hurley? That’s a true tough coach
this is how 90% of teams play in europe. it makes sense that it works in college with the shorter three point line
What teams would you recommend to watch as a newcomer?
Wait why would a shorter 3pt line help? Shorter closeouts?
@@conehed1138 less space on the court compared to the massive nba courts so its easier for help defence so the driving lanes are more jammed up
@@isaacsaintlouis3045 partisan, panathinaikos, zvezda and olympiacos have the best fans but imo the most fun teams to watch are baskonia and efes. they both have a very fast paced offensive style with some great scorers like Marcus Howard and Shane Larkin
@@conehed1138 precisely
Man I love basketball. Everything is simple but has so many parts it’s like nothing else
it’s beautiful man
That is some damn good defense I am super impressed gotta watch some Houston games for sure
They playing Kansas this Saturday. That'll be a good game.
As a defensive minded player I would love to play on a team with this type of defensive philosophy but I also understand personnel is a huge component for this to work Two questions on attacking this type of defense: 1. Would setting off ball screens be something useful? 2. What about filling for the screener from the man who’s “tagging”? Thank you in advance for anyone who answers.
Do you mean off ball screens before the on ball screens to induce a switch? If so that could make the blitz less effective but its unpredictable if the team will actually switch off-ball. It seems to me that entering the ball to the big at the elbow and running off ball screens from there would be easier reads. Also screening with guards so the blitzes are easier to see/pass over. Like Utah used to have Stockton actually set back screens on bigs a lot to mix up their reactions and cause confusion. Basically give the def anything except what they drill all the time. Im curious to see follow up videos and how other coachs attack it.
I think the reason they don't fill for the tagger is because of spacing, the blitz already has 3 defenders up top, so it could be really congested. Another thing mentioned in the video is that the Houston bigs are mobile and fast, so everytime the ball gets swung around the wing they could recover in time. Just my two cents tho
Everyone will have a different philosophy on how to guard certain actions off the ball, but Houston is constantly chasing off ball screens depending on where the pick is being set. So the ability to rub shoulder to shoulder off of a screen that you hope would be extended outside the lane gives you an opportunity to get open on a tight curl or any amount of various cuts. Secondly, the screener needs to look to get the ball for an opportunity to score as well since it’s usually hard to score on the first action against this type of defense
@@G1stGBless yes that’s that’s I meant sorry but I would also like to know what people thought of no on ball screens and just screening off ball. That would be interesting but don’t you think trapping a big or blitzing him would be even more effective? As it was pointed out that most bigs in college this season aren’t great passers. I am too! Thank you for the reply.
@@erasmus8767 understood. My thought process of filling the tagged was because of the fact guards were getting pushed to half court so much it would give them an easier release instead of having to get the ball all the way to the corners. From there maybe you have a quick 3 on 2 but not sure?
Jordan touched on it a bit talking about the passes being outside of the shooting pocket, but I think another thing with this system is that it disrupts the rhythm of a shooter, and the overall offense. I don't think people realize just how dependent college offenses are on rhythm shooters, and the natural flow of an offense
Really puts into perspective how special of a performance Nijel Pack had against this swarming defense.
Pack and Wong were able to shoot over the top and make contested deep jump shots all game. Nothing we could do there
@@Thejajaerathere’s no we you aren’t on the team
played against Shead in high school when he was in Manor HS. He's no joke
Fantastic video. The knowledge, the editing, the lead up talking about the unconventional approach by Houston, the data visualizations. Really versatile content, good work!
Kansas 25-32 on 2-point shots yesterday. Figured something out.
Because of their size and Hunter Dickinson can pass over the traps
lol yall lost to wvu, ksu, and ucf. pipe down, tubbs
@bigman8477 When the last time UH won a National championship😮
@@lemontadams3029 no clue. use google
whens the last time kansas was this ass XD@@lemontadams3029
No one except Kansas today, lol. The Jayhawks were carving that Houston defense up in the first half.
Kansas definitely figured out that the secret to beat that houston defense is go hit some shots. Most teams that have an 18-3 turnover margin will struggle to win but if you just shoot lights out almost 70% theres not much to about that.
Let’s be honest, how come the Jayhawks can beat top ten teams every year but lose to bums that aren’t ranked? 🥴🤦♂️🤷♂️
They are normally the Team with a target on their back so when they are the Underdog they play motivated especially in Non-Conference Opponents@@lionheart4529
@@lionheart4529cause naturally when you play bums you get comfortable and relaxed therefore the other team is going hard and sneaks up on the great team…by the time the great team starts taking them seriously it’s sometimes to late… I’ve seen it happen to often in upsets especially in tourney play
lol yall lost to wvu, ksu, and ucf. pipe down, tubbs
as an aspiring assistant coach, I love watching these types of videos, thanks for this.
student here. ibe toured the facility and they always talk about what they focus on when it comes to preparation and recruits. one of the most interesting things i learned is that while height does matter, they make it a point that wingspan is one of, if not the largest, factors in who they choose to recruit.
Thank you goat , I watch all uh games but I needed to hear your voice break them down . I hope you enjoying the new year .
Awesome video. I learn *so* much from your content -- would love to see more frequent posts!
Excellent video! Thank you for putting in the time and effort to showcase this incredible defense.
This is an awesome breakdown of defending the ball screen. Well done!
Great video. UH is always a must if you want to improve the defensive strategies and skills.
Great breakdown man !! I’m going to binge all your vids now
It’s brilliant! Great breakdown!
I did my physical therapy internship for the basketball team when he was couching at OU. His practices were so intense it was mind blowing. If you play for him he has zero tolerance for ANY slacking. EVER
Such a good video bro
Great analysis. Thanks for this vid.
Excellent analysis. Thanks.
I had the pleasure of watching Sampson coached teams during his tenure at Oklahoma and while his offense was a bit stodgy and plodding it was consistent and he truly taught the value of shot selection and protecting the ball and not turning it over. Where he always had his teams though was in an aggressive defense that traveled really well. You'll have off nights offensively but his teams always played great defense and it kept them in games where they were off. It doesn't surprise me the success he's still having.
When I coached we did some of these similar things. Loved your breakdown
LETS GO UH!!! Used to be on no one's radar when I went there back in 2014-2016. Glad to see us doing well!
Great Video Bro!
Great video! You’re doing the Lords work, I only wish that breakdowns like this can make it to the mainstream. But the community online will appreciate it here still.
Id love to see a Marquette vs Houston matchup in the final four. Elite passing from both Kolek & Oso vs an amazing rebounding & defensive squad in Houston!
Shaka Smart is a Big 12 coach in the Big East. He's had it out for the Big 12 every since he left Texas. A good matchup I'd rather pass in in March. 😂😂😂
@@lorenzohaynes3886 An injury and a choke job kept us from seeing this one unfortunately
Fantastic video!!! I'm going to have my 7th grade AAU squad watch this in its entirety. I emphasize that defense is about effort...Every single practice. It usually turns into points on the other end. #AlwaysLearning
Awesome breakdown!
Would love a video dissecting UConn's defense because they play both Drop and Hedge/Blitzing depending on which center they have in the game... Both last year and this year! Seems to be workin out pretty well for them
I grew up in Houston and was an all state pg in 5A in the 2010s. Committed D1 but got hurt and had to go D3. Was way “over qualified” but still had a very hard time getting along with my coach and other players bc I played so much more aggressive and my coach was used to soft play. That’s just how we grow up playing here. I love it and still wouldn’t change anything. Proud to be a “tough” player.
Been waiting for your new video for such a long time! Never fails to provide great contents!
Blitzing screen coverage, using length and athleticism to force off-target passes to allow time to recover, flyby contests, this scheme reminds me of the Big 3 Heat. The Mavs used double ball screens rip that Heat defence apart. Dirk's shooting forced Haslem to stay home, preventing him from tagging Tyson Chandler on the roll. I imagine it's hard for young guards to handle pressure like Jason Terry was able to, and not every team has a unicorn and generational scoring talent like Dirk.
Most NBA level ball handlers that are used in PnR today can make the passes that this defense gives up- one of the innovations of Hardenball was just not having your non-star run PnRs, so it's a lot harder to use this scheme. That being said, a posession or two of aggro defense like this has worked sometimes, especially when the opposing lineup lacks a short roll threat. For example, in the bubble, the Lakers did it to make Robert Covington or Jeff Green try to be a short roll player and they weren't really used to that(i'm surprised D'antoni didn't try having Harden be the screener so he could be the short roll man but maybe they weren't confident in Westbrook's ability to make the pass).
Great vid as usual. You need to give some space to screener. I'd set a ram action, off ball screen first for screener(wing), allowing screener to arrive on ball handler with speed and some space. That's where i'd start and see if blitz is as effective.
I saw this Kelvin Sampson philosophy up front in 2021, when they locked up Buddy Boeheim and my Cuse! As for now, from looking at these clips, a dynamic point guard with a pass-first mentality, and some players willing to cut to open spots closer to the basket, as opposed to stand behind the three line waiting for a cross-court pass they won't get, can put some holes in this tag and attack defense, as great as it is.
I love Tugler, amazing to watch. Easily one of the most underrated players in CBB in terms of his effect on winning games. If they just had one dynamic create their own shot guy I think this team would be a buzzsaw in March. They still are they just lack the shot making at this point. About as fun a defensive team though as I've ever seen.
Shead..?
shead, cryer, sharp, even Dunn has insane shot potential. and Roberts its an absolute monster in the paint. they have guys.
@@cowgomoo1962 Trust me I love them, they have great guards. But they don't have a Knecht, or just an easy bucket getter. They come in many styles, Uconn has Clingan, Purdue has Edey, UNC has RJ, Houston has outstanding talent fueled by being aggressive on the offensive glass, but that's not to say they can't win in March, in fact if SDSU could navigate to the title game last year, Houston can use that formula, but be even better. It just makes things difficult, but if any team can combat that it's Sampson and Houston.
Love to see you talk about the Duke game today!
shout out to the absolutely botched wide open back door cut at 9:05
Finally new video, exciting times.
Ty I’m gonna start watching Houston games
Greta video, but for me the cornerstone of their defense is what they do after the blitz, great close outs and rotational knowledge are things that not even some nba teams do well
Jamal Shead and Jojo prove how important it is to have personnel that fit the system. Both are skilled, tough, athletic winners.
The Rutgers teams under Pikiell have played a similar style using Myles Johnson as the blitzer. Recently it seems Omoruyi is more of a hedge.
The defense they play may me ahead a tear 🥲 a work of art
Great video
those rotation tags are what makes or breaks this type of defense, reminds me of classic syracuse 2-3 zone rotations but converted man defense with heavy ball pressure
Why on earth did you have to upload this before we played @kansas lol
This is amazing
amazing video,thanks for ur hard work,I can‘ t wait to see the game UH with DUKE
4 year players are going to become back in style. They play in a league with tougher rules than the NBA.
i kind of want this to happen. If i was a college bball player, i would 100 percent play all four years. Even if i can come out in 1 year.
@@21Kolbu must white and come from a rich family
@@him37404with NIL moneymaking opportunities, it makes sense to stay in college and earn a good grip of money based on individual contributions for the team. There is very limited room in the NBA, as it is. And, the likelihood of actually making it to the NBA and succeeding increases.
@@21Kolb I would not be turning down millions
@@21Kolb no garuntee you stay good for all 4 years anything can happen so it’s smart to get to the bag as soon as possible
I feel like their pick and roll strategy of blitzing works better against teams that don’t have talented ball handlers. Once they get later into March I feel like this trapping scheme won’t work as well because more experienced guards will be used to this pressure
It's a Up-To Touch to High-Flat Show. Atleast that's what we did at a team I helped coached 3 years ago.
Curious to see what exactly Kansas did to dismantle this defense. From the box score and what I remember seeing, they don't seem to have taken many threes, but were very efficient on two pointers. One thing I noticed was the amount of risky passes they took - when they work, it's usually points, and while they turned it over a bunch it seems to have paid off ultimately.
I didn’t get to watch that game, but I think the key to beating this is really smart ball handlers. Guys who get sped up and panic or turn their back to the play will get neutralized. Guys who keep a cool head, slow it down, and read the defense will be able to succeed. Big men who can shoot or drive can take advantage of the pick and pop. Those two things are the reasons why NBA teams can’t defend like this
Robert’s is also a very good defense anchor for Houston with phenomenal perimeter defense. All of Houston’s defenders range from good to elite
Better point guards would solve this issue. This typical defense has played in Chicago. It works up until it doesn’t. There is a gap in between the two defensive players, or you can attack the top foot of the closest player to you dip the inner shoulder hand fight, and go. Would like to see more of this against better ball handler and decision maker.
Great analysis . I am amazed how the Jayhawks were able to just walk right through them. Defense of the century.?... 54 pts a game given up....boy, KU's 75 points were a once in a century . Big 12 ball is a little upscale for the newbies.
Kinda wish you would've come out with this video after Kansas vs. Houston. 😂
kansas is washed anywhere other than allen. couldnt even get a top 4 seed in big 12 😂😂😂😂
@cowgomoo1962 Kansas still a blue blood with the best coach in basketball. 1 off year does not change that.
This was beautiful
you know march maddness is coming when you start uploading
Kelvin Sampson has made Houston a perennial contender and I love him for it. One of the best in the game for sure.
It’s so hard to focus on people I know nothing about but I let the video play out all the way while I worked so we good on watch time 😂💪🏽
the way around this defense is quick passes on plays designed to get the ball out of the trap quick. So if you know they are going to "blitz" you, you should have a play designed for when you see their big going for the trap. Have some one running to the far side and one running to the ball. the pass should be within a sec on someone being on you and the guard should know where its coming from so he can make the pass regardless of if his back is turned or not.
I think the Zoom action would be a decent alternative to the ball screen. Yeah the Veer play you showed didn’t work, but if you set a solid pin down screen it could work a couple times, I think. Did you notice how soft and the guy defending the Veer screener sagged off? Dude was playing conservative and sat in the lane. Run the Zoom action and have that screener stay in corner and attack the guy sitting in the middle. But, obviously you can’t just do that the entire game. Just a way to snag a couple easy buckets.
I'm glad Tuggler got some shine. Him being a Freshman is what stood out to me the first time I saw him play. I didn't know he was from Cy-Falls, though. Jamal. Shead. Is. the. Truth.
Alright! That's playing with heart! Would love to see a NBA team have all players on the court take defense that seriously! Also, they need that coach for the All-Stars 😂, nah he'd probably have a great attack lol
Can you make a video on Butler University and how Thad Matta has turned the program around with a team of all transfers
Could you maybe do a video of the best defenses and how they differ and what works against them? Like this vs the Pack line D vs the famous Syracuse 3-2 zone etc
You could even go further and explain what type of player each defensive system needs to recruit too !
houston seems to be the only players who aren't afraid to make a little contact. those boys are ballin' best option is to set better screens, create contact, & better footwork
wonder if they would blitz zoom action? or for that case any off ball screens
I also used this tactic of defense in city league basketball where I won many championships, it is not genius, it just makes sense because the defender is already there so I trapped it, however the counter for me would be to set the pick on the opposite side of the ball dribbler's defender that will leave the pick man's defender with no one to defend. You will run the pick and roll on the other side. Because a lot of time the pick man defender is trailing him too far. Let me know if have lost anyone..
Great defense. Houston has alot of length and speed to be able to do this. Not many teams can do this due ot personal. 1. Knowing they are going to trap, attack the ball screen with your tallest player (post player), let him see out of it, once you get the ball out of the trap you will have an advantage. Roll with your guard, get it to him behind the trap. 2. Ghost screens. 3. Dont ball screen
You can get a bounce pass threw that type of double or trap what every they want to call it and the screen and take the mid range shot or he can drive and kick to the corner
In Euroleague blitz is way more used than switch as in NBA, but bigmen are often slow to recover with nowadays shooters. Curious to see Cougars defense in NBA, would shut down many PnR reducing finally the average scores?
No strategy will significantly lower scoring in the nba. Rules gotta change
@@jojoprocess2820 I agree, they may converge to FIBA rules type with more freedom for defense, but also some tactics could help, imagine a blitz by Kahwi and PG13
@@ema2kolfiz828don't think the clippers Center can keep up with the scheme
Would not work in the NBA. Ball handlers are too smart and everyone can shoot. A guy like Luka or SGA would never ever turn his back to the play and pick the ball up. Most college players are just not on that level. Also these close outs work on college players, but an NBA player literally needs one second to get a jump shot off
I’m from Houston and the 2011 jack Yates HS team (3rd ward) did this same method. Was blowing teams out by 60- 70 points 😂
It works in college but with the pro's the short roll is something that would happen every single time.
Very important to keep ballhandler’s back to basket so passer cannot hurt you with penetration passes, as Houston does.
Where did you get the ball screens statistics from?
They're effectively pre-blitzing the screen. Dscreener doesn't wait for the screen to be set.
For a couple of years now, Jamal Shead had been good for 2 or 3 stocks (steals + blocks) per game.
Love the vid bro, sent you an email btw.
A&M’s offensive style is very iso-heavy which is likely why they gave Houston a real run for their money both times they played them. This style of defense is also very susceptible to drawing fouls though since it’s so aggressive, which we also saw happen against A&M in the tourney
Iowa State didn't seem to mind.
So basically guards in college aren’t tall, strong, or skilled enough to escape the trap or make the skip pass
This looks EXACTLY like the Miami Heat’s 90s defense under Pat Riley. The big men (Alonzo Mourning, PJ Brown, and later Brian Grant) always blitzed the ball handler in pick and roll. Heat always had a good defense.
its also the hustle that comes with it
It's not a trap, it's just a great hedge. Other teams hedge and quickly move back without stopping the ball handler like that Virginia clip. Houston hedges until the primary defender is able to get back in front of the ballhandler and play team defense to only leave the weak side corner open
Is there discord or something where I can find athletes that “THINK” the game like this? I would love to interact with you guys.
2:17 Which school, if any, is the yellow "At the level" Ball Screen Coverage?
I do this with my AAU team. I call it jamming the screen. 95% of the time the ball handler is gonna try and pass over the top. Must have excellent communication if that pass gets through as far as where to rotate. Great defensive strategy IMO
Why doesn't the off ball wing show to the ball if Houston is blitzing the ball handler? Like, if you know they're gonna blitz, wouldn't the 2 or 3 come back to the ball? Then, instead of a skip pass or a late pass to the roller, you can get 2 quick passes to the roll man or the guy in the corner if they rotate on time. 4:57 when the big comes up, the ball handler is obviously trying to go right. So the guy on bottom of our screen should've came back to the ball, stretching out the defense even more Edit: after watching more of the video it seems like kids don't even know you can move around without the basketball because none of them move to the open space on the floor. They actively watch the PG get blitzed and go "sucks to be you" and just stand there waiting
We've seen this before if you are old enough to remember that unlv team in the early 90s. Their defense was suffocating.
Got lit up by Kansas only 3 days after this dropping lol. Unlucky
They just got crushed by Kansas. They shot poorly, but their legendary defense was put on notice.
lol yall lost to wvu, ksu, and ucf. pipe down, tubbs
Houston been strapping for bout 4 years
Do you have a video about what Kansas did to them yet?
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ this video
Their help-side rotations are something else