BLEACHERS BREW EST. MAY 2006

Someone asked me how my blog and newspaper column came to be titled "Bleachers Brew". It's like this, it's an amalgam of sorts of two things: The bleachers area in the stadium/arena where I used to sit when I would watch baseball, football, and basketball games and Miles Davis' great jazz album Bitches Brew. That's how it got culled together. I originally planned on calling it "The View from the Big Chair" that is a nod to Tears For Fear's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. So there.

Monday, March 26, 2018

Breaking down the UST Tigresses and the adjustment that CEU made during the BBI championship game


The CEU Lady Scorpions defeated the UST Tigresses, 52-44, last Sunday, March 25, for the inaugural Breakdown Basketball Invitationals' Women's Under-25 championship. 

Here's looking at some of the plays.

The UST Tigresses grabbed a 21-4 first quarter lead by working this play to near perfection. 

Initially, only look at the yellow arrows that indicate what UST did. 

The point guard had three options. First pass was to the middle. If the four or five player had a chance inside -- which wasn't much because I don't think the players are skilled enough to attack that rim -- the ball was swung around to get an open look. 

UST's Elondra Rivera who is at the bottom right of the picture is wide open. She hit two triples from this play.

When CEU -- now look at the pink arrows -- adjusted, they played higher and disrupted the passing lanes of UST. The Tigresses got three attempts inside when the Lady Scorpions played high but UST was unable to score on the gimmes. CEU adjusted once more by closing the lane. The result for CEU? A 15-2 run. 

In my opinion, what UST should have done in this case was this (look at the picture below)... make better cuts and reads.



What UST's Karla Manuel (or later Maria Sangalang) should have done was slide to the left that could have drawn CEU's Opeyemi Lawan to that direction further exposing the weak side. It would entail some quick passing and good reads on where the defenders are. That would allow UST point guard Justine Capalit to slid in for a floater or jump shot. But no. They didn't. 

Other players should also adjust their position. UST's Ruby Portillo who is on the upper left of the picture hit two triples before CEU adjusted. I thought that Portillo stayed in her spot and that also allowed CEU to get out on the break. 

UST's advantage is they can shoot and run. CEU took out those options come the second period and as a result UST struggled.

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