DBP Newsletter #12
Opposite Assists, Sion, and Notes
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Opposite Assists
Duke assisted on 38 of 58 made field goals (65.5%) against North Carolina and Syracuse. The Blue Devils currently rank #25 in the country with an assist rate of 60.9%, on pace for the program’s best assist rate since 1951-1952.1 One of my favorite assists in basketball is the pass out to the opposite side of the floor once the defense is in help or doubling the ball. Here are some examples.
After a second offensive rebound, Kon and Khaman run a ball screen in the left corner. The defense corrals Kon on the baseline, leaving Cooper open on the opposite side of the floor beyond the arc. Moments later, UNC doubles Flagg in the right post. As the clip freezes, notice how all five defenders are on the ball side of the floor. Coop skips it across to Tyrese in the left corner for a knockdown three. Another double team comes for Cooper to start the second half - his skip pass to the right corner forces the defense to run Kon off the three-point line. Knueppel drives baseline for the dunk, while Khaman holds off the next help defender in the post. On the next possession, Flagg passes out opposite again while Khaman screens the low man on the flight of the ball. Sion could take the three but, with the defense in rotation, makes one more pass to Knueppel on the right wing for an even better look. Next, Kon uses a ball screen from Maluach to penetrate and pitch opposite to Sion - this time, he takes the corner three. Lastly, Cooper receives the ball in the left post and sends it opposite before a double team can arrive. Khaman’s cut down the lane briefly occupies two defenders, leaving Evans open for three on the right wing.
The opposite pass can also be effective against a zone. Maliq drives baseline and passes out opposite to Isaiah in the right corner. This first pass is defended well, leading to a nice catch by Ngongba in the left post after ball reversal. Pat takes two dribbles middle and sends another pass to Isaiah in the opposite corner, while Maliq screens the bottom of the zone - Evans is now open for three. Sion drives baseline on the next possession to collapse the zone, before hitting Cooper at the ACC logo. Coop immediately sends the ball out opposite to Isaiah on the right wing. Evans just knocked one down and is open again, but with Syracuse in rotation, he drives the closeout before kicking it to Tyrese for the three-pointer.
Sion James Cutting
Let’s take a look at Sion moving without the ball against UNC. Off the tip, Sion sets a back-screen for Kon and the Tar Heel defender gets caught on the high side. With the paint open, James simply rolls to the rim for the slam. Later in the first half, Sion receives a down-screen from Kon and immediately flips it - James now goes to screen for Knueppel. Sion ghosts the down-screen and cuts across his defender into the lane - he’s fouled at the rim and sinks both free throws. Next, Kon drives baseline from the right corner and draws the attention of four North Carolina defenders. This opens up the paint for Sion to execute a slot cut - he dives hard from the left wing for the assist from Knueppel.
Horns/Iverson/Ball Screen
I initially pointed out this offensive action a few weeks ago when Duke used it to open the game against Pittsburgh, getting a lob dunk from Khaman and a ball reversal three from Sion. Here are two more looks at Syracuse.
Duke starts in a horns alignment with Khaman and Cooper as the screeners - Sion runs an Iverson cut off the staggered horns, before Khaman steps out to set a ball screen for Tyrese. Syracuse is in drop coverage, leaving Rese to knock down the open triple as the first half comes to a close. Then, Kon runs the Iverson action early in the second half - this time with Maliq setting the ball screen for Sion. Tyrese and Kon space at the three-point line, holding their defenders and leaving Maliq open on the roll for a dunk. Moments later, Syracuse defends the ball screen well while Tyrese and Isaiah space the floor. Sion’s initial drive is contested, leading to an offensive rebound by Brown on Proctor’s missed three (good look). On the second-chance possession, Sion provides one more example of a slot cut - he catches his defender watching the ball and cuts behind him to the rim, receiving a nice pass from Maliq.
Bonus Clip
I had to include one final clip. It does serve as another example of an opposite pass putting the defense in rotation, as Tyrese whips it cross-court to Kon in the left corner. With the defense recovering from the paint, Knueppel drives the closeout. The initial drive is defended well, so Kon passes it back out to Coop and immediately re-posts. But what I love most about this clip is, on the re-post, Isaiah Evans is up off the bench talking to Cooper and pointing out Kon on the block. Evans claps as Knueppel works into the lane before being fouled on the shot attempt. I have no doubt Isaiah would rather be on the floor, but this is one example of the whole squad being great teammates - engaged on the sideline and helping the guys currently in the game.
Notes
After leading 7-6 at the 16:08 mark of the first half, Duke outscored North Carolina 33-7 over the next 10:52. The Tar Heels made just two field goals during that stretch.
Duke was a combined +28 (42-14) in points off turnovers against UNC and Syracuse. Compare that to a combined -6 (46-52) in the Blue Devils’ previous four games.
Against the Orange, Coach Scheyer used a two-big lineup (two of Maluach, Brown, and Ngongba) for 8:15. The Blue Devils were +12 (15-3) with two big men in the game.
The lineups of Flagg/Proctor/Maluach/Knueppel/James and Flagg/Proctor/Brown/Knueppel/James were a combined +37 (84-47) in 38:19 against North Carolina and Syracuse.2
The Blue Devils used a balanced attack on the road in New York, with seven guys playing 20+ minutes, and five guys scoring in double-figures, while no one played more than 28 minutes or scored more than 16 points.3
Thanks for reading, Go Duke!
Per the ESPN broadcast. However, Duke social media mentioned 60.9% would be the best assist rate in program history. Either way, the ‘24-’25 Blue Devils are sharing the ball well so far this season.
Flagg/Proctor/Maluach/Knueppel/James: +12 in 11:54 vs. UNC; +3 in 8:08 at Syracuse
Flagg/Proctor/Brown/Knueppel/James: +14 in 13:41 vs. UNC; +8 in 4:36 at Syracuse
at Syracuse: Proctor (16 points in 27:49); Flagg (11 points in 27:39); James (10 points in 26:07); Brown (6 points in 22:23); Knueppel (12 points in 21:14); Maluach (6 points in 21:34); Evans (10 points in 20:16)
Sources
Final Game Book - Duke 87 North Carolina 70