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November 11, 2008 - Tipoff - 5B
48 - Tipoff - November 11, 2008
BREAKING
DOWN
'BEILEIN BALL'
By Alex Prosperi Daily Sports Writer
So what is "Beilein Ball"? According to Michigan coach
John Beilein, the offense is based on multiple players cut-
ting, passing and shooting. In an ideal situation, Beilein
wants four shooters around a big man who can score
inside to the basket or step outside and hit the three.
His teams are known for their accurate shooting from
behind the arc and willingness to run the floor. As
Michigan continues adjusting to his new style,
Beilein hopes to call fewer set plays and rely on
his players to make reads. The coach said the
team is farther from mastering the offense
than he would hope at this point, but there's
no doubt that "Beilein Ball" is here to stay.
If Michigan can't run the fastbreak after a
missed shot or turnover, Beilein will call for a set
play. The second-year head coach estimates
that he calls a play about once every five
times down the court. So next time you're
at Crisler Arena and Michigan can't run
the break, look for a play like the one to the
right.
Forward
Manny Harris
A BASIC BEILEIN PLAY
Guard Kelvin Grady brings up the ball on the right side.
Center Zack Gibson sets a screen for forward Manny Har-
ris, who has three options:
O t (ble anew): Harris's defender trails him, giving
him space to curl directly to the rim.
Harris's defender goes under Gib-
son's screen, allowing Harris space to fade to the 3-point
line for a shot.
Harris's defender overplays him
and Harris cuts backdoor for an easy layup. If Grady can't
find Harris, he hits Gibson, who has popped to the arc for
an open 3-pointer.
KEY TO THE PLAY: Defenses will pressure Grady to make
his difficult. Grady must create space so he can hit Harris
or Gibson with a crisp pass.
Photos by Jeremy Cho, RodrigonGaya,
Clif Reeder and Ben Simon
Graphic by Lisa Gentile
Guard
Stu Douglass
Forward
DeShawn Sims