Uncomfortable victory: difficult life for “Žalgiris” in Berlin and M. Schiller’s favorite weapon | Euroleague

Box and one defense, where four players overlap with the principles of zone defense and a personal defense, 1-2 defenders move to 2-1-2, next defense two against two, when the player in the penalty area is taken by the nearest defender stopped on a pass. These are some of the distinctive features of the Berlin team that they have used during these two seasons in the Euroleague.

Aito Renaissance has instilled Spanish-style basketball based on quick attacks on this German team. However, these defense ideas are rarely used in the Euroleague.

One of the goals of this philosophy and alterity is to make opponents uncomfortable. From match to match, teams swap defenders, passively waiting for an opponent in the penalty area to two-on-two or double defenders. And the elements of the ALBA game force opponents to improvise and play as they least train. From this improvised game errors are born, which ALBA causes the most throughout the Euroleague.

Let’s see which of these defense systems ALBA used on Tuesday. Also, what details allowed the guests of Kaunas to succeed after all.

ALBA defense

Against Žalgiris, the hosts decided to use an aggressive two-to-two defense at the start of the match. Th.Walkupas, L. Lekavičius, R. Jokubaitis found Stepoutais Two or two years ago (aggressive defense of the high defender, blocking the way for the defender after the barrier), when M. Grigonis had the honor of leading the team, the Lithuanian was double.

The people of Kaunas had a plan: a short crossover of the player’s high and fast pass and attacking 4v3, but they managed to use this method less often than they wanted. “Žalgiris” was distinguished by this variant several times, but most of the time the defenders were forced to stop or catch the ball: the continuation of the attack got stuck.

Furthermore, during the Žalgiris escapes, ALBA assisted from the closest person, thus reducing the corridors for the escapes and closing the penalty area (next defending). Before her, the plan was as follows: the player whose defender is going to help crosses the penalty area from a 45-degree angle. If there is no cross, the same player immediately attacks the penalty area after receiving the ball in the triple, as the person covering him is late to return. Again, easier in theory than in practice.

“Žalgiris” tried several times to pass the ball to the center, but it ended in errors and ALBA points in quick attacks. A little more, and especially in the second half of the game, there was a quick pass and a sharp attack from the player whose defender just went to help in the penalty area. This prompted the help of another player and in this way the residents of Kaunas found free throws. It was in this situation that N. Hayes, who scored three points from the corner at the start of the third quarter, and M. Grigonis, who scored very important points at the end of the game (67:63) stood out.

Attention should also be paid to the effort of the opponents on defense, which prevented the Kaunas team from easily starting their short combinations and defending the defenders. The ALBA defenders managed perfectly in the fight against the high barriers of “Žalgiris” and came out successfully. We can remember the foul caused by J. Granger when attacking A. Rubitis and the ball touched by the same American against R. Jokubaitis and his mistake.