TIGERS II
TIGERS II TEAM OUTLOOK
The Tigers II possess two potent offensive weapons who have the ability to control the game and dictate the pace and flow if given enough room. One of their weapons is their point guard, while the other is Corona, the do-it-all guard/center. The other members of Tigers II don't look like they've played much basketball. Most of their players are of average height, wear pants, and look awkward handlind or shooting the ball.
TIGERS II TEAM OFFENSE
In their loss to the Flying Elvises, the team mustered a total of 26 points. Fittingly, Corona and the point guard scored about 23 of those 26 points. And out of those 23, Corona did most of the dirty work. Here's Corona in a nutshell: About 5'9", big guy, can run if he has to, can shoot if he's on, can get rebounds, can put in easy layups. In other words, he's all over the floor and is clearly a threat. While he's not very polished, he works very hard and often gets good results. Of course, his teammates do not chip in much. The dark-haired point guard can bring the ball up, and does have the ability to hit the open three. But it's not a shock to see Corona bringing the ball up past the timeline often either. No one else on their offense really provided much of a spark.
How to stop their offense
Clearly, if you stop Corona, and deny the point guard any open shots, this team can be virtually shut out. But of course it's not that simple. Stopping Corona is a tall order, as all five defenders will have to be alert of his presence and ability to create scoring opportunities. Therefore doubling up the defense on Corona may indeed limit his offensive prowess. Use a forward/center as well as a guard to hound Corona every time he touches the ball. With such a defensive stance, Corona will likely be forced into several turnovers and ugly shots. And then to stop the point guard, play up on him and restrict his movement away from the ball, to prevent any open three-point attempts. With the idea that the rest of their team cannot register many points, a double on Corona and stingy man-to-man on their point guard should severely restrict their offensive game.
TIGERS II TEAM DEFENSE
There was nothing too special about the defensive effort put forth by Tigers II in their Game 1 loss to the Flying Elvises. They did only allow 31 points, but most of the low-scoring affair was underscored by awkward shots and an abundance of turnovers. Yet a few things stuck about about the loss that can help to solve the Tigers II defense. First, the Flying Elvises scored a lot of points in transition, pouncing on turnovers and turning them into fast-break opportunities. Second, the man-to-man defense employed by Tigers II led to several open shots for Flying Elvises, created by cuts and picks. Third, Tigers II does not especially control the glass, meaning offensive rebounds are out there for the taking.
How to break their defense
Basically in order to establish an offense against Tigers II, it is necessary to bring a few basic abilities to the court. First, speed can kill their defensive schemes. With any turnover, beating them down the open court can most certainly lead to several points. Because they leave gaps in the transition game, any amount of speed can become a key advantage. Compound the speed game with a basic motion offense set. With movement in the half court as well as the full court, the Tigers II defensive scheme is likely to be disrupted. Capitalize on second chances created by boxing out heavily on the offensive glass. From what was seen in their game against the Flying Elvises, all it takes is a little more speed and strength to put up some easy points. As long as the fundamentals are sound, defeating their man-to-man defense should not pose much trouble.
FINAL ANALYSIS
While it may seem the Tigers II are not much to worry about, it is crucial to remember the efforts one can expect from Corona and their point guard. Basically, their offense goes straight through their top two weapons, and a good amount of focused attention is required at all times. While the rest of their team may wear pants and seem awkward, a loss of only five points to the Flying Elvises can prove a point. The team competes for all 40 minutes and never gives up. And if Corona is on, watch out - he can control the game. But with a motion/transition offense and a double team, their threats can be prevented.