Minnesota Future Stars Classic: Dominant Transition Players
Having the ability to get out and run in transition, as well as convert on those opportunities is critical for teams to be successful. Likewise, teams that are able to play great transition defense gain a leg up on their…
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Continue ReadingHaving the ability to get out and run in transition, as well as convert on those opportunities is critical for teams to be successful. Likewise, teams that are able to play great transition defense gain a leg up on their competition. This weekend provided a great opportunity for players to showcase their talents in transition. Here are some of the top offensive and defensive players at executing transition opportunities.
Transition Offense:
Oscar Khazon
Oscar Khazon just went coast-to-coast after a defensive rebound with a beautiful dribble move in the open court to get to the rim. #PhFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/sA6mWsmvB8
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
This play, made by Oscar Khazon in the open floor, was one of the top plays of the weekend. Khazon ripped down the rebound and immediately got out in transition. When he grabs the board, Khazon is the furthest player from the other end of the court. That didn’t stop him from beating everyone on the floor to the rim. The play is highlighted by his behind-the-back dribble in the open floor to shed the defender, as well as his ability to finish over the defender in the paint. Khazon shows great speed and composer to complete the play.
Peyton Himley & Austin Winship
Austin Winship has been explosive in transition today. Here he scores through contact at the rim. #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/8dlS7YVWWq
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
Great transition plays are often made by great transition passes. In this play we see Peyton Himley execute a great bounce pass to find Austin Winship in the lane. If the pass was too far behind Winship, it would have been stolen by the trailing defender. If it was too far in front, Winship would not have been able to get the shot off. Himley was able to get the ball to Winship in stride to complete the play, despite the contact to his shooting arm.
Kaden Reid-aaron
Great anticipation by Kaden Reid-Aaron to get the steal and drive down the court and finish through contact at the rim. #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/M6gSYkzJfy
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
This play features both exceptional transition offense and defense by Kaden Reid-aaron. In this play we see the Minnesota Magic Freeman do a great job of getting back to prevent the transition layup. As a result, the player is forced to pull out and reset the play, however Reid-aaron uses great anticipation to jump the passing lane and steal the ball. Just like that, Reid-aaron bursts into the open floor and gets to the rim. He finishes over an excellent defensive player, despite being fouled.
Jaden Shones
Jaden Shones does a good job of breaking the full-court press and getting to the rim for the easy layup. #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/zPeuG7VS8P
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
Jaden Shones‘s ability to work quickly in transition is one of the reasons he was effective in this tournament. It was also one of the reasons he earned a spot as one of the top point guards last weekend. In this play Shones shows off his high basketball IQ by recognizing that his defender is much larger than him. Shones uses this to his advantage and blows by him in the open floor. He gets to the rim with ease before the opposing team can get into a set defense and scores.
Colton Benson
Benson is also showing patience in transition. #PHFutureStars pic.twitter.com/BXATYwyzNb
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
It can be hard for big men to score in transition. That is not the case for Colton Benson. In this play, Benson recognized the transition opportunity quickly and was able to beat the other team down the floor. What was most impressive was his ability to maintain composure and wait for the defender to go up and block the ball. Once the defender passed, Benson banked the ball in effortlessly.
Andrew Barich
Andrew Barich is playing some tenacious defense. Check out this forced turnover to layup sequence he just had. #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/zuYrFO0AvN
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
Andrew Barich showed an ability to play high-level defense early and often in the tournament. In this clip Barich uses his talent on defense to force a turnover, but he didn’t stop there. Instead, Barich was able to leak out into the open floor before anyone else could realize what was happening. This allowed his teammate to throw a pass over the top for him to get and turn into points at the other end.
Transition Defense:
Jalen Freeman
Jalen Freeman uses active hands to force turnover and create a layup on the other end. Great transition defense. #PHFutureStars #aaubasketball pic.twitter.com/pyyJw7U5tY
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 27, 2019
The one thing you can always control in basketball is your effort level on defense. Jalen Freeman‘s defensive intensity was high all weekend, especially in transition. This play is highlighted by his ability to maintain active hands as well as peak awareness of his positioning on the floor. While backpedaling, Freeman made sure to position himself close enough to the shooter coming down the wing in case he has to close out to a shot. At the same time he stays close enough to the other forward barreling into the paint on his other side to deflect the ball. When the ball handler decides to make the pass, Freeman is right there to deflect the ball and spring his team into a break-away opportunity.
Alex Altmann
Check out Alex Altmann with the beautiful chase-down block in transition to deny an easy layup this weekend! #PHFutureStars pic.twitter.com/QHAibbh1PD
— Jordan Kneen (@JordanKneen) April 29, 2019
No one can question the effort level of Alex Altmann on this play. As the Pharos look to take the top off the defense and get an easy transition layup, Altmann springs into action. When the offensive player receives the ball, Altmann is behind the play. Instead of giving up, Altmann uses his athleticism to recover. This allows him to get a chase-down block and negate the easy layup.