One more point I’d like to make since writing this article… Has Tech ever run an alley-oop for Deron?  Here you have maybe the best jumper in all of college basketball, who also happens to be 6’7″, and you don’t run lobs for him.  I realize that isn’t a high percentage play, but with the lack of movement on offense, wouldn’t it be a nice change of pace to have a back screen lob to Deron?  Chances are he’d either get it and dunk it, or get fouled and get free throws.  Sure, it might be a turnover, too, but worth the risk.

There definitely is no “O” in Virginia Tech. Between Stinespring and the Tech basketball team, you would think an explosive offense was against the law in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech is second-to-last in the ACC in points per game, ahead of just nc state. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons the Hokie basketball team struggles on offense…

Greenberg or the Baby Hokies?

It is easy to attribute VT’s lack of flow on offense on their young team. They are playing six freshman in significant minutes, and both point guards are freshmen. But a poorly flowing offense has been a problem for years with the Hokies, including last season with two veteran guards. So, to me, it goes beyond just this year’s team.

Tech has averaged over 70 points per game just once under Greenberg, and that was last year with 71.5 ppg. Even with that, they were just 10th in the ACC. VT has been 10th or worse every season in the ACC. I realize that has a lot to do with Greenberg’s style of play (patient half court D and O), but I still see issues that have been on-going.

Here are some of the problems I see…

Moving Without the Ball

One of the keys to offense is constant motion to get open looks at the basket. Moving without the ball is vital to a well flowing offense. Stagnant players equals a stagnant offense.

The Hokies tend to run, what I call, a “NBA” offense where there is a lot of one-on-one. The problem is, only three Hokies are adept at creating shots off the dribble: Vassallo, Washington, and Hudson, who doesn’t play all that much. georgia tech put A.D. on lockdown, and it really exposed the lack of flow on offense. With A.D. not able to penetrate and create with runners or pull-ups, no one else was able to pick up the slack, and the result was a 23-point half against the worst defensive team in the ACC.

Tech does not set a lot of screens, but it does happen. For example, VT will run a double-screen along the baseline where A.D. Vassallo or Malcolm Delaney pops from one side to the other while the ball is at the top of the key. The idea is to get the defenders caught up in the screens and get A.D. or Malcolm an open look at a three-pointer.

Another screen Tech runs a lot is a high-screen pick-and-roll, where a big man sets a screen out on the perimeter for a guard, then rolls to the basket. This got Tech an easy layup on their first possession against georgia tech. But usually the big man either doesn’t go hard to the hoop and flash for the ball, or the guard doesn’t take advantage of the pick and get to the hoop.

Tech also runs “motion” a lot where you pass and screen away, but they run it very casually almost just to force movement.

In summary, Tech does not do a good job of moving without the ball. There is a lot of standing around. I’ll expand on this in the next section — three-point shooting

Three-Point Shooting

The Hokies have really stunk from behind the arc in ACC play, shooting just 29% (23/78). Consider this: VT is shooting 36% in out of conference games on three’s. So why the big drop-off?

The first reason, obviously, is the quality defenses the ACC has. However, there is more to it. As I mentioned in the last section, the Hokies are stagnant on offense. Most of Tech’s three’s are not coming “in rhythm” on a catch-and-shoot. You will shoot for a much higher percentage when you are catching the ball as you are stepping into your shot. But most of Tech’s three’s seem to come off the dribble or after holding the ball.

Tech needs to do a better job of running and inside-out game. What this involves is penetrating inside the three-point line, drawing defenders to you, and then kicking out to a wide open shooter who has moved to an open spot as his defender collapsed inside to help. Watch how well duke does this Thursday.

The other way to get good looks is to feed the ball into the post (to Allen, Diakite, or Witcher), have a deep-threat shooter slide to an open area, and have the post player kick it back out. One of the problems is Diakite is a black hole — Once the ball is fed in to him, it isn’t coming back out. Also, the VT guards are not doing a good job of sliding to open areas (again, lack of movement without the ball). If the perimeter defender doesn’t collapse, the post player can then take his man one-on-one, but most teams will collapse on Allen. Or, often the weakside post defender will move to double Allen, which means the weakside post player should be wide open for the Hokies, or a weakside perimeter player will be open if his man collapses to defend the weakside post.

Post Moves

This is less of a factor with Jeff Allen, but traditionally Tech’s low post players have not been skilled with their back to the basket. Coleman Collins was a face-up guy, meaning he was better facing the rim. And no other low post player has been an offensive threat for the Hokies in the Greenberg Era.

I don’t know if Tech’s coaches just aren’t good at teaching low post moves, or if the players Tech has had (pre-Allen) just haven’t been able to execute them. Either way, VT doesn’t get a lot of points down low in the half court set and teams don’t have to double these low post players. If they did have to double, it would free up weakside players or perimeter shooters.

Point Guards

Virginia Tech depends greatly on their half court offense, so quality point guard play is a must. This year, Tech’s point guards have been picking up their dribble too far from the bucket and making the first pass in the half court set way too far from the hoop. The result is the player receiving that ball has his back to the basket 20 feet from the hoop. In other words, he isn’t in a position to do anything. Tech’s guards need to do a job of beating their man and getting at least to the top of the key, so the first pass can be inside, or to another perimeter player where they can be dangerous and shoot or shot-fake and drive.

This is not on Greenberg. The guards have to improve their ball handling and decision making in this area. That will take time. Gordon and Dowdell had similar issues early on.

One thing Greenberg could do to help this is set high screens just inside half court as the ball is brought into the front court.

Easy Buckets

Tech really struggles to get easy layups, even in transition. Even on breakouts where a player has a step, it rarely turns into a lay-up. One of the issues I see is players are too worried about drawing a foul. The Hokies seem to look for contact, instead of just trying to get a layup. Tech is not a good enough free throw shooting team to settle for free throws. Often, free throw trips result in 1 or 2, so a point is wasted. Tech needs to look more to just “settle” for easy shots, take the points, and not worry about drawing fouls. ACC teams are deep anyway so foul trouble is rarely a benefit.

Also, in odd man rushes (2 on 1′s or 3 on 2′s), VT seems to be selfish. In other words, the guy with the ball is just dribbling hard at the basket with his head down. If Tech has better spacing on the break and looks to pass, they should be able to find a cutter for a lay-up, instead of just drawing a foul.

Free Throws

As was stated in the last section, Tech is not strong from the charity stripe and hasn’t been in years. This, obviously, falls on the players.

The Hokies are shooting 69% from the line, or 13/19 per game. fsu leads the conference at 80%. If Tech shot 80%, that would mean an extra 2-3 points per game from the line. Considering how many close games VT players, that’s a lot.

Whatever happened to that arc machine? VT bought some arc machine that was supposed to help with free throws by helping with (you guessed it) the arc on shots. Yet, VT shot 66% last year and 69% this year after going 64.5% the year before they got the arc machine. So maybe there is a slight improvement, but not much.

Summary

The Hokies need to move better without the ball and get Allen more touches. The Allen part requires him to stay out of foul trouble, which has been hard for him. But even when he does sit, Tech won’t struggle as much if they have more movement on offense and slide to open areas for better quality three’s. But since I haven’t seen this from Tech since the Bill Foster days, I’m not holding my breath.

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