Film Session: What Will Keatts’ Offense Look Like at NC State?

To get an idea of what Keatts’ offense will look like at NC State, we need to take a look at what it looked like while he was at UNCW.

Kevin Keatts is known for his fast-paced, run and gun style of play. But don’t get confused. This isn’t some undisciplined ‘throw the ball out there and hope for the best’ sort of thing. This is about getting open shots and not passing them up. They do this in a lot of different ways.

Keatts isn’t someone who is going to tell you that he wants to see 3 passes before a shot. He’s going to tell you that if you’re open, you have the green light.

It’s about high-volume. The more possessions you get, the more shots you get. The more shots you get,  the more points you get. He doesn’t mind a transition 3, or a guy on the break taking it into a crowd (as long as he attacks the basket with aggression.) State fans are going to have to live with quick shots and understand that it’s all part of the plan.

But you can’t only be a team that fast breaks (UNCW was in transition for 20% of their offensive possession). Transition comes from turnovers and missed baskets. Off of dead balls or made buckets you need to have a solid and efficient half-court offense. Even though we’ve rarely heard it talked about, Keatts had a very good approach to a half-court offense at UNCW, where he kept it pretty simple with a 4-in, 1-out look.

Let’s take a look at how he uses it to attack defenses.

The High Pick and Roll
Your most basic look out of this set is going to be a high-ball screen that starts the pick and roll action. The guard attempts to turn the corner off the ball screen. There is an option to find the big on the roll, but usually, the guard forces the issue and drives on his man (who has been put out of position by the screen). If he can get to the rim, he does. If not it’s because the defense has shifted and help side has pinched in. At this point, the guard is looking to kick it out to an open shooter.

Note that on the pick and roll, the Virginia big hedges out to stop the guard from turning the corner. The screener then rolls, and for a brief second, he’s open. The help-side defender sees this and hesitates to get out to his man. This opens up the shooter to get off a decent look from 3.

The more the guard creates off that high screen, the more the screener’s man is going to hedge up to stop penetration. This is where you capitalize on the roll.(see below) The key here is spacing. Your other 4 guys need to be well spaced around the 3 point line. Note how the two guys around the 3pt line at the top of screen interchange, paralyzing the help side defense for a moment, opening up the middle and allowing the dunk.

The Triple Option: High Double Ball Screen Pop and Dive
Keatts can get playful out of this set as well. Below you see a set where he sends two guys up to set a double high ball screen. The shooter is the lower screener, so after the ballhandler makes his move, the lower screener has a built-in screen from the big screening on top. The lower screener pops to the top, while the big dives to the hoop. This interchange is very confusing for defenses. You are forcing 3 players to communicate at once. Look at Clemson’s confusion.

The Spread Motion Offense
Out of this set, you can also run some motion action. Check it out below. There is a ton going on here, but what you have is the big in the middle setting 3 consecutive screens. First, you see a curl off a screen, then a little cross-screen (ball gets swung to this guy, who pops out) and then a down screen for another curl on the opposite side. When none of that is open, the primary screener (the big) pops out and takes a pass at the top of the key. Then he dribbles opposite for a handoff, which works as a pick and roll opportunity. When none of that is open the ball is swung back down, at which point a ball fake puts the defense out of position and the drive opens up.

The final outcome doesn’t really matter here. What we are trying to show you is the sheer number of opportunities there were. This was defended well, but with so many interchanges and screens, there was bound to eventually be a breakdown leading to an easy bucket…and there was.

I know it’s a lot to take in, but what you are seeing are guys who understand spacing, floor position, and patience. They are setting good screens and making crisp cuts. They are waiting for screen and setting them up correctly. The constant movement is forcing pressure on the defense to not get lost and forcing them to constantly communicate. You better have 5 guys ready to really lock down against this type of offense, because it only takes one lapse and you’re burned.

Will the NC State personnel force Keatts to change things up?
This we don’t know. With Abu and Yurtseven in the lineup, we figured you’d see Abu playing a lot more on the wing. He showed an improved jumper last season and it’s likely that Keatts would have run variations of these sets that would get both involved without clogging the lane up.

With Abu being out 4-6 weeks with a knee injury, Lennard Freeman is going to be playing a ton of minutes. How will both he and Yurtseven work in this type of offense? Honestly, we’re not sure. They will have to come up with sets that fit this lineup, but it’s clear that Keatts is going to still stress spacing and keeping the lane clear for his guards to create.

Markell Johnson, Lavar Batts, and Torin Dorn will have no problem thriving in this type of offense. The up and down, and creating off high screens will suit them well. The question will be shooting. UNCW took a LOT of 3s. That is how they scored so well and really pushed the pace. Keatts is going to have to lean on these guys and Al Freeman to be his shooters, even though only Freeman is known for his stroke.

We’ll find out a lot more when we get to see it all for the first time this Saturday night.