The 1:28 Stretch That Sent Argentina To The Quarterfinals
After making two foul shots, Marcelo Huertas cut Argentina’s lead down to one point with 1:28 left in the game. Argentina needed to respond, and they did so by going to Luis Scola who was, as his boss put it, in “video game god mode.”
Scola In The Post
As Argentina brings up the basketball, we see Scola setting up on the ball side elbow. Make sure to focus on him here.
Scola then becomes the second man in a double screen. Argentina is going to use this screen to get the ball on the high post.
The comes the Argentina’s second double screen. This gets the ball on the wing and helps create space in the post.
As the catch is made, the defender needs to respect the shot and close out hard. This creates a nice little gap on the block for Scola to post up to.
He makes the catch in the post, a little further out then you would like to see, but it is still solid position. Now, look at the rest of the Argentinian players, they are all spread out. Argentina simply could have walked the ball up and entered it into the post, but that would have allowed for double teams. All that action away from the basketball spread out the offense and in effect spread out the defense. The middle of the lane is now wide open, and Scola immediately goes for it.
Scola gets to the middle with no help and he is able to knock down the turn-around jumper. Check out the play in real time. The thing to focus on is Scola’s hard seal fighting off Anderson Varejao’s attempt to front him. That makes the play:
Scola’s PNR Defense
Now up three, Argentina needed a stop. The way the game was going, you just knew that if they were going to get the stop, Scola would have to be involved.
This is pretty standard defense, but what I really like what Luis Scola did here was that he didn’t attack the ball on his hedge. That probably would have resulting in a foul, sending Brazil to the line. Scola actually backpedals a bit, lets Barbosa dribble into him, and then goes for the steal, which he gets.
Scola’s Pick And Pop
After getting the steal, Argentina had a chance to put the game away for good. It was only fitting that Scola was the one to finish off Brazil.
As the point guard brings the ball up, Scola comes from the low block to set a ball screen and get involved in a pick and roll.
Scola doesn’t actually set a screen as much as he just kind of gets in the way and quickly rolls before there is even contact. Scola also doesn’t roll all the way to the rim, this is because it is a pick and pop rather than a pick and roll. Varejao, who is very good at showing and then recovering, shows and Brazil has their defense in position to defend the roll (notice Splitter in the middle of the lane).
However, since Scola only pops instead of rolling, he is wide open (Splitter is too far away, anticipating the roll, to make a play on Scola). Huertas tries to get back in time…
…but it doesn’t matter because he can’t get there to challenge the shot. Scola knocks down the open jumper, gives Argentina a five point lead with 24 seconds left, and clinches their trip to the quarterfinals. Here is the play in real time:
Two things that you should watch for. First is Scola’s quick turn, releasing before contact is made. The second thing to notice is how Brazil is ready to defend the roll (with Splitter in the lane), but the pop throws everything off.
