Montana State Head Coach from 2019 to 2023;
2022 Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year;
2022 Big Sky Conference Regular Season Champions;
2x Big Sky Tournament Champions (2022 and 2023);
Played collegiately for Montana StateIn his time as a collegiate head coach, Danny Sprinkle has had success offensively by running his 4-out motion and 5-out spread offenses. This explosive offensive attack has been tough for opposing defenses to defend and adjust to due to that manner in which it creates great spacing, penetration and ball movement.
In this highly valuable, on-the-court instructional coaching presentation, Coach Sprinkle covers how his team attacks defenses downhill and showcases all the drills he uses to reinforce critical concepts and teach it.
Flow Game, 4-Out Motion
Coach Sprinkle begins by talking about what he calls his team’s ‘Flow Game.’ The Flow Game occurs when his team is moving from one transition set or any other set into his team’s motion offense. When any offensive set concludes without a shot being taken, the head coach will yell out ‘Flow!’ to alert his team to begin their motion offense actions.
The three main components of Coach Sprinkle’s Flow Game include:
1) Penetration,
2) Ball Movement and
3) Body Movement.
Using a San Antonio Spurs concept of ‘point-five’ – players with the ball in their hands have half of a second to decide whether to shoot, pass or drive. This tactic forces your players to learn how to become decisive with their actions while the ball is in their hands.
In teaching 4-out motion offense, Coach Sprinkle covers the importance of having great spacing to operate the offense. To demonstrate, he has players begin in the slots and corners as a means of spreading out the defense and place them in difficult situations for two defenders to guard one offensive player. One key that Sprinkle teaches is to have any player in the slot keep his back to the sideline when the ball is on the side opposite him or her.
Next, Sprinkle covers how to best create space on offense while using dribble penetration. An example of this is baseline penetration from the corner, where the post player must get directly in front of the charge circle and make themselves ‘big and wide’ – as a way to be seen by the ball handler. Additionally, the three perimeter players must make themselves available by setting up in both corners and at the top of the three-point line.
When the ball is passed into the post, the passer looks to speed cut through the elbow. If the speed cutter isn’t open, the next action involves ‘wheeling around’ and past the other three perimeter players. The end-result of these movements is floor spacing that places the four perimeter players filling both slots and corners.
Coach Sprinkle showcases two drills that teach players how to play off dribble penetration within a 4-out motion offense. These drills, referred to as ‘Corner-Sink Drills’ are two-man drills designed to work on relocating during baseline drives and teaches them to look for open jump shots. The ‘Corner Sink Drill’ works on relocating to the corner, while the ‘Midline-Corner Sink Drill’ teaches relocating to the top of the three-point line.
5-Out Spread Motion Offense
One tactic that’s designed to neutralize an outstanding defensive post player, is to lure that opposing big man away from the basket. To highlight how he successfully executed this strategy, Coach Sprinkle covers his 5-out spread offense – which focuses on the goal of drawing out opposing post defenders without causing problems in the flow of the motion offense.
Coach Sprinkle also provides detailed explanations on why the 5-out spread offense is effective in opening up the lane and eliminating help defense when the ball gets to the top of the three-point line.
One of the most frequent actions that accompanies the 5-out spread is to execute dribble handoffs. Coach Sprinkle demonstrates several dribble handoff actions, including having the guards screen for each other, while the post player attains a position on the top of the 3-point line, which initiates dribble handoff action.
Coach Sprinkle showcases another variation, called ‘Spread G,’ which positions the point guard and the post player on the same side of the floor, while continuing to keep the paint empty. This action includes faking a handoff to create a two-player game between the post player and the point guard – that also includes the possibility for back cuts and ball screens.
This is a must-watch instructional video for any coach who’s looking for proven tactics to use 4-out and 5-out motion offense to open up the floor and spread out defenses – leaving them vulnerable to a variety of ways it can be attacked.
Not only is this a terrific and fresh approach to using spread motion offense, but you’ll also receive all the drills you need to teach your players and reinforce these innovative offensive actions.
60 minutes. 2023.