Toronto may lay claim to being Canada’s basketball hotbed but the best Non-professional basketball is played at our nation’s capital by two teams that will meet in heart of Canada’s basketball Mecca. The Carleton Ravens and the Ottawa Gee’s Gee’s are the pride of CIS basketball, model programs capitalizing on the progression of amateur basketball in Canada. Carleton and Ottawa aren’t loading up their teams with international talent, they’re recruiting Canadian players and developing them into sought after prospects. Former Raven Tyson Hinz is second in scoring with 13.5 points a game for team Zwolle (Holland). Former Gee-Gee Warren Ward is averaging 18.7 points for the Mississauga Power playing in a league loaded with D1 imports. In recent years Carleton has logged victories over NCAA programs like Memphis and Wisconsin Ottawa has also had their fair share of success with victories against Indiana and Vermont.

Both these teams took different paths and were faced with different obstacles to reach this point. Carleton easily defeated Saskatchewan 90-50, and they never trailed against University of Victoria with a final score of 83-74. Ottawa escaped Bishop’s in overtime 91-85 and went 12 rounds to defeat the hometown Ryerson Rams 84-75. Regardless of how they got here, there here and its going to be a great game.

Carleton’s Staples

Contrary to popular belief Thomas Scrubb is the most important player for Carleton against Ottawa. Against the Gee-Gees Thomas is averaging 22 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Ottawa doesn’t have a matchup for Thomas, and Carleton knows it. In Quarter Finals game Thomas finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds. In the semi-finals game against UVic he finished with 7 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assist, and 3 blocks.

Thomas Scrubb Isolations

Dave Smart and his Raven’s staff utilize Thomas’s skill set in several different ways with Isolations and option plays. Carleton’s sets for Thomas have post and perimeter isolation options, because Thomas is such a gifted scorer with his back to the basket Ottawa must double team in the post. Ottawa’s best option in post for defending Thomas is Gabriel Gonthier-Dubue unfortunately he has struggled guarding Thomas on the perimeter.

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“Phil the Drill”

Ottawa will also have to contend with 3 time CIS MVP Phil Scrubb. Scrubb has struggled slightly with shooting in both games this season against the Gee-Gees, averaging 19.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Scrubb plays just about every role imaginable for the Ravens, he is free to operate within the offence as Carleton’s primary ball handler. Scrubb exploded with a 31 point performance in the quarter finals going 6-8 from 3. He followed that performance with 29 points, 13 assist, and 8 boards  against University of Victoria in the semi-finals.

Scrubb to Scrubb ball screen

The Scrubb to Scrubb ball screen is nearly impossible to stop for several reasons. It is a staple play for Carleton especially in late game situations because it opens up lanes for its two best players.

Notice from the shot above Carleton has cleared one side of the floor? Most offences will call this sort of ball screen a weak side ball screen. Weak side because there is no player on the side that the screen is being set. Strong side screens require a player preferably a shooter on the side of the screen coming up as the ball handler goes off of the screen. What makes this play so dangerous for Ottawa our the players involved.

Ways teams guard ball screens

  • Switching- Teams usually avoid switches because of the mismatches they create. Switching for Ottawa would mean a big on Phil Scrubb on the perimeter and a guard on Thomas Scrubb in the post. Ottawa’s bigs aren’t the most mobile perimeter defenders, furthermore Caleb Agada and Mehdi Tihani have been so crucial to defensive game plan around Phil Scrubb that switching puts Ottawa at too much of a disadvantage if they get caught in the post. The cost simply outweigh the reward.
  • Hedging- Hedging is dependent on having athletic bigs who are able to hedge effectively enough to disrupt ball handlers and to allow their guards to recover. Hedging the screen would mean leaving Thomas Scrubb a 50 percent 3 point shooter open for a split second while your big attempts to recover with most likely his back to the ball.
  • Going Under- Maybe the worst option because Phil Scrubb shoots 48.7 percent from the 3.
  • Icing/Sagging ball screen- Coined by Bulls Head Coach Tom Thibodeau icing the ball screen maybe the best option for Ottawa when Carleton goes to its Scrubb to Scrubb weak side ball screen. Icing is when the player guarding the ball handler jumps to the top of the screen and the player guarding the screener jumps to the bottom of the screen. The idea is to prevent the ball hander from coming off screens and to funnelling him towards the baseline.

Ottawa Icing Scrubb

(The goal for Ottawa is to prevent Phil Scrubb from coming off of ball screens and to get the ball out of his hands in general. When Ottawa iced Scrubb they had some success but were inconsistent defensively late in their second match up.

Phil and Thomas Scrubb handle a bulk of the work on offense but the 3rd key player for the Ravens this season against Ottawa has been Gavin Resch who has enjoyed his best season to date as a Raven. Against the Gee-Gees this season Resch is averaging 11 points and is 5-9 from 3 point land. Resch along with Victor Raso and Connor Wood are crucial for the success of Carleton against Ottawa. Ottawa will do its best to minimize the impact of the Scrubb Brothers and force Carleton’s role players to determine the outcome of the game.

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“Hand down man down Canada”

Johnny Basketball or “hand down man down Canada” as I like to call him is the most gifted offensive player in the country. Crossover pull-ups, step backs, and floaters you name it and it’s in his arsenal. This season against Carleton Johnny is averaging 24.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.5 assist. He finished with 19 points 6 boards and 4 steals in quarter-final play against Bishops, and 20 points, 4 rebounds, and, 3 assist against Ryerson in semi-final game.

Ottawa looks to get its Captain the ball in space using several different but clever sets. Make no mistake Johnny is the coldest ISO player in the country. Each set is designed to run the primary defender through a series screens at any moment Johnny has the option to pull the ball out if he deems the matchup favourable.

 

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The Agada Effect

Caleb Agada is the embodiment of physical domination… when his game is on he’ll hit a pull 3 in your face then next possession cross you over and dunk on you. He was instrumental in Ottawa first win against the Ravens with 17 points and 10 rebounds getting to the free-throw line 10 times. Unfortunately he was in foul trouble for most of the second game only playing 17 minutes. Like Thomas Scrubb I think Caleb is a undervalued factor to this game. Thomas Scrubb is tasked with guarding Johnny and Carleton usually avoids having Phil Scrubb guarding Caleb which leaves a combination of Connor Wood, Guillaume Boucard, and on occasion Thomas Scrubb. Caleb is able to attack Carleton’s less formidable defenders using Ottawa’s perfectly structured ISO sets.

Caleb was instrumental in Ottawa’s come from behind victory against Bishops scoring 22 points and 9 rebounds along with 2 assists 2 steals and a block. He showed his imposing dominance with 14 trips to the charity stripe. He followed that performance with a 10 point, 8 rebound, 4 steals, and, 3 assists against Ryerson.

Here is a set that Ottawa likes to run, notice by the time he touches the ball he has already ran through 3 screens, this isn’t by accident Ottawa is looking at getting the most favourable match-up and they get it at the top of the key with a big guarding Caleb on the switch.

The last key player for the Gee-Gees is 3rd year forward Matt Plunkett, against the Ravens Plunkett has hit 5 threes this season. With all the attention Johnny B and Caleb receive Plunkett will get his moments to deliver from the arc. Gabriel Gonthier-Dubue, Vikas Gill, and Mike L’Africain will all have to contribute if Ottawa is going to earn a victory.

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What about defence?

Both these heavyweight teams have knock out power on offence, but the next time these two teams meet it will be the best defensive game plan that prevails. Both Carleton and Ottawa are statistically ranked in the top ten in points allowed. Carleton ranked 1st allowing 56.4 Ottawa 7th with 69.2. Defensive execution will determine the victor and for Carleton it comes down to defensive rotation and how their forwards are able to handle Ottawa’s penetration on switch situations.

Switching…..

Here 6’8 Raven forward J.E. Pierre Charles is switched onto Johnny, Johnny is a tough cover for any player, at 6’8 Charles is able to move his feet and force a fade-way jump shot. While the shot goes in, for Carleton this is a victory possession. Switching is traditionally frowned upon because it creates unfavourable mismatches but when done successfully it limits the amount of rotations your players have to make and the more all 5 players can focus on 1 ball handler the better your defence becomes.

The snapshot above shows all 5 Carleton players focused on the ball handler, Carleton knows Johnny B will pull the ball out and ISO every time on switches. As good of an option as that maybe it stops the game and allows Carleton to refocus their defence as he pulls the ball out.

Here is another situation where a switch is made by Carleton on a ball screen. Ottawa chooses to attack the switch from the post.

The snapshot once again shows all 5 Ravens focused on the ball and complete their systematic rotations. Carleton is going to switch most ball screens and the game will come down to who can execute better after those screens are made. Carleton’s effort and effectiveness when doubling and rotating minimizes any advantage you may have when they do switch.

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Gee-Gee D….

Ottawa on the other hand operates a little bit different on D especially how they guard Phil Scrubb ball screens. Ottawa chooses to ice Phil preventing him from coming off of the ball screen. In addition to icing ball screens Ottawa must also put pressure on Phil and make him as uncomfortable as possible. The video below is an example of what a win for Ottawa is when guarding Phil Scrubb.

Although icing has its advantages it puts a strain on the backside of your defence, teams will usually build some form of a triangle to seal the paint. It is likely one of the secondary defenders will be placed in a 2 on 1 situation on the backside of the play.

Here you can see that Johnny. B and Mike L’Africain are on an island with 3 Raven offensive players. Depending on the rotational responsibilities one of them is essentially covering two Ravens. The key to icing is to get the ball out of the ball handler possession before he can get too deep and force more defenders to commit to him, the more committed defenders the longer closeouts have to be on reversals and skip passes.

Like the video above demonstrates when Ottawa is able to get the ball out of the Scrubb’s hands early in icing situations the closeouts for their secondary players are much shorter and more effective.

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The Red Zone

The red zone is the deep paint, similar to football where you limit your opponents visits to the Red Zone in basketball you must also do the same. Ottawa must contain Thomas Scrubb in the red zone because they have no true answer for him there. Stunts and double teams will minimize the damage Thomas inflicts in the red zone. The play below is an example of a good possession for Ottawa against Thomas.

Both these teams have talent and depth and players not mentioned are completely capable of swinging the momentum of the game. More than a just a playoff game were witnessing the last days of Phil and Thomas Scrubb, the concluding pages of Johnny Berhanemeskel career. These are names that will go down in the CIS record books and rosters that have proven that the Canadian Universities can compete with powerhouse NCAA programs. As the anticipation mounts Carleton vs. Ottawa III will not disappoint.

Photo Credit: Oua.ca

Video Credit: Oua.tv