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Blitz. Also called trap, a defensive tactic often used to defend a pick-and-roll where two players double-team the offensive player with the ball off a screen, disrupting his ability to pass to an open roller.
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Last Friday’s column took up 10 terms in basketball’s evolving vocabulary. Here are 10 more terms to add to the list.
Blitz. Also called trap, a defensive tactic often used to defend a pick-and-roll where two players double-team the offensive player with the ball off a screen, disrupting his ability to pass to an open roller.
Caging. A local term to describe a defender putting arms around a player to restrict his ability to receive the ball. This form of denial is allowed if no contact is made. Once there is contact and a player’s movement is impeded, a foul will be called. PBA supervisor of officials Bong Pascual clarifies that caging is not an automatic foul. “Kailangan gumalaw ang opensa then kapag na-impede, doon tatawagan ng referee,” he explains. “If hindi gumalaw ang opensa at naka-deny lang, hindi matatawagan ng foul.”
Hockey pass. A pass that leads to another pass resulting in an assist to a conversion. In hockey, the player who passes to a teammate who makes the final assist to a score is credited with a secondary assist. In basketball, there is no credit for a secondary assist but a hockey pass is usually recognized by broadcasters to give credit to the initial initiator of the final assist.
Hand-off. A short pass where the ball is moved from a teammate to another without a full throw, usually off a pick to create an open look for the receiver. A dribble hand-off is made when a player puts the ball on the floor then delivers it, hand-to-hand, to a moving teammate who has been screened.
On an island. Refers to a situation where the defensive player is isolated in guarding a strong opponent without immediate help from a teammate.
2-for-1. A situation where a team manages the clock for an opportunity to take two possessions against one possession for the opponent in the final minute of a quarter.
Shots on goal. Another term for field goal attempts, a measure of a team’s ability to generate volume scoring opportunities on more possessions through offensive rebounds and turnovers. It’s a term commonly used in hockey and soccer.
From the logo. A shot taken from way outside, near mid-court where the logo of the home team or venue or arena sponsor is emblazoned. In the PBA, a four-point attempt is usually taken “from the logo,” an exaggerated term because it’s actually not from mid-court but relatively close to it.
Corner sitter. Refers to a three-point specialist who situates himself in either corner on offense, waiting for a pass to unleash a triple.
Ball screen. Where an offensive player without the ball sets a screen for a teammate with the ball to drive, shoot or pass, shielding him from his defender.
Creative broadcasters are usually the originators of new basketball terms and monikers. The language is constantly evolving, giving unconventional meaning to conventional words within a basketball context like seal, separation, paint, transition, lob, backdoor, floater, dagger, hedge, elbow, fadeaway and flagrant.
