short corner

[wire chief]

I don't remember coming across this term, when Coach Sue used it to praise Morgan. What does it mean and why that wording?

 

[DaddyChoc]

new phrase these days like "stretch 4"... but Im sure it has something to do with the way the defense is positioned... defensive zone is closer to one side of the court (defending Stewie) and Morgan is on the other side in the corner but close to the basket, not behind the stripe expecting a "skip pass"

 

[Papa33]

I don't remember coming across this term, when Coach Sue used it to praise Morgan. What does it mean and why that wording?

It's an offensive position on the baseline about 8 feet outside the foul lane, difficult to defend, especially by zone defenses. It's behind the defender guarding the (outside) corner, so it forces, for example, the middle/post defender to leave the lane to defend that short corner player, thereby leaving the lane open to anyone cutting down the middle. It's been used very often by UConn, and I've seen them use it more in the last three or four years. Morgan is often in the short corner spot, but also plays the role of the cutter. FSU defended it well early in the game, but Gabby got her second basket being the cutter later in the game. UConn doesn't hold the patent or exclusive rights to the strategy, by our players execute it extremely well as part of the pass-move-pass overall offensive patterns. Contrast it to, for example, FSU's emphasis on dribble-shoot and dribble-penetration-pass.

 

[UcMiami]

It has been around for quite a while and refers to that spot on the baseline 10-15 feet away from the basket - around half way between the lane and the arc. It is usually a junction between two defensive zones and a very strategic spot for an offense against zone defenses. From that spot, you can shoot what amounts to a free throw, cut in behind a central defender who has moved up the lane to defend another player, make a short pass to a teammate cutting down the lane, or drive past a central defender who comes out to challenge. And if the defense collapses in to cover those options a short pass to the arc to for a spot up three. It is a stress point for a defense as the options are all good and varied, and because distances are short, the defense has less time to react to any of the options.
Swin Cash, Kalana Greene, and Nina Davis all thrive(d) by exploiting that area of the floor. On the current team, Tuck and Collier specifically are doing the same, and Stewart and Lou also are rotating through that spot. I would like to see Gabby using it more, but she seems to spend more time at the corners of the free throw line.