Purdue Boilermakers Chicago Set

Breaking down one of my favorite series that Purdue runs with multiple counters in their playbook.

Matt Painter’s playbook is deep, creative, and full of counters and specials to surprise defenses for easy scores. Over the next few breakdowns, we will look at the base sets they run most often with the counters in the next post.

For the first set breakdown, we are going to look at Purdue’s “Chicago” set that they run more than any other play in their playbook besides their base motion offense.

Exit & Across Setup

The main action and setup starts off similar to a floppy setup with a post player and a guard on the opposite blocks with screening/brush across on both sides of the floor.

On the left side there is a pindown for a guard to free up the pass to the wing and on the opposite the wing cuts across to create more movement.

Screen Down On Big

Once the pass is made to the wing the point guard screens down for the big to flash to the middle of the floor to make the entry easier.

Chicago - Pindown Into Hand Off

The main action triggers with the guard who entered the ball to the big in the middle of the floor screening down around the elbow and the initial player who cut from the wing across coming off the hand off.

After the point guard or trigger man screens down for the big he clears to the opposite corner to create even more chaos and movement.

Roll & Lift

One of the biggest keys to this action is the player screening down for the guard coming off the dribble hand-off is usually one of Purdue’s best shooting threats.

This takes away help opportunity on the roller which usually leaves one player making a decision to guard the corner shooter or the roll man - and even when they are there to tag the roll man it still might not make a difference.

Roller Seals

This action also gives the roll man an opportunity to seal his man deep in the paint since he is concerned about the drive downhill and not in position to fight for space.

This also leads the defender to be concerned about that position and the guard can come off and finish easier.

High Low

After the shooter and initial screener for the guard lifts, this also gives them a high low opportunity as well.

Help Sits

When help sits in the lane to tag and stop drives, this leaves shooters open with catch and shoot opportunities.

Hand Off

The defense can try and go under to stop the drive, but then this give them an opportunity to score from the hand off.

Backdoor Lob

Defenses start to overplay this main action and anticipate the flash after the screen down on the big, so Matt Painter takes advantage of this and fakes the down screen and has the big cut backdoor for a lob.

This works great against ultra-aggressive defenses - such as Florida State for pressure releases and lobs.

Chicago Pop

A tweak that Purdue has run in the past is to have a shooter or a pick and pop threat be the big who flashes and hands it off to then pop for a 3 point shot.

Chicago Keep

What hand-off set wouldn’t be complete without a keep counter? Emptying out one side of the floor, the big who flashes keeps the hand off and attacks.

Although not as common, there is of course just a read for the big to make to keep the handoff and attack as well.

Overall Purdue has 26 counters to this one set that I have edited over the last 3-4 years so the next few posts will focus on my favorite plays to keep the defense guessing.

Note: Milwaukee/Miami breakdown had to be postponed due to illness. I plan on doing a breakdown on that game & more thoughts on both teams later this week.

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Enjoy

Coach Pyper