[
BOYLE POINT] editorial
Two-Man Trend Q
Why modern offenses must have picking plays in their pocket
uick, what do these words have in common? Seal. Razor. Flip. Screen. Slip.
They sound like a bizarre to- do list for a trip to a hardware store. But they are just a few of the labels applied to the offensive technique known as a pick, broadly referred to as the two-man game. I was fortunate to be born in Baltimore and develop within the Cockeysville Rec Council program. Due to these inherent cultural advantages, I had access to the best youth lacrosse minds in the country. When I was a kid, offensive principles revolved primarily around spacing, cuts and ball movement. We attacked defenses by identifying transition opportunities, making correct decisions and trusting our teammates through unselfish passing. In the half-field game, we focused on creating space for dodges by cutting through and using backdoor cuts when the defense ball- watched. (We had a few plays that utilized picks, exclusively in an off-ball manner. Conceptually, on-ball picks brought an extra defender into potential dodging space.)
Moving forward into my high school and collegiate career at Gilman (Md.) and Princeton, respectively, I learned higher-level pick concepts, such as “pick the picker” and “mumbo,” as well as individual techniques likes seals and inside plays (curls, fades and pops). Programs started to implement “big-little” picks — those involving one offensive player with a long-pole matchup and another with a short- stick assignment. These started
40 LACROSSE MAGAZINE May 2014>>
behind the goal and near the restraining line. Soon, a new intersection point emerged along goal-line extended, and the “razor” pick was born. These were strategic innovations. Now they are commonplace. You’d be hard-pressed today to see a possession that doesn’t feature multiple picks. The unique Princeton Pairs offense revolves exclusively around two-man games.
So why are teams using picks? What makes them so effective?
Picks force defensive communication. During a half-field set, defensive players’ responsibilities change with
The two-man game won’t go out of style any time soon. It will continue to evolve with widespread
implementation.
every pass. Picks pose another threat that warrants attention. And if a pick call is late, the offense has already gained a small advantage. Picks provide better odds against off-ball help defense. It’s simple mathematics. Win a 1-on-1 matchup and a 5-on-4 scenario remains. Win a two- man game and a 4-on-3 waits. Fewer defensemen equals better scoring opportunity. Picks enable better spacing
off-ball. The dimensions of a lacrosse field are set. Given the finite space, the offense can maintain proper off-ball spacing more easily with four players instead of five. Players can occupy critical areas of the field, such as the crease
and high-wing positions, with ample space between them. An offense packed together creates shorter (easier) defensive slides.
Picks create favorable matchups. There’s a reason why the classic pick-and- roll strategy has lasted generations in basketball. A point guard has more success against a center than his natural counterpart. In lacrosse terms, even though Jimmy Bitter and Joey Sankey often win their individual matchups against close defensemen, North Carolina presents far more danger with them attacking short sticks. It’s no surprise, then, that the Tar Heels’ offense employs a heavy dose of razor picks. Lastly, picks are the antidote to the shut-off defensive tactic. Any defense that chooses to shut off Albany’s Lyle Thompson should think twice, considering how well he initiates two-man games. These tactics challenge the shut-off defenseman in his decision-making and technique. A misstep here, and Thompsons’s teammate — likely his brother, Miles, or his cousin, Ty — gains an advantage on their matchup off the ball. Or worst-case scenario, Lyle actually frees himself to receive the ball and attack the goal himself. Due to these inherent benefits, the two-man game won’t go out of style any time soon. It’s more likely it will continue to evolve strategically and with widespread implementation. We all need to improve on our word association.
— Ryan Boyle
Ryan Boyle is a six-time MLL All-Star and three-time Team USA attackman, the co-founder and CEO of Trilogy Lacrosse and an ESPN college lacrosse analyst.
A Publication of US Lacrosse
©JOHN MECIONIS
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