Your edge // players
A BIG-LITTLE SITUATION
Duke’s Case Matheis and Brad Smith run a two-man game against Lehigh’s Tripp Telesco AS TOLD TO COREY MCLAUGHLIN
Two-man games, including a variety of picks, have become so prevalent at the most visible levels of lacrosse that Duke attackman Case Matheis says his younger brother, who is in seventh grade, has already been taught the concepts by a club program in Connecticut. If players are ready for that type of instruction likely depends on the situation, but the point is made: two-man games require learning and understanding fundamentals, just like passing, shooting and catching.
Matheis, a 5-foot-7, 165-pound senior attackman, and 6-foot-2, 195-pound freshman midfielder Brad Smith here ran what is called a big-little pick. The name applies not to their size difference, but the defense. Matheis has a long- pole matchup (“big”) and is trying to draw the short-stick covering Smith. They ran it to perfection behind the cage, where it’s often done, against Lehigh earlier this season.
52 LACROSSE MAGAZINE »April 2016
9 MATHEIS
The big-little pick game is important because it puts two defensemen into situations that they are not used to playing. It puts a short-stick midfielder behind the cage and he has to communicate with a long pole. On top of that, if you’re able to get a short stick onto an attackman, it creates a matchup advantage. For the
ball-handler, approach your dodge like you would if there wasn’t a man setting a pick.
Split in your cuts. After making the move, rub shoulders with your teammate setting the pick — to get the defenseman tangled up. After that, you see where you are. If you still have the pole on you, you keep running hard to the 5 and 5, bang it back to the man with a shorty on him. If you draw the shorty, you re-attack him and re-engage the dodge and see where the slide comes from. If they were to double the
pick, I would most likely just move the ball to Brad.
27 SMITH
If you are setting the pick, surprise the defenders. Swing your hips around from the other side so he doesn’t know exactly what side the pick is coming from. Right at the last
second, as the defender is approaching you, get your feet set and in a spot where the attackman with the ball can rub his shoulders off yours to set the best possible pick, to get that contact. Then you get the defender to
switch. Your stick has to be parallel with your body. You can’t hang it down by your side. Then they could call a moving pick. You can’t be leaning. Have your feet steady, ready to take a hit if the defender runs through it. Once the attackman gets by you, read the defense. Open up your hips toward the ball. Depending where you are, you can slip the pick if needed. If they jump or double the ball, you can be in a spot to give the attackman an outlet.
A Publication of US Lacrosse
©SEAN AARON (SEQUENCE)
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