Matt Barnthouse

Team FastModel Contributor since 06/06/18 Follow

About Matt Barnthouse

Matt Barnthouse has experience working at the youth, high school and Division I levels of basketball. He is currently a graduate student and instructor at the University of Cincinnati. Barnthouse also assists various Division I programs with recruiting and analytics while on sabbatical from coaching, and plans on returning to coaching following the completion of his master's degree in organizational communication and leadership in 2019.

Previously he spent four years as a student-manager with the Ole Miss Men’s Basketball team, helping them to four winning seasons, as well as an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2015. Barnthouse's assisted in all basketball operations, including recruiting, on-court drills, analytics, and film.

Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattBarnthouse.

Matt's Playbank (17 Total) More

Loyola Chicago Ramblers - Quick 3 BLOB

Matt Barnthouse 03/26/2022

Pretty simple BLOB set that has multiple opportunities for shots both inside and out. If you trust your players to make reads, it's a great option! Video clip below. Follow more #FastModelMadness22 here See More

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Minnesota Timberwolves - 51 Back Cut SLOB

Matt Barnthouse 08/01/2019

This is a great play for teams with bigs that can pass and guards that can finish around the rim. There are two ways to go on this play. The initial off ball elevator screen from the 5 to the 1 opens up a potential direct three-point opportunity. However, on this play, Derrick Rose (1) recognizes the open space and makes a back cut straight to the rim. The inbounder Wiggins (3) passes to Karl-Anthony Towns (5), who immediately throws a boune pass to Derrick Rose (1) who already has momentum towards rim. Now, on this specific play Rose is met at the rim by a help defender because the 4 is Taj Gibson, who cannot shoot the three, and can be easily left in the corner. If you are lucky enough to have a 4 that can shoot, then this is an even higher percentage shot, as the help defense will stay with the shooter. If not, there's an opportunity for a kickout corner three. The defense can't do both. Spacing opens up so much opportunity for an offense! Despite the help defense, Rose has the momentum to make a quick move and score the layup. Having players that know how to keep their momentum when cutting towards a pass can be deadly! See video below. See More

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Virginia Cavaliers - Pack Line Defense Concepts

Matt Barnthouse 04/02/2019

Information taken from YouTube video by Coachbase. This is the famous "Pack Line Defense" that Virginia uses to suffocate their opponents. The concepts are pretty simple: Never let the offense inside of the "post box," and never allow dribble penetration. Basically, if a team is to beat a well-disciplined Pack Line Defense, they're going to have to do it from the perimeter. The basic concept is that the ball handler faces pressure from his man, and everybody else is in "help," preventing dribble penetration. The exception to this is when a player is cutting off ball in the post area. Then the defender "attaches" to the cutter (once again trying to prevent post opportunities), only to release when the player goes back out to perimeter. Things to note: - Virginia in particular hard hedges and switches on every ball screen. This only works if you have defenders that can guard multiple positions, otherwise the offense has a mismatch to attack! - This offense is designed to allow the three-point shot, so a terrific three-point shooting team could beat this style of defense. Closeouts are SO IMPORTANT to make this defense work, otherwise perimeter-focused teams will drain shots all day. - NEVER LET THE BALL ENTER THE LOW POST. If it does, you double team immediately, and force a pass back to perimeter. - Once again, because this defense involves very aggressive help, it also involves a lot of closeouts. Having personnel with great length and foot speed is advantageous for this kind of defense. - An undisciplined version of this defense that gives up possessions in the "post box" is susceptible to giving up easy buckets. - It is important to "move on flight" of the ball when in help. If you wait until ball is in hands of offensive player, it is too late. Once again, anticipate and CLOSE. OUT. Click here for more Pack Line content on the FMS blog! See More

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Atlanta Hawks - 24 PNR Trail

Matt Barnthouse 03/24/2019

This is an interesting set by the Hawks. Definitely takes advantage of having 4 players that on the floor that can shoot. Allows Kevin Huerter (2) and Dewayne Dedmon (5) to operate in a pick and roll with adequate spacing all around. What I like about this is the timing involved. When Dedmon recognized Huerter had his man beat, he waited a about a quarter of a second to roll so that Huerter could have an opportunity at clean look at rim, while still being there as a trailer should the defense overhelp. This is a lot harder to run if your team does not have 4 players that are threats to shoot, because there is less spacing if they are able to gap the 4, making it more difficult to get to the rim, even if the ball handler beats his man! See More

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Ole Miss Rebels - 2 Quick Corner ATO

Matt Barnthouse 03/22/2019

Ole Miss used this after timeout play for an easy three point make in their first round game against Oklahoma on 3/22/2019. This play offers two options: The 3 making first cut towards baseline, and the 2 making the cut off the screen towards the corner. See More

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Orlando Magic - 45 PNR

Matt Barnthouse 01/30/2019

This is a situation where having a 4 that can handle the ball can make your offense dynamic. On this play, Aaron Gordon acts as point guard, running a basic Pick and Roll with Nikola Vucevic, along with some added motion with the 1 and 2. This accomplishes a few things: A) The beginning of the set looks almost as if the point guard is coming up to take the ball, which forces the defense to anticipate. B) Having the 4 as the ball handler, 1 off the ball, and the 3 stuck in the corner puts Russell Westbrook and Paul George off the ball, allowing the offense to attack the Thunder's weaker players. C) A taller player can simply see the roll man better and deliver a nice pass that goes through the help defense in a way that a smaller player may not be able to do. D) The off-ball motion during the roll forces defenders to keep their attention on their assignments away from the ball. While this play requires players with unique skillsets, the concepts can be translated to just about any level, the idea that having a ball handler who is not the typical ball handler can be used to exploit weaknesses in the defense in ways that only using a traditional point guard cannot. Check out this blog post on my experience as a FMS content intern! See More

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Los Angeles Lakers - Fake PNR Double Off Ball Screen

Matt Barnthouse 12/19/2018

This is a play that has many moving parts, and is great for a team that loves setting screens. The Lakers used this to get an open look for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. It starts with what looks like a basic pick and roll with LeBron James and Tyson Chandler. Then, Chandler turns his roll into an elevator screen for Caldwell-Pope, who then executes a give-and-go with James into an off-ball screen and flare screen that opens up a 3pt opportunity on the catch. For this to work, you need guards and forwards willing to sacrifice their bodies to make plays. It pays off, even if the spacing can get wonky at times. Also as a note: you don't necessarily need a "LeBron James" to make this play work. The 1 and the 3 are easily interchangeable. James just happened to be playing the 3 when he was the ball-handler on this play. Click for more plays and drills from Matt Barnthouse! See More

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Denver Nuggets - Motion Off-Ball PNR

Matt Barnthouse 11/28/2018

The Denver Nuggets took advantage of their versatile lineup on this play during a 117-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on November 27th. It takes principles of a basic "pass and cut" motion offense, along with dribble penetration and pick and roll concepts. It starts out with passes and cuts, but then Jamal Murray (1) cuts back while Nikola Jokic (5) screens, starting a pick and roll action off after Murray receives a pass from Paul Millsap (3). This confuses the Lakers defense, which does not switch, and LeBron James, who is defending 4, is late on the rotation leading to a layup for Murray. The advantage of having bigs that can shoot is that if LeBron rotated earlier, Murray could've passed to either Juan Hernangomez (4) or Malik Beasley (2) in the corner for a catch and shoot opportunity. Sharing the ball forces the defenders to make decisions. The more decisions that have to be made, the more chances for an error that an offense can take care of. Having versatile players like the Nuggets do makes those defensive decisions so much tougher (do I stay on my guy and perhaps leave him open for a 3? Do I help?), which can often lead to these late rotations and result in buckets. See More

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Houston Rockets - Motion Corner 3

Matt Barnthouse 10/31/2018

The Houston Rockets use an interesting lineup for this play. All five of the players in this set are in the 6'5-6-8" range, which allows for versatility when moving the ball around. This play may look complex from all of the movement, but in reality, the Rockets just follow the principles of moving the ball, and moving off-ball to where there is space. All five players are involved in some capacity, so it requires mental focus of the entire team. PJ Tucker (5) does a nice job passing into a screen, which allows Michael Carter-Williams to get around, draw 3 defenders, and find an open Gary Clark in the corner. This is also a good play to run if you wish to save a player's energy, because the 2 does not have to move much at all on this play outside of a pass in the beginning. See More

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Indiana Pacers - Quick 2 Flare Mid SLOB

Matt Barnthouse 10/31/2018

The mid-range game isn't exactly "en vogue" for early offense, but if you have the personnel, like the Pacers do with Victor Oladipo it isn't always a terrible option. They utilize Myles Turner's wide body to set an off ball screen and free up Oladipo for a catch and shoot opportunity against the Bulls in a preseason game on October 10th. This also can be used in a late game situation should your team need only need 2. It's quick, it's simple, and when executed well, it creates space. See More

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Sacramento Kings - 52 Give & Go Lob

Matt Barnthouse 10/24/2018

The Sacramento Kings run a basic read and react 2 man play here. Buddy Hield makes a cut, comes back for the handoff, and draws a double team. He recognizes Willy Cauley-Stein open near the hoop, and passes out of the double into a lob pass. Jamal Murray, who is 7 inches shorter than Cauley-Stein, is the rotation defender who stands no chance and fouls Cauley-Stein at the hoop. If you trust your players to make good decisions with the ball, and have size and athleticism, this is a nice action. See More

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Orlando Magic - 2 Loop SLOB

Matt Barnthouse 10/23/2018

The NBA is back, and the Orlando Magic offense looks improved. That's right, this is just one of the many plays the Magic ran in their 93-90 road victory over the Boston Celtics on October 22. The play utilizes the size of the Magic by having three players in screen situations. This particular SLOB gave Evan Fournier an uncontested dunk. They don't get more high percentage than that, folks. See More

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Kermit Davis Morphing 1-3-1 Zone Defense

Matt Barnthouse 09/10/2018

First-year Ole Miss Head Coach Kermit Davis is famous for using an aggressive style of 1-3-1 Zone Defense that helped his Middle Tennessee State squads to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. In the video below, Davis outlines the basic principles of this defense, as well as the personnel needed to execute it effectively. On the FMS Blog: See More

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2 Baseline Flare

Matt Barnthouse 06/07/2018

If there is one thing coach Andy Kennedy loves in his offense, it is off ball screens that set up corner threes. His Ole Miss teams made a living off of this play. In my four years with the Ole Miss Rebels, I got to see sharpshooters like Marshall Henderson and Stefan Moody run this play to perfection, helping them reach All-SEC nods. There are a lot of moving parts here. It starts off with a dribble handoff to the 3, while the 2 makes a cut to the paint on the weakside. Once in the paint, the 2 sets a screen for the one, and then makes a cut underneath the defender of the 4, forcing his man to either chase him or go over. If he goes over, the defender is ready to run straight into a flare screen by the 4. What makes this play work is that it bunches up the defense and forces them to make a lot of decisions. Sure, the defenders can switch, but that leaves a mismatch with a 2 having to defend a 4. The 2 defender could cheat on the initial cut around the 5, but then that allows the 2 to make reverse his cut to the corner, where the 3 can hit him on the weakside for a 3. If all else fails, the 1 comes around ready to reset the offense at the end of all of the actions. This is something that when ran well, can be nearly impossible to stop. The only concern is that some players may have difficulties going straight from a cut to catch and shoot (almost a 180), so athleticism helps. See More

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