Film Session: Miami (OH) – Inside the Hall

Nearly two-thirds (65.3 percent) of Miller Kopp’s shots have come from 3-point range this season, many off catch-and-shoot opportunities. But against the Redhawks on Sunday night, Kopp flashed some counteraction to his perimeter shooting prowess, using both a ball and shot fake to drive and score in the paint. And in one halfcourt possession, Kopp moved cross-court to free himself for a 3-pointer.

We’ve seen some of this before. Last season against Syracuse, his career-high 28-point performance was marked by some fakes and drives. But as the season wore on, Kopp didn’t pull it out of his bag as much. Indiana doesn’t need a multi-dimensional offensive game from Kopp this season to be successful. Still, if teams are going to close out hard on him because the scouting report calls for it, being able to drive on occasion and use his size could free up different opportunities for Kopp and his teammates. It can help keep the defense a bit more honest.

We’ll take a look at Kopp’s moves in the latest edition of Film Session:

Early in the first half, Eli Yofan helps down on Trayce Jackson-Davis, leaving Kopp open in the left corner. Race Thompson makes the pass to him, but Yofan recovers well and Kopp doesn’t have a good opening to shoot, so he passes to Jalen Hood-Schifino on the left wing. From there, Kopp perhaps recognizes if he clears out of the corner, he can be a weak-side kick out option off a two-man game between Hood-Schifino and Jackson-Davis. So he cuts baseline and heads to the right corner.

From there, Yofan leaves Kopp and sits under the basket as Hood-Schifino takes a ball screen from Jackson-Davis and drives left. With Yofan meeting Hood-Schifino at the rim, he passes to Kopp in the corner. Billy Smith then has a long closeout to Kopp, giving him plenty of time to rise and fire.

Kopp’s 3-point attempt rims out, but nice decision from him here not to just stand in the left corner after he passed it to Hood-Schifino.

At the beginning of the second half, we again see Kopp’s man shading off him. This time it’s Smith helping to ward off Xavier Johnson’s driving lane. As Johnson makes the pass to Kopp, Smith sags off him a bit, and there probably is a sliver of space for Kopp to just hoist here. But he fakes instead, which gets Smith off his feet.

This allows Kopp to go by him left and score on a runner in the paint.

In transition, Kopp fills the left side and heads down to the corner. Johnson drives into the lane and is met by a host of Miami defenders. So as he’s going up for the shot, he adjust mid-air and passes to Kopp. Because of the off-blance nature of the pass, Kopp has to go meet it up out of the corner. But he uses that opportunity in movement to catch, fake left and then drive hard through the lane and to the other side of the basket for the score.

Kopp may not be able to do this against better competition, but he looked good doing it here.

Filed to: Miami Ohio Redhawks, Miller Kopp