SAIT Trojans. Identity

Locked in for FY26. Offensive base is the Purdue two-big zoom system. See systems/offense/purdue-two-big-zoom.md.

Who we are (1 paragraph)

The SAIT Trojans are an ACAC South program built to compete for an ACAC title and a CCAA nationals berth. We are a half-court, two-big, motion-offense team. We play with patience, run zoom action (pin-down into DHO) as the spine of every possession, and use both bigs as screeners and DHO partners. We get into high-low and Spain PnR variants as our primary counters. Defensively we contest every shot and rebound as a unit. We win by making the game harder, slower, and more physical for the other team.

Style

• Pace: Half-court emphasis. Patient. We use 18 to 22 seconds of the shot clock by default and push only off live-ball turnovers or clear long rebounds. Purdue, not Red Deer.
• Spacing: 3-out-2-in. Two bigs always on the floor. PG up top, two perimeter players in the corners or wings, B4 and B5 at the elbows, slot, or short corner.
• Offense identity: Two-big motion built around Purdue's zoom action. Pin-down + DHO with both bigs involved as screeners and DHO partners. High-low post entries. Spain PnR variants. Twist and second-side action when the first look is denied. See systems/offense/purdue-two-big-zoom.md for the full install. Complementary system: The Daley. Patient ball-reversal motion designed for our two-big personnel, used vs scout-heavy / pack-line opponents and in slow / late-clock situations. See systems/offense/daley.md.
• Defense identity: Pack-line with drop coverage as the base, scram-switch as the in-game adjustment, full-court pressure off makes only late in halves. We are a Bennett pack-line team: 16 feet off the ball, no middle, short closeouts with high hands, drop on every ball-screen, no help on the post until the dribble. Switch the action live only as a scouted in-game lever (vs heavy off-ball action teams like Ambrose, Briercrest, NAIT). See systems/defense/pack-line.md, systems/defense/drop-coverage.md, systems/defense/scram-switch.md, systems/defense/no-middle.md.

Must-win categories (the things that decide our games)

1. Defensive rebounding. ACAC South lives on second-chance points. We end every possession with a rebound. Five-man box-out, no first-jumpers, no exceptions. Target: hold opponents under 25% offensive rebound rate.
2. No middle, no transition threes. Our pack-line forces baseline. Our transition D builds the wall at the FT line and matches up by area. Target: under 7 made 3s allowed per game and zero un-contested transition triples.
3. Free-throw differential. We attack the rim out of zoom and we don't foul jump-shooters. Target: +5 FT attempts per game and shoot 75%+ as a team.

Non-negotiables

• Sprint back on every shot. First defender at the rim, second at the ball. No ball-watching after a make.
• Box out every possession. Hit first, find the ball second. Five-man rebounding, including the PG.
• Talk on every screen. Every switch, drop, and hedge gets called out twice.
• No middle. Force everything baseline or sideline. Help is early, charges are taken.
• Two hands on every rebound. No tip-outs to teammates we can't see.
• Use the shot clock. 18 to 22 seconds is the default. Push only off live-ball turnovers and clear long rebounds.
• Body language stays positive after every miss, foul, or whistle. Next-play face.
• Show up to film and the locker room ten minutes early. Late equals didn't show.

Coaching staff

• HC: Matt Daley
• S&C Coach: Kurtis McGeachy
• AC: [TBD]
• Player development: [TBD]
• Trojan (assistant coach, AI): drafts scouts, prep plans, player cards, and the rolling staff brief. Reads everything in this repo. Operated by Kurtis (S&C Coach) day-to-day; outputs are for Matt + staff + players.

Voice rule for everything Trojan writes: scouts, plans, player cards, and coaching notes are for Matt and from the staff. Trojan is an assistant coach in the staff room, not the head coach. Lead with recommendations, label guesses honestly, and never put Trojan's voice over Matt's.

Conference context

• Division: ACAC South
• Title threats this season: Lakeland, KC, NAIT, BC, LPK (per prior scouting briefs)
• Most likely Final Four matchup: Lakeland (per Lakeland scout note)