NCAA March Madness 08
Way down low in the post is where the business happens. It’s the most physical part of the basketball court, where shoulders bump, arms are slapped, elbows are registered weapons, and baskets are scored or rejected…hard. It’s no place for lightweights; only the brave and the big have any hope of getting things done here, though a little bit of finesse will take you a long way too. Way down here, an old man can meet the end of his career, while a young man can find his just beginning to blossom. It’s not just about physicality, though. A wise player down low can make a freshman look like he’s standing still. Welcome to the new post play in NCAA March Madness 08, where the business happens.
On the court, the new post controls are the primary point of interest to longtime fans of the series, if for no other reason than the immediate effect it has on how you play the game. For what feels like the first time in series history, playing down in the low block isn’t just a legitimate strategy, it can also be fun. Once you pass the ball to your forward or center down low, you’ll have a number of options at your disposal to try to get the ball through the hoop. The first, and perhaps most obvious option, is to get around your defender. To do so, you can push either left or right with the right analog stick to try to wrap your player around the defender and charge the basket.
The animations during low-post moves like this are nice, and obviously, the developers at EA Sports spent some time working on them. A player on offense will move his arms around a defender, trying to shove him out of the way. If you’re being guarded in an especially tough way, you might find your player ducking underneath the coverage and trying to force his way toward the basket. In addition, slippery point guards are adept at squeezing in between two pressing defenders with some slick animations. The defender, on the other hand, will do his best to grind his shoulder down low and get in the way of his progress. By the way, those defending animations play into low-post defense as well (more on that in a bit).
Even if you can’t get around your defender, you can still attempt a shot down low. Pressing the B button will make your player take a shot over the defender’s head, but taking a shot while moving the left analog stick away from the basket will result in a fadeaway shot. For big men down low, the X button will be your best friend because that’s the button used for sky hooks, which can be unstoppable when used at the right moment. Go ahead and unleash your hidden Lew Alcindor; your team will thank you for it.
When defending down low, your skill with the analog sticks will count for a lot. You can choose your position when defending the pass–playing behind or in front of the offensive player you’re guarding and even going for the steal in the air by pressing the X button or right trigger. While the risk versus reward of this tactic is pretty high, using the left analog stick when you’re being backed down in the post is both intuitive and fun. If you’re being backed up and your offensive player spins toward the basket, you simply flick the stick in the same direction he’s heading to attempt cutting him off. If you get the hang of this, you’ll be a dominant defensive power down low and force your opponent to rethink his strategy on the court.
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