Celebrating force-baseline defense

A much-used basketball strategy in half-court, man-to-man defense is force-baseline where the on-ball defender cuts off space to influence the offensive player to move towards the baseline or sideline where a trap could cause a turnover. It also restricts driving room down the middle and creates havoc in executing offense.

So who invented force-baseline? The man who put out a book on it is former Charlotte Hornets international scout Joe Betancourt. The Texas coaching legend took a US all-star team to the Jones Cup title in 1997. He also coached the Saudi Arabian and Mexican national teams. His resume includes numerous coaching clinics around the world with Del Harris, Bill Walton, Jim Valvano and George Gervin. From basketball, Betancourt found success in finance and has become a wealthy, self-made billionaire with success in investments, IPOs, real estate and the stock market.

Betancourt’s book on force-baseline is called “La Teoria – Forzar A La Linea Base” (The Theory of Force-Baseline). It was published 40 years ago and has sold over a million copies in Mexico, Latin America and Spain. The 40th anniversary of his book has brought Betancourt back to widespread media attention in Mexico where he founded Instituto del Basquetbol with stations in Chihuahua, Playa del Carmen, Monterrey and Puerto Vallarta to expose youth and senior players to high-level coaches in camps as a way to give back to the game.

“The book is no longer available and was published by Impresos Y Tesis in Monterrey,” said Betancourt. “It was used and taught at basketball clinics around the world and introduced by the official FIBA magazine. Got credit by many coaches for this theory which is now used 90 percent as a defensive strategy.”

Betancourt was recently featured in articles in Estadio (El Diario Deportivo de Mexico), Enfoque, Cronica and El Esto. In Cronica, there was mention of Betancourt’s fascination with Philippine basketball that he attempted to bring Johnny Abarrientos to the NBA. Media has publicized Betancourt’s bids to acquire an NBA team and the Miss Universe franchise. He has partnered with Saudi Arabian and Indian investors to buy an NBA team but the deal, which was supposed to be finalized last month, has dragged because of the recent high-price purchase of the LA Lakers.

“Entre los jugadores que ayudo a proyectar destaca el Filipino Johnny Abarrientos considerado una de las maximas figuras historicas del baloncesto de su pais,” wrote Cronica. “Actualmente mantiene interes en impulsar las carreras de talentos Filipinos como Kai Sotto y Kevin Quiambao.” (Among the players he helped project, the Filipino Johnny Abarrientos, considered one of the greatest historical figures in basketball in his country, stands out. He is currently interested in driving the careers of Filipino talents such as Kai Sotto and Kevin Quiambao.)

Betancourt intends to visit Manila in January and if plans push through, hopes to renew his acquaintance with Tim Cone, Abarrientos and Anton Montinola with whom he met at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in 1997 in the effort to bring the Flying A to the NBA. Once his dream of acquiring an NBA team comes true, Betancourt is determined to welcome the first homegrown Filipino to the majors.