Short characterization Cuba

Short characterization

CUBA

PLAYERS

STARTING SIX - SUBSTITUTES

16/13/4

After a lost first match against Argentina and a narrow escape against France (3-2 and 15-13 in fifth set) the team was able to improve its level of performance in the course of the tournament.
Performance of receiving and digging in Complex 1 and 2 is average.
Athletic good developed players.
Most players have power in jumping and spiking.
Technical and individual tactical adaptation in playing actions is sometimes moderate.
Team strategy with commit blocking in second match against Argentina was ingenious.
Fluency of playing is sometimes disturbed by technical imperfection.
Good combination of universal playing abilities and individual strength.
Effective playing structures, but attack is frequently easy to predict.

Serve

Power-service, sometimes precision and tactical efficiency adapted to opponent.
Most of the players use the jump spin power serve, others use (jumping) float serve.
Rank 3 in teams ranking. The players Rolando Cepeda Abreu and Fernando Hernan-dez Ramos are both in top 4 of individual ranking.
Major goal seems: try to score direct point or directly disturb opponents Complex 1 play.

Serve reception

Reception is often secure, but sometimes instable.
Cuba is no. 8 in teams ranking of best receivers.
Three players in reception formation.
Backline floats and jump floats: Formation 3 (the field position of the fourth player makes it possible to become incorporated into serve reception, but in most cases he is preparing the attacking action).
Application of high reception with flexible overhead technique and impulse control or punch technique, arms moving backwards, downwards or sideways are often used.
Other variants of modern reception techniques are less developed.

Set/Attack - Complex 1 and Complex 2

The setter of Cuba, Leandros Macios Infante is the best setter of the tournament.
Mostly jumping setting techniques: with takeoff and landing with both feet, sometimes running and take off by one foot. Always taking the ball as high as possible.
Variable distribution of the passes, mainly with short movement impulse (active wrist and finger actions).
Easy and quick steps from starting position to target. During the steps moving with front or with back in the direction of the net, depending of the situation. Pivot by right or left foot.
Adjustment by little steps from target to playing position.
Big differences in the level of performance between attacks in Complex I and II.
The biggest portion of backcourt attacks from position 1, diagonal player Hernandez Ramo Fernando, no. 16.
Quick attacking play in Complex I: quick sets to middle player.
Attacking play in Complex II: Domination of outside attacks from position 4.
Backcourt defense-attack: mainly outside attacks of player’s no. 1, 9 and 16, from position 4 or back-court.
Freeball-attack: variable pass distribution with a trend towards „quick outside attack from position 4“.
Quick and precise sets from nearly all the positions in the court.
Effective variation of setting: tempo and positions.
Simply structured attacks in Complex 1: effective set-distribution, with high percen-tage 2nd tempo to outside hitters.

Block and defense

Efficiency and organization of blocking.
Tactical adaptation of blocking based on statistics and tactical analysis of opponent.
Different step combinations and blocking positions adapted to the play situation.
Average level of cooperation and synchrony in movement of the blockers and diggers.
Good level of block performance: kill blocks and rebounds.
No. 6 in teams ranking of diggers.