1-4 Entry

We wanted to share a very simple but effective entry for your offense. We do not run "continuity plays" but rather entries into our offense. It doesn't matter what the defense is running or how they are defending, our entries remain the same. We are reading the defense, and taking advantage of what's there.

Most of our entries are designed to get the ball inside. We determine inside as a drive, cut or a post feed; not just a post feed.
Diagram 1
1--attacks elbow, creating space and angle to feed the post
2--spaces
3--occupies defender
4--spaces to high post
5--walks defender down to seal and pin

Diagram 2
1--reads 5's defender--if defense is high side, 1 passes to 2 for feed; if defense is low side, 1 either feeds or reverses to 4 for the correct angle to feed
4--catches and looks to feed high low, if no feed then reverses to 3
3--gets open for reversal

Diagram 3 & 4
1 & 4 stagger screen for 2
5 follows the ball
3 looks to feed 5 or reverse to 2 coming off the stagger

Diagram 5
You can now enter your half-court offense

Reading Screens Ideas

Reading Screens Ideas

1. Great perimeter players use screens to their advantage. Some players can’t get a shot off of the dribble, but are extremely hard to guard because they are active and know how to use screens to get open shots. We try to teach our players how to use screens to their advantage.

2. In general, we teach our player’s to react to what the defense is giving us. For example, if a down screen is set and the defender chases us, we will automatically curl. Conversely, if the defender goes ball-side to cheat the screen, we teach our player’s to fade.

3. We want our player’s to Wait, Read the Defense and then use a Change of Pace to make the appropriate cut. We want to use deception in our game, but once we commit to a cut, we must be explosive to beat the defense. There can be no separation between screener and cutter to allow the defense through. The cutter must put their shoulder on the screener’s hip. Before receiving the pass, the cutter must show hand targets.

4. The four types of cuts off of a basic down screen are—Straight, Curl, Fade and Back

5. Most players can only do 1 or 2 cuts successfully. Only the most complete multi-dimensional players can successfully use all 4 cuts to put themselves in a position to score.

Motion Offense Thoughts

As we are preparing for our fall workouts and teaching points we want to emphasize for the 2009-10 season I wanted to pass along some of our points of emphasis for our motion offense.

1. We would like to force the defense to defend all the spots of the court with all of their players.
2. Spacing is offense and offense is spacing.--Chuck Daly
3. Dribble with a purpose.
4. Know what you can and can't do.
5. Pass away from the defense.
6. The most important way a player can contribute to our team is to cut.
7. Cutters and Screeners--Who, What, When, Where and How?
8. Get your eyes on your defender.
9. Let the ball find you.
10. Change of direction and change of speed.