This play inverts 01 & then isolates X1 on the interior, which can then highlight 01’s post-up skills as well as attack X1’s defensive weaknesses. Later in the play, X1 is forced to defend 01 on the perimeter. It could also be executed to the opposite side (with 01 making the initial pass to 02 breaking out.) When 01 ‘wing passes’ to 03, he makes a “UCLA Cut” off of either side of 05 & then posts his defender up on the new BS Mid-Post. 05 & 04 keep the biggest defenders near the FT Line extended, while 03 obviously keeps his defender on the ball. 02 stays near the FT Line extended. There-fore, 01 very much isolates his (perimeter) defender down low.
If 03 does not make the inside pass to 01, 05 steps out to set an inside ball-screen for 03 to dribble towards top of the key. As the ball-screen is set, 02 drifts down so that he can set a unique interior back-screen on 01’s defender. 05 steps out on the wing area vacated by 03. As 01 spins out of his mid-post & off of 02’s screen, he continues across the lane & then receives 04’s pin-screen. 01 ends up on the opposite side’s wing area, with 02 & 04 now on the two mid-post locations & 03 at top of the key. If shots are still not taken, all are in “3-Out of 2-In Spot-Ups” to maintain the attack with a designated motion or various continuity offenses.
This play is almost identical to Play # 8, with the exception that the post player (04) on the weak-side does not go to down-screen (for 02, in this instance). 01 makes the same pass to 05 at the wing area. With 03 staying in his deep corner. 04 is now the player that steps up to set a back-screen for 01 to use as he cuts to the rim & looks for a lob pass from 05. 02 walks his defender up to the new WS Wing area. Again, if 01 does not receive lob pass, he curls to new BS Mid-Post. With 05, 04 & 02 above the FT Line extended & 03 wide in deep corner, 01 has again inverted & isolated his defender in a high percentage scoring area.
changes its method of attack from Play # 8. As soon as 01 posts up & 05 does not make the inside pass, 03 cuts towards the ball (for a ‘weave-type’ hand-off from 05. 03’s cut triggers 01 to then curl out to 03’s (now) vacant deep corner area & 04 backdoor cuts to basket. If 05 does not hit 04, 04 then fills 01’s (now) vacant ballside mid-post spot. The action now isolates 04’s defender with all of 04’s teammates near or outside of the 3-pt. line. The offense now has one of their trained post players ‘on the block,’ with no interior support available for his defender.
If 05 does not hit 04 on his perimeter back-door cut to the basket—a difficult task for a post defender, 05 momentarily waits until 03 cuts towards him. 05 then hands the ball off to 03, so that 03 can attack the middle of the floor. 03 treats the hand-off as if it were an inside ball-screen. As 03 turns the corner, he looks to create by penetrating down the lane for a lay-up, a jump shot, a ‘drive & dump’ action to 04 or a ‘penetrate & pitch’ action to 02. After handing off to 03, 05 then goes to down-screen for 01. If 03 penetrates deep into the lane & no shots are taken, players might have to scramble to get into proper ‘3-Out of 2-In’ spot-ups.
This diagram has 03 not being able to penetrate down the lane & instead, 03 must look to attack inside by 04 then ‘chasing the ball’ across the lane after ducking in strong. 03 could look to hit 04 on his duck-in and of or flash to the ball. 03 could also hit 01 off of 05’s down-screen or to swing the ball to 02. 02 could have driving or shot opportunities as well as possibly a better passing angle to deliver the ball to 04 now in the new ballside mid-post area. If no shots are produced, all players are at least into proper ‘3-Out of 2-In’ spot-ups for the offense to maintain a relentless and fundamentally sound attack on the opposition .
John Kimble is a respected basketball coach, author, and educator with extensive coaching experience.
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