This play can be executed to either side of court, but must be called for all offensive players to know. This offensive set is invaluable because it is sym-metrical, allowing all offen-sive plays or entries to be able to be executed to either side. This makes the offense even less predictable & therefore harder to defend. When the ‘live’ reverse pass is made, that Guard (02) cuts hard to rim off of 05’s back-screen. This action inverts a so-called peri-meter player (02 or 03) & converts him basically to become an inside player. This forces a perimeter defender into trying to be an interior defender.
As soon as 02 cuts off of 05’s back-screen, 05 then approaches 01 to set a ball-screen. 01 ‘dribble-scrapes’ off of 05’s screen towards opposite side of the floor. 05 rolls to basket. 02 steps out of lane to new ballside mid-post to help set a double back-screen (along with 05) for 03 to use as he cuts towards basket & off of the double-screen & on through the lane. From the opposite side, 04 cuts down to set a pin-screen for 03 to break out to the opposite side’s deep corner. After pin-screening for 03, 04 then seals off his defender & posts up on new BS Post. 02 breaks up to ‘high elbow’ area. This places all offensive players in “3-Out of 2-In” spot-ups for various continuity or motion offenses.
The “Liz” & the “Rip” plays out of the “FLAT” Set will flow into a different set of “3-Out of 2-In Spot-Ups” for a different zone continuity offense. When 01 first veers off to the right in the “Rip” play (or the left side in the ‘Liz’ play), 04 makes a strong ‘duck-in cut’ into the lane, while 05 steps from behind the zone towards the basket for a ‘lob pass’ (directly in front of the & over to ‘mirror’ 01’s new location, but on the new weakside.
This overload attack puts tremendous pressure on X5, as he cannot defend both 04 low & 05 in the higher part of the lane, on passes from 01. This diagram illustrates the “Rip” play with 01 making a ‘freeze dribble’ towards the outside shoulder of X2 as 02 ‘gets his feet & hands ready’ to receive 01’s pass for a ‘3’ in his ‘deep corner.‘ 03 rotates up & over to again ‘mirror’ 01. If no shots are taken, the spot-ups are filled so this continuity offense can smoothly begin.
This diagram illustrates the “Rip” play with 01 making a ‘freeze dribble’ towards the outside shoulder of X2, as 02 ‘gets his feet & hands ready’ to receive 01’s ‘down pass.’ 02 can quickly ‘catch & shoot,’ or 02 can then look to make an ‘inside pass’ to either 04 or 05 who have now relocated at the new ballside low-post and high-post areas respectively.
03 Is still another offensive threat with a possible ‘skip pass’ from 02, thus stretching the zone horizontally. If the offense cannot attack the zone with an overload that could attack the opposition on the interior as well as the perimeter, 02 could also ‘up-pass’ the ball back to 01. All five players are in the proper spot-ups, so that the designated zone continuity offense can fluidly start instantly.
This diagram illustrates the “TRIPLE-POST” Zone Continuity Offense smoothly beginning at the conclusion of the “Rip” play. 02 makes an ‘up-pass’ back to 01. 01 looks inside to both 05 & 04, before then making a ‘gap dribble’ between X2 & X1. During that dribble, 01 looks again to make interior passes to either 02, 04 or 05 making their respective ‘gap-cuts.’ When 01 draws both X1 & X2 together, 03 should have an open ‘3 pt.’ shot.
When 03 receives the pass from 01, 03 could create, take an open ‘3 pt.’ shot or look for his passing options both on the perimeter (to 05 now in the ‘deep corner’) or ‘inside passes’ (to either 04 or to 02.) After making the ‘down pass’ to 05. 03 can cut through to the new weakside, with 01 filling the new ballside ‘high elbow’ area outside of the arc. The “TRIPLE-POST” Zone Continuity Offense can then continue for an indefinite period of time, with all spot-ups again (& always) filled.
John Kimble is a respected basketball coach, author, and educator with extensive coaching experience.
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