This is a continuous offense that can be used as a quick hitter. This works against any half court zone.
The goal of this outlet drill is to score 22 points as a team in 2 minutes. Each basket is worth 1. Feel free to adjust the time and score based on your teams skill level. It's a great drill for finding your outlet pass, pushing the ball up the court and finishing in transition. It's fast paced, high energy and a perfect way to get conditioning while working on game skills. The only time the ball should hit the floor is if you need to take one or two dribbles to make the transition pass ahead. Aim for the pass to the shooter to be in stride and within layup distance from the rim. The rebounder should grab the ball out of the net and outlet to the next player before the ball hits the ground. Once your team understand the rotations and movements, it becomes one continuous looping drill. Right off the transition pass, the passer continues sprinting around the cones getting to the other end for a layup as quick as possible. This outlet drill really encourages pace, teamwork and communication. Focus on teaching your team the fundamentals of meeting the outlet pass, the importance of timing, leading your teammate on the transition pass (not passing behind them) and finishing under time pressure.
In this drill, we can really focus on the fundamentals of the outlet pass and creating transition advantages. It's simple enough that we can see exactly where we need to shift our focus as coaches. Things to pay attention to: * rebounders footwork and passing * ball handler getting to the middle of the floor and reading the defense * lanes being filled correctly and spacing the floor Now, this is primarily an outlet and transition offense drill, but it can be used to apply defensive principals as well. Are we stopping ball first? Is the bottom covering first pass and the top defender dropping to see two players? Are we rotating and communicating? Are we boxing out?
This is a simple outlet passing drill to work on the fundamentals. Continue this drill until all players have played both positions, on both sides of the court.
Outlet pass & transition after a defensive rebound
This play starts with the ball handler drawing their defender into an initial ball screen, then quickly pivoting to receive a second screen from the opposite side. It’s tough to defend because the defense must navigate two screens in rapid succession.
The Horns "Flex" play elevates the standard Horns set by introducing more dynamic and engaging actions. This variation of Horns, gets the wings involved and uses the zoom motion to create scoring chances.
The foundational concept of the horns offense emphasizes floor spacing, creating an ideal setup for a traditional pick-and-roll action with a backdoor cutting option toward the basket. Corner wings play a critical role by maintaining proper spacing to stretch the defense. If the wing defenders collapse to help, the wings must be prepared to capitalize on a kick-out for a high-percentage three-point opportunity.
The high post is a vulnerable position in the 1-3-1 zone defense and we try to force the ball out of there as quickly as we can.
In the tight 1-3-1 Zone Defense, all the same rules apply except the defense is not trapping AND the players are more tightly packed in during the entire defensive possession. The main goal is to prevent the ball from entering the zone, and if it does, to quickly collapse on it and force it back outside.
As the dribbler crosses the half-court line, the ball-side wing will step up and set a trap. We try to force the offense to pick up the dribble and throw a weak lob pass that we can pick off.
As the name suggest, the 1-3-1 zone defense is set up in a 1-3-1 formation. It can be used in a multitude of ways - as a base defense, a change-of-pace defense, a trapping defense, and more.
If we want to put extra pressure on the offense we can play a 1-3-1 Zone Defense where we start picking up the ball at the opposing free throw line.
When the offense passes the ball to the corner we want to trap the player with the ball and force a soft lob pass over the zone that we can pick off.
This is a play out of the Stack formation that has multiple options for quick scores.
This extremely simple inbounds play will help you to get the ball thrown in without turning it over...and maybe score some points.
This is a classic set that has gotten many teams layups over the years. The pick-the-picker action confuses the defense and leaves open opportunities at the rim.
Iowa ran this BLOB to try and get shooters open when they needed a 3. The over cut and elevator action is tough for defenses to defend.
This is a very simple play designed to get an open mid-range shot for our best shooter or an open layup for one of our bigs.
Jeff Capel and Pittsburgh ran this play and had some success with it in ACC play. This is a good set if you have a shooter who you want to get the ball.
"4 Low Clear" is an inbounds play that becomes an isolation set for a driver out of 4-low alignment. This is a simple set that can get the ball to one of your best playmakers and give them space to make a play.
This classic baseline inbounds set helps to get your shooter (1) a clean look from 3.
A simple BLOB that can be used at any level to try to go for a quick score.
In the 2-3 Zone Defense you want to avoid the ball going to the High Post at all cost! If it happens anyways, a good passer has 4 passing options which makes it very hard to defend. Our goal is to pack the zone and prevent a high-low pass. At the same time, defenders need to be prepared to close out on shooters after a pass.
When the ball is in the corner we try to prevent passes to the high post and low post. We can sag off and pack the paint, or force the player with the ball to make a play.
When the ball is on the wing the job on the zone defense is: * To deny a pass to the high post (very dangerous) * Deny a pass to the low post We are okay with passes to the corner or back to the top of the key / ball reversal.
In the 2-3 zone defense with the ball at the top of the key our job is to: * Make sure that the point guard can't attack the paint * Deny the pass to the high post We are encouraging a pass to the wing, the forwards have to be ready to help out if necessary.
The 2-3 zone is the most popular and well-known zone defense. It can be used as a way to change pace, slow down a more aggressive team, or equal the playing field. It can also be used as a way to showcase your athleticism and length, force turnovers, and make teams uncomfortable.
* With this option, you are positioning your inside player at the free throw line or elbows (think Princeton offense). * This can really open up cutting to the rim since there is nobody on the block at all if you line up this way. * This is also a prime position for the inside player to set screens for cutters going to the rim after they pass. They are in a great spot to set ball screens as well. * You can also pass to this player and use them as a facilitator/passer from the high post spot.
* If you’re using this option, you have a post player who is a threat when they catch the ball inside and you want to get them involved in your offense. * This player will basically follow the ball based on what side it’s on. * You can also use this player to set backscreens on the ballside.
1. If you’re using this option, the post player is always moving block to block depending on where the ball is located. This is a good option if you don’t have a super skilled post presence or a player who is more skilled at going and grabbing offensive rebounds than being thrown to in the post. 2. The main roles of this player is to: 3. Be on the opposite side of the ball so if his defender helps, penetrating guards can pass to him for a layup 4. Clean up all offensive rebounds on the weakside 5. This player can also be a screener, but will mostly be positioned near the block opposite the ball. 6. If the ball is dribble or passed from one side to the other, this player will simply cut behind the rim with their butt to the baseline to the other side 7. What’s also nice about this option is that it makes cutting and screening on the ballside more effective since there is more space without a player standing on the block.
* Another rule you could add involves ball screens. A coach could instruct their players to follow their pass and go set a ball screen. This could be an option within the offense or a specific automatic action for certain players on the roster (post players, for example) * A roll to the rim would act just like any other basket cut in the aforementioned rules * Being able to use the a post player in the high post is very effective with ball screens - especially if they are random and not expected by the defense
* You can add a rule that states: once the ball is passed, the passer must set a screen away from the ball. * The cutter who uses the screen now becomes the cutter to the rim and the same basic rules apply. * When first installing this, it might be wise for the coach to instruct the player who is receiving the screen to always curl tight to the rim. Once this is mastered, the coach can give more freedom to the players to make their own reads and reactions (popping, flaring, rejecting the screen, slips, etc.) * Also, for the screener, coaches should emphasize popping back out following the screen. Oftentimes the screener defender will help on the cut to the rim. This allows the screener to pop out and be open for a shot - and sometimes a drive to the rim against a recovering defender closing out.
When a play drives all players rotate to fill the spots
* If a player with the ball dribbles at you, you must go backdoor. * Just like the backdoor cut mentioned above, the same rules for a normal basket cut apply here: cut all the way through, cut and fill to next spot, other players rotate to open spot * Players must understand the difference between their teammates driving and attacking the rim and dribbling at themA north and south dribble to the rim is a drive * An east and west dribble to the side is a dribble at * A good rule here would be that if a player dribbles directly at you and they are above the 3-point line, go backdoor. * A key here is the spacing of the inside player. If this player sees a backdoor cut happening, they need to open up space for this pass by filling up and leaving the rim open.
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