In youth basketball, simple is often better. Keeping it simple allows your players to focus on mastering fundamentals, grasping the basics of the game, and learn from the mistakes they make along the way.
We collected a set of easy plays that you should be able to run in no time. The plays are drawn and animated using our intuitive Play Creator App.
How to Introduce First Plays for Youth Teams
When you are first introducing plays for younger athletes, one strategy to use is whole-part-whole.
First, show your team the entire play, explaining the basic concepts of whatever you are showing them. Then, start breaking the play down part-by-part - slowly. Finally, let them run it 5 on 0 before introducing the defense.
Sometimes, the best way for your team to understand the offense is to teach it in 5 on 5, stopping play in order to explain reads, reactions, and the play in general.
There’s a lot of debate in youth circles about what youth teams should be running on offense. Some believe youth players should just be taught motion offense without any real plays being called. Others believe the structure of plays help players understand the game better. A lot will depend on the skill level and basketball IQ of your team.
Easy Plays Against Man Defense
1. Five Out Pass and Cut
This is a simple, foundational offense that can be run with youth teams. It's a very popular way to teach the game, spacing, cutting, passing, and game reads
Player Roles & Requirements:
- Each player plays every spot on the floor, so there aren’t positions when you run this offense.
- This is a great way to teach players to read the game, understand basic concepts, and play from every spot on the floor.
- 1 passes to 3.
- As soon as 1 passes, they basket cut hard to the rim. 1 wants to get their head under the rim and not end their cut too early.
- The other players are filling the open spots.
- 2 replaces 1
- 4 replaces 2
- 1 replaces 4
- 3 passes to 2.
- After 3 passes to 2, 3 cuts hard to the rim.
- 5 replaces 3.
- 3 replaces 5.
- 2 passes to 4.
- 2 cuts hard to the rim.
- 5 replaces 2. 3 replaces 5. 2 replaces 3.
- 4 passes to 1 in the corner. The same rules apply.
- 4 cuts to the rim (and then the open spot).
- 5 replaces 4. 3 replaces 5. 2 replaces 3.
- The motion continues.
Coaching Points:
- After each pass, the passer must cut hard to the rim
- Players fill up to the next available spot
- You should only have one person cutting to the rim at a time
2. Five Out Pass and Screen Away
This is a simple action to get your players passing and screening
Player Roles & Requirements:
- This play teaches all 5 players to do the same types of actions and is catered to “positionless” basketball.
- This is a great way to teach all players, regardless of position, some of the simple reads in basketball.
- 1 passes to 3.
- 1 screens away for 2.
- 2 comes off the screen and replaces 1.
When your players get this action down, the cutter who receives the screen (2 in this frame) and also cut to the rim sometimes.
- 3 passes to 2 (who just came off the screen from 1).
- After the pass, 3 immediately screens away for 5.
- 5 comes off the screen and then the pass and screen away motion continues until a shot or drive opportunity occurs for the offense.
Coaching Points:
- After every pass, the player must cut away from the direction they pass to set a screen for that player.
- The screener should jump stop and land on both feet when they set the screen.
- The cutter should wait until the screener is set before cutting.
- As players progress and develop, they can also come off the screens and go to the rim instead of just popping out.
3. Shallow
Shallow is a simple set to get your team penetrating the defense with the dribble.
Player Roles & Requirements:
- 1, 2, and 3 should be your best drivers and playmakers
- They need to be able to beat their man off the dribble, score inside, and pass to open teammates
- 4 and 5 should be your inside players who can finish layups.
- The play starts with 1 passing to 3.
- After the pass, 1 "shallow cuts" (see diagram) the same way they passed.
- After 1 cuts through, 3 drives to the rim looking to score or pass the ball to an open teammate.
- If 2, 5, or 4's defender help on the drive, 3 looks to make the pass to them.
- The most open pass will commonly be to 2.
- Now, the motion continues.
- 3 "shallow cuts" to the same side they passed on and now it's 2's turn to drive the ball and make a read.
Coaching Points:
- Whenever a player drives and kicks it out, they must shallow cut and get out of the middle as soon as possible. This opens up more space for the next driver.
- The player who is driving should “drive to score”. This doesn’t mean they force the play, but the harder they drive, the more opportunities will present themselves for kick outs and drop off passes to the post players.
- Post players should have their butts to the baseline.
4. NASCAR
This ball screen play didn't have a name until one of my teams labeled it "NASCAR" because it scored points so quickly.
Player Roles & Requirements:
- 2 should be a good decision maker and ball handler
- 5 should be a good finisher inside
- 1 should be a good shooter
- 1 passes to the wing.
- 5 sets a UCLA screen for 1.
- If 1 is open, 2 can pass it to them.
- 5 then sets a ball screen for 2.
- While this is happening, 1 is coming off a double screen from 3 and 4.
- The double screen helps 1 to get open AND it takes away help from 5 rolling to the rim.
- 2 makes the right read:
- keep it themselves and score
- hit 5 in the post
- kick out to 1 on the perimeter
Coaching Points:
- If the first pass to 1 is available, make that pass to steal points
- 1 should wait until 2 and 5 start their pick-and-roll action before coming off the screen; timing is very important
Easy Basketball Plays Against Zone Defense
1. Zone X
Zone X can be run as a play against zone defense. What makes this play effective is that it is a continual pattern that attacks the zone intelligently.
Player Roles & Requirements:
- 1, 2, and 3 are you guards/forwards. These players should be able to make good passes and make open shots from the perimeter.
- 4 and 5 are post players. They must be able to make a layup, catch the ball in the high post, and make a good decision when they catch.
- 1 passes to 3.
- The opposite post player (4 in this frame) flashes high with hands out to the elbow/high post area.
- 3 is looking to pass to 4 in the high post.
- When 4 catches, they have a few options:
- Shoot it
- High-low pass to 5
- Skip opposite to 2
- If 3 can't pass it to 4, they reverse it back to 1.
- 1 then reverses to 2.
- Now, 5 is the opposite post so it is their turn to flash high.
- 4 cuts back to their original spot.
- 2 is trying to pass to 5 in the high post.
- Now, the motion/continuity/pattern continues.
Coaching Points:
- 4 and 5 should be flashing from behind the zone - this makes it harder to defend
- On every catch by 4 and 5, the other players should be getting in open windows so they can receive a pass
- If the ball goes to the short corner/corner, the high post player should dive to the rim for an easy layup.
2. Four Out Pass & Cut
This simple 4-Out zone attack puts players in positions to attack gaps, cut through the zone to apply pressure, and flash into open spots.
Player Roles & Requirements:
- The perimeter players (1, 2, 3, and 4) should be your most skilled players
- 5 should be a post-type player who can also catch in the high post and score or find open cutters
- 1 passes to 2.
- 1 cuts to the rim.
- 3 and 4 fill up to the next spots (this happens continuously in the offense)