Basketball Plays

Ball Screen Plays: Baseline Flash

By Brian Williams on September 24, 2015

Today’s post is a ball screen set with multiple ball screens and dribble hand offs called Baseline Flash

This play is included in the Basketball HoopScoop’s Comprehensive Ball Screen Playbook (written by Trey Watts).

It is a part of this week’s featured eBook bundle along with the Encyclopedia of Pack Line Defense Playbook.

You can learn more about the bundle by clicking this link: Ball Screen Offense and Pack Line Defense Bundle

Diagrams created with FastDraw

Baseline Flash

2 will go under the two posts on the baseline.

3 will go over the top.

When 3 goes over, 5 will flash to the elbow.

1 hits 5 at the elbow.

3 will plant and go backdoor. 5 looks at 3 on the backdoor cut.

1 cuts away to allow time for 3 to clear.

1 will come around for a HANDOFF from 5.

4 will set a corner screen for 2 coming up.

5 fakes the handoff and takes a bounce towards the NAIL.

2 continues off the screen and get a DRIBBLE HANDOFF from 5.

4 will follow 2 after setting the screen.

3 has finished his backdoor cut to the corner.

We are now into our high low set.

2 will look for 5 on the roll.

2 reverses the ball to 4.

4 reverses the ball to 3 and sprints for a ballscreen

4 flares to the short corner after ball screening.

5 tries to pin inside by the rim.

3 kicks the ball out to 2.

2 looks inside to 5 on the pin.

5 was not open on the pin.

2 runs a DRIBBLE HAND OFF with 1 in the corner.

5 elevates behind the DRIBBLE HANDOFF and set a BALL SCREEN FOR 1.

1 attacks off the ball screen.

5 rolls to the short corner and 4 pins inside.

This play is included in the Basketball HoopScoop’s Comprehensive Ball Screen Playbook (written by Trey Watts).

It is a part of this week’s featured eBook bundle along with the Encyclopedia of Pack Line Defense Playbook.

You can learn more about the bundle by clicking this link: Ball Screen Offense and Pack Line Defense Bundle

If you are interested in adding to your Coaching Toolbox take look at what I believe is our best offer.

CLICK HERE to select from a list of more than 70 eBooks.

Basketball Plays: Zipper Pin Down Runner 1

By Brian Williams on September 21, 2015

Today’s post is a set with a couple of 3 point shot options.

Houston Women’s Assistant Coach Vonn Read has submitted several plays from his playbook series The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays to the Coaching Toolbox.

You can also see more of his plays in the Related Posts links at the bottom of this post.

Vonn has also served as an assistant coach in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury, Orlando Miracle, and San Antonio Silver Stars. He was an advanced scout for the Orlando Magic as well as The Charlotte Sting.

Diagrams created with FastDraw

Even if you don’t run the play exactly as it is drawn up, I hope you can find a way to modify it to fit your needs.

Zipper Pin Down Runner 1

This is a good 3-point set for a shooter.

The 2 player (Shooter) will cut hard to the top off the Zipper Screen by the 5 player.

The 3 player will come up hard off the down screen to get the pass from the 2 player.

The 1 player will cut hard off the double low stagger screens as an option for this play.

The 5 player will set the flare screen for the 2 player, which results in a 3 point shot.

If the flare is not open, you can continue the play with a high ball screen.

If X5 helps on the flare, they will be late to hedge on the ball screen, which opens up a roll and replace action.

Coach Read has also put together The Basketball Encyclopedia of plays. You can check them out here: The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays or read more about the books:

Any coach looking for the latest and innovative plays from the Professional, College, or High School levels can stop looking. With a compilation of over 7,700 different plays, you will never need to purchase another basketball playbook again. These playbooks can be used as a great reference tool for years to come. This 2 Volume Book includes plays from 19 different play categories, and they are the most extensive playbooks on the market.

The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays (Platinum Series) contains over 7,700 Plays (Both Volumes combined) from the NBA, WNBA, USBL, and College levels from someone who has worked as an Advanced Scout or Coach on each level!!! This book has been intensely compiled over the last 21 years, with plays taken from a lot of NBA Coaches (past and present), WNBA coaches, and College coaches (Men’s and Women’s) from around the country.

Any coach that is serious about improving their knowledge of the game from an X and O standpoint will benefit tremendously from these books. These Books can be used to discover New Quick hitters, add a New Package to your playbook, or develop an entire Offensive System. There are a lot of new ideas and concepts in these books to study, and the Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays can be a great resource for coaches on all levels!!! This book is definitely for those X and O junkies who are always looking to improve as a Coach.

“THE GAME IS ALWAYS CHANGING? ARE YOU?” Vonn Read

Here is the link: The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays

Basketball Plays: Brad Stevens SLOBs

By Brian Williams on September 17, 2015

Living in Indianapolis, I have always had a lot of respect for Brad Stevens, dating back to the start of his career when he was an Assistant at Butler.

The first 2 Sideline Out of Bounds Plays taken from the Basketball HoopScoop’s Brad Stevens Boston Celtics Playbook (Compiled by John Zall).

You can find out more about the eBook at this link: Brad Stevens’ Boston Celtics Playbook

The third SLOB is a very short video at the bottom of the page from Zak Boisvert (www.pickandpop.net)

Diagrams created with FastDraw

Boston Celtics Weakside Stagger SLOB

5 sets a screen to free 1.

4 inbounds the ball to 1.

2 sets a down screen for 3 who curls to the rim

5 sets a down screen for 2 who comes off to the perimeter

1 drives middle and can hit 3, 2, 4, or make a finishing move.

Boston Celtics Misdirection SLOB

2 sets a cross back screen for 5

1 passes it over the top to 5

4 sets a cross screen for 3

5 passes to 3 for the shot

Boston Celtics Spread SLOB

You might have to watch the video a couple of times to see the play develop.

It is a simple play, but effective if you have a player who is hard to keep from getting the basketball with a running start.

It is a YouTube video, so you will need to click the play arrow to see it.

If you are interested in adding to your Coaching Toolbox take look at what I believe is our best offer.

CLICK HERE to select from a list of more than 70 eBooks.

Basketball Plays Star Spin Special

By Brian Williams on September 14, 2015

Today’s post is a good backdoor set for a layup.

Houston Women’s Assistant Coach Vonn Read has submitted several plays from his playbook series The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays to the Coaching Toolbox.

You can also see more of his plays in the Related Posts links at the bottom of this post.

Diagrams created with FastDraw

Even if you don’t run the play exactly as it is drawn up, I hope you can find a way to modify it to fit your needs.

Star Spin Special

The 1 player will pass to the wing to the 2 player.

The 3 player will cut from the wing to the block off of a curl cut screen set by the 1 player.

The 1 player will pop back for the pass from the 2 player.

The 3 player will cut hard off of the double screen set by the 4 and 5 players.

This is a decoy action to clear out for the backdoor.

The 1 player will dribble hard, looking to pass to the shooter (3 player) coming off the double screen (Decoy).

The 1 player will reverse dribble and then spin back towards the 2 player.

The 2 player will time their cut as the 1 player spin dribbles, which sets up the backdoor layup.

The 2 player can sell the play by cutting and calling for the ball before going backdoor.

Coach Read has also put together The Basketball Encyclopedia of plays. You can check them out here: The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays or read more about the books:

“THE GAME IS ALWAYS CHANGING? ARE YOU?” Vonn Read

Here is the link: The Basketball Encyclopedia of Plays

Basketball Plays: 2 Horns Sets

By Brian Williams on September 10, 2015

These 2 man to man set plays below are from Wes Kosel’s Ultimate Horns Playbook.

If these sets do not fit your players, I hope you can at least get an idea from them that might fit your needs.

Diagrams created with FastDraw

Horns Hand-Off Jumper

1 passes to 4 then cuts off of 5 into the lane and out to the right wing.

2 moves across the baseline as 3 steps in to the low post.

5 screens for 3 who cuts up and around 4 for a hand-off.

3 looks to shoot (Or drive) after getting the ball from 4.

Spurs Horns Post Entry 3

5 pops out from the elbow and gets a pass from 1.

1 loops around 5 looking for the hand-off.

If the hand-off isn’t open, 1 continues down to the corner to screen for 3.

3 curls around the screen to the basket.

5 looks to pass to 3.

If 3 isn’t open, he clears out to the corner.

5 dribbles toward the opposite elbow as 4 screens down for 2.

2 cuts off of the screen from 4 and takes the ball from 5 on a dribble hand-off.

The screen combined with the hand-off serves as a staggered screen.

5 rolls to the basket as 2 drives into the lane.

Basketball Plays: 2 Xavier Under Out Sets

By Brian Williams on August 31, 2015

A couple of quick hitters against a 2-3 zone defense to consider adding as something that your upcoming opponents haven’t seen you run.

These two plays were included in the Xavier Men’s Basketball Coaching Newsletter

If you are interested in seeing the rest of the diagrams from that newsletter, click here: Xavier Best of Zone Offense

Diagrams created with FastDraw

4 Across Screen

4 releases to catch the inbounds pass at the elbow.

As soon as 4 catches the basketball, 5 sets a wide down screen for 2.

4 dribbles at the cutter for a dribble hand off.

As the hand off takes place, 1 sets a diagonal back screen for 5.

2 is looking for a quick reversal to 3.

The design is to get the ball to 5 at the basket.

You can have 2 and 4 set a staggered screen for 1 to occupy the defense.

This frame is another way to finish the play.

You can run a stagger away for 1.

The idea for the post is for you to motivate you and your staff to dedicate some concentrated thinking to ways to put your players in positions to take advantage of their strengths.