Today’s post is a play to run at the end of quarters, after timeouts, or late in a game when you need a basket against man to man defense.
The numbers are used to make it clear how each player moves in the play, not to identify position numbers.
If you don’t use 1-4 high sets, you can also add cuts to the play to run it out of different alignments.
Diagrams created with FastDraw
I don’t believe in calling a play at the end of the quarter. If the players know what we always run, there is no confusion about someone missing the call or there being confusion. If it is under 30 seconds for the 2nd quarter, we will hold for the last shot, get everyone in their spots at 12 and start the play. Our goal is to shoot at 5 seconds to have a chance for an offensive rebound. We don’t run the play at the end of the 4th quarter if we are ahead. We also don’t run it if we are behind by more than 3 points as it takes time to develop.
We run this play at the end of the 2nd and 4th quarters. Since it has multiple options, I believe that execution is most important and it keeps the element of possible confusion and disorganization to a minimum. We have a counter to this that we run at the end of the 1st and 3rd quarters.
If you are concerned about your opponents knowing your plays, you could change them at the halfway point of the season, or heading into post season play.
I am not saying that everyone should run this play or use this exact system, but you should have a plan that players are aware of, have practiced repeatedly, and can execute without you having to make a call from the bench. The less players have to listen to and process under pressure situations, the better your end of quarter and game execution will be.
Play starts in a 1-4 high set.
2 cuts to the block.
5 screens for 4.
4 cuts to the wing and receives a pass from 1.
2 screens for 5 (First screen the screener).
If 5 is open, 4 will feed the post.
If 5 is not open, 1 down screens for 2 (2nd screen the screener)
4 hits 2 coming off the screen.
If 2 is not open, he will reverse the basketball to 1 coming off 3s flare screen (STS #3)
3 can take the shot or drive.
This play is a part of the Winning Special Situations eBook. You can download 13 of the 130 ideas and find out more about the entire eBook at this link: 130 Winning Special Situations.
