Basketball Friday emphasizes 1-3-1, one drill, three concepts, and one set play.
There's no "one way" to initiate early offense. "Early offense" implies that we didn't score in transition and seek actions to gain advantage. We haven't excelled in early offense for a variety of reasons - inconsistent teaching, varied lineups, facing a lot of zone defense, and it's middle school. Pick something you believe in and coach to your talent.
3 Concepts. 1-4 high.
I "grew up" in the early 1970s with 1-4 high ("Syracuse") as our dominant early offense. We just called it offense, not early offense. The ball often got entered to a talented post player who could isolate or enter to a wing (e.g. me), who would look first to a rolling big or cross-screen to a big. If they doubled the post, that exposed wings for open shots or drives. We didn't operate a lot of high or wing ball screens back in the day. That worked well enough for us to average over 66 points per game before the shot clock or three-point shooting. Five starters averaged double figures.
I offer it as "historical" and simple conceptually.
UCONN "Strong" uses inside power, perimeter shooting, and ball reversal.
It works well especially with Hall of Fame coaching and a roster of high school All-Americans who beat you inside, outside, off the dribble, and with ball movement. Coach Auriemma's "plan" is to score a third in transition, a third in sets, and a third off threes.
Horns High Ball Screen. This was always my pipe dream.
It's simple with multiple options including PnR, helpside cutting, and an open corner three if the defense helps. Of course, with middle school girls, it's not reasonable from a skill level AND when it works a couple of times (PnR), the opposing coach switches to zone.
If I had a high talent (e.g. college level) team, I'd think about the Obradovic Offense that yields a lot of open perimeter shots with players that make them. That's another fantasy but perhaps you have those players. Coach to the level of the talent.
Drill. Everyone likes to shoot. Get 'em shots.
The drill gets everyone shots and encourages pass and cut. It also works as a pregame warmup drill. Players rotate to the next line.
Set Play. Horns simple 1-4-5 Horns interactions.
1) Entry to 5 with 4 backscreen for guard
2) Entry to 5 with slice cut for 4
3) Entry to 5 with 1 cutting into backscreen for 4
Change personnel if that leads to better finishers.
Lagniappe: Don't leave the shooter.
Lagniappe 2: "Every day is player development day." - Dave Smart
Relentless repetition rules.
Lagniappe 3: If we seek excellence, stay focused on process consistency.
