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Friday, August 29, 2025

Are Hard to Guard Actions in our Basketball Offense?

How do you plan to score? Do you have ideas for transition, motion offense, set plays out of core formations (e.g. Horns, 5-out), and hard-to-guard actions? 

Even with skilled players, creating separation and quality shots can raise offensive efficiency. 

Consider adding a few to your repertoire: 

Complex screens:

Spain PnR (backscreen the roller)

Atypical screening: 

2. Horns "Elbow get"

If you have "bigs" who can put the ball on the floor, then you may have a mismatch against a big less accustomed to defending dribble drive. 

In addition to conventional ball screen action, rejecting the ball screen adds deception. 

Sequential screening (e.g. Iverson action or Corner rip) 

Iverson action

5 - Out options


After running dribble handoffs (DHO), "dribble at" triggering a back cut adds deception.


In addition to basic give-and-go (left), '1' can delay and '3' fakes a return "wing to top" pass baiting a steal by the opposing point guard. '1' then basket cuts. 

Duke elbow series


Clear a side and play a two-man game. '1' can pass and follow for a handoff or use a fake handoff which can create confusion. 

These actions create defensive challenges and get your skilled players edges.

Lagniappe. Time is a precious and irreplacable asset.  
Lagniappe 2. What can we give to our team? 
Lagniappe 3. How many players have you made suggestions or corrections to who were unwilling to change? I remember one player who ALWAYS went right. "If you go left, your defender wlll be totally surprised." She goes left and scores...that one time. 

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