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August 13, 2018

Slipping the ball-screen bolsters offenses

by John Kimble, contributing writer

With the popularity of dribble-drive offenses, slipping the ball-screen has become a large component of many man-to-man offenses. There are similarities between pick-and-pop and slipping-the-screen action along with some distinct differences. Pick-a...


August 6, 2018

Utilize outstanding guards with this play

by Don Kloth, Warren Township High School, Illinois

“Panther” is a great play when you have two outstanding guards. DIAGRAM 1: This shows the box alignment we use to initiate the play. As 1 dribbles across half-court, 5 downscreens for 4, who breaks out to the wing. After 5 screens for 4, 5 cuts t...


July 3, 2018

Adopting the ‘Winner Package’

by Michael Murphy, contributing writer

Teach your team these game-winning strategies in time for next season Football coaches often have different packages for different game situations. Some common packages are the two-minute drill, the goal-line package, the red-zone package and the nic...


May 29, 2018

Learning the three-down man offense

by John Kimble, contributing writer

The three-down man offense is a man package of plays that are designed to be quick-hitters. If shots are not manufactured, all players end up in the same group of spot-ups after each entry. The primary fast break that should be used in conjunction w...


March 5, 2018

Defeating 1-3-1 and 1-2-2 zone defenses

by DuWayne Krause, contributing writer

If offenses are patient, no defenses are easier to attack than the 1-3-1 and 1-2-2 zones. The old rule for zone offenses is to put your players where there are no defenders, and that rule is as true today as it ever was. In this offense, the players ...


October 5, 2017

How big-on-small screens give offenses a greater edge

by John Kimble, contributing writer

Ball screens and countless types of off-the-ball screens are difficult enough for the opposition to defend. When offensive packages use those screens with different players at different locations, it’s even harder. One method that defenses use agai...


May 2, 2017

‘Mouse’ counters help defense, attacks players in foul trouble

by Barry Hecker, former assistant coach, Memphis Grizzlies

Coaches are always thinking of new plays to attack the defensive schemes they encounter during the season. Basketball is a game of adjustments, with one coach or team running a play while the other coach works to take away that play. The other coach ...


April 12, 2017

Successful inbound plays from the ‘dead corner’

by Julious Coleman, assistant men’s basketball coach, Biola University, California

As coaches, we sit around and try to figure out ways to execute inbound plays for many different game situations. When I talk about out-of-bounds plays, I refer to them as special teams situations, much like football. One area of the floor that is o...


May 12, 2010

Box-set, side out-of-bounds series

The following are four sideline inbounds plays run out of a box set that have been extremely successful for our team. 'Carolina' DIAGRAM 1: Carolina. 4 and 3 are lined up at each block, while 5 and 2 positioned at the elbows. As 1 slaps the ball to...


April 16, 2010

Three last-second quick hitters for the win

It's inevitable that, at some point during the season, there comes a time when the clock is winding down and your team needs a quick-hitting play to tie or win a closely contested game. Over the years, we've experimented with a number of plays desig...