Utilizing the same plays from different offensive alignments, sets From John Kimble, Former Head Boys Coach, Crestview High School, Crestview, Fla.

The Stax alignment is somewhat of a unique offensive alignment that can immediately give an offense an advantage. Since it’s a unique formation, it’s more difficult for the opposition to prepare to defend. It can also give the offensive team an air of unpredictability, leaving the opposition unsure of what to expect.

The Stax set distorts the defensive alignment, as it stretches the defense both horizontally and vertically.

Stax Alignment 1DIAGRAM 1: Stax Alignment
The two “stacks” of offensive players (high and low) are immediate threats because both should allow for an easy first pass for the point guard to initiate the offense. This enables the offense equal opportunities to attack the defense from the left or right. We’ve given the Stax set an identification number of “10.”


Stax Alignment 2DIAGRAM 2: “Twins” Set (Box Set)
This alignment is used by many teams and is basically a box formation with 1 at the point and the two post players at the top of the box. It also carries with it a symmetrical advantage so that each entry can be initiated to either side. The identification number we’ve designated for this set is “20.”


Stax Alignment 3DIAGRAM 3: “3-Across” Set (1-3-1 Set). This alignment/set is called “30” in our system.


Stax Alignment 4DIAGRAM 4: “4-Down” Set (1-4 Low). This set is common to many teams and it has the potential to possess various entries or plays that can be productive and efficient. This alignment is a symmetrical offensive set that allows each play to be entered on either side of the court. We’ve designated this set with the call “40.”


Stax Alignment 5DIAGRAM 5: “5 Up” Set (1-4 High). This is also a common offensive alignment whose symmetry allows for entry to either side of the floor. We call this set “50.”


Choosing An Offense

Stax entries apply fundamentally sound man-to-man offensive concepts and serve different purposes, depending on the needs of your team. The entries should all be quick hitters that have clearly defined offensive rebounding and defensive-transition assignments to each player.

Some entries utilize ball screens with various types of actions that follow a particular screen. Other entries can use various types of off-the-ball screens — such as staggered screens, diagonal downscreens, flex-type backscreens, pin screens, cross-screens, other types of perimeter backscreens and UCLA-type screens — as well as various cuts, such as backdoor cuts, flare-cuts, shuffle-cuts, high-post flash cuts and low-post flash cuts.

Entries can be designed to highlight specific individual offensive talents and skills while other entries can be created to attack and exploit the weaknesses of specific defenders.

Each entry should easily flow into a designated continuity offense so that the offensive attack can continue its assault on the defense. Be aware that too many entries, alignments and continuities can mentally bog down a team.

A coaching staff must pick entries that best fit his or her offensive personnel and also must choose only one or two continuity offenses that also adapt to the personnel.

Into 5-Up Alignment

The following diagrams illustrate how to motion into the 5-up alignment from various sets.


Into 5-Up Alignment 1DIAGRAM 6: “Stax” alignment into the 5-up alignment.


Into 5-Up Alignment 2DIAGRAM 7: “Twins” set into the 5-up alignment.


Into 5-Up Alignment 3DIAGRAM 8: “3-across” set into the 5-up alignment.


Into 5-Up Alignment 4DIAGRAM 9: 4-Down Set Into 5-Up Alignment.


Dual Entry

The following two diagrams illustrate examples of plays that originate out of the “Twins” set (20 Set) primarily for the point guard (1).

The continuity offense shown below is the “Two-Player, Dual Power-Game Continuity Offense” (called “Dual”).