A Few Set Plays Print E-mail

In each issue of The Coaches Clipboard we will include a few set plays effective against various defences.  If you have a quick hitter, end out, side out, etc. you would like to share with coaches please forward it to Mike McNeill at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Set Plays

 

ImageLatvia-Posts Out:

This set was run by the Latvian Womens’ National Team.  It can be effective against pressure defences because it has a lot of player and ball movement, and the post players are used on the perimeter initially.  The set can be run to either side of the floor.

As O1 brings the ball up the court, O2 moves to the corner. O5 cuts through the lane, and breaks out to the wing.  O1 advances the ball up the wing to O5 and then goes into the post.  As O5 breaks to the wing O2 begins to cut through to the opposite side of the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

O5 passes back to O4 who is usually trailing to the top.  O4 reverses the ball to O2 breaking out to the wing.  O3 slides down to the corner. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O4 down screens for O1, who breaks to the top, and receives a pass from O2.  O1 will look for O3 coming off the staggered screen from O5 and O4.  O3 must read his/her defender and will either fade if the defender goes over top of the last screen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ImageIf X3 tails O3 then O3 will curl the screen and screen X4.  O4 then steps out to the corner for a quick shot.  If O3 continues to cut then O4 could also post up deeper against the defender.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ImageBack:

This play is good because the best shooter, O2 is setting a back screen for a post player. Typically, when a good shooter is a screener his/her defender, will not help as long.  As well, the ball will be in the hands of the best passer, O1 during the scoring options of this play.

As O1 gets into operating position O2 comes off a down screen from O5, and receives a pass from O1 at the wing.  O1 cuts to the middle of the lane after passing.  O4 also cuts towards the middle of the lane and either breaks out, or comes off a down screen, near the foul line, from O1. O2 will pass to O4 near the top. 

 

 

 

As O4 is receiving the pass, O3 breaks out high and receives a reversal pass from O4.  O1 breaks out to the wing and the ball reversal is completed with the O3 to O1 pass.  As this last pass is occurring O2 cuts off a back screen from O5.  Usually O2’s defender will get through the screen, so O2 turns and back screens for O5.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O1 looks for O5 off the back screen and then for O2 coming off a staggered screen from O4 and O3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ImageIverson to Double Back:

The Chilean Women’s National Team ran this set effectively at the FIBA Tournament of the Americas Olympic Qualifier. The set can be run to either side of the floor. Plus, it is effective against teams that play denial defence because of the unusual action of the weak-side post stepping out to the top to receive the reversal pass and the “Iverson cut” can be difficult to defend.

It begins with a high-post rub after O1 passes to either wing.  In this example O1 passes to O2 and cuts off O4.  With a slight delay, O3 moves towards the weak-side block and O5 steps out high to receive a reversal pass. 

 

 

 

 

After O2 passes to O5 at the top, he/she will run an “Iverson cut” off O4 at the elbow, and then receive a pass from O5 at the opposite wing.  After screening O4 comes off a double back screen from O1 and O3 and looks to receive a pass from O2 near the block. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final scoring opportunity comes when O5 sets a down screen for O1, who comes off the screen to the top.  At the conclusion of this set the posts are in a double-low alignment with O1 at the top and O2 and O3 at the wings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baseline Out of Bounds

 

ImageLiberty:

The New York Liberty of the WNBA ran this baseline out of bounds set vs man to man defence.  O5 breaks and receives the in-bounds pass from O2.  O4 down screens for O1, as the ball is in flight to O5.  O1 breaks to the top to receive the pass from O5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ImageThe scoring options come from: 1) O5 down screening for O2 or 2) O4 posting inside and receiving a pass from O1 or O3.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Vs Zone – “Corners”:

A common move in attacking zone defences in baseline out-of-bounds situations is to have the best perimeter shooter be positioned in, or cut to, the weak-side corner.  This forces one defender to flatten out or give up an easy pass, this also leads to more openings on the interior. 

“Corners” is a very simple play that has several options.  O3 breaks out to the corner immediately and then will break high to serve as a safety.  O5 cuts diagonally through the zone to the weak-side.  This cut must go to basket level, and the cutter’s goal is to get inside X4.  O2 will take one step up the lane and then break out to the weak-side corner.  As soon as O5 begins to cut through the middle of the zone O4 cuts across the lane and attempts to find a “soft spot” in the zone (a spot that is not covered by a defender.)  O1’s options are 1) O2 is the corner, if X4 covers O5; 2) a bounce pass to O5, if X4 stays wide; quick pass to O4 coming across the lane; and 4) to O3 wide at the wing.


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