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 Full Court Play |
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THE FRAMEWORK AND TEACHING STEPS
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Full-Court Play
The purpose of full-court play is to enter the ball as quickly as possible from the back or mid-court into the fast-break triangle, which is located in the front court. Although players can advance the ball with a dribble or a pass, they should, before putting it to the court, always check-off a passing option.
Teaching Step 21. Name the positions of the fast-break triangle and identify their location in the front court.
An occupying positions exercise. Divide the players into three groups. Have one group line up in the mid-court behind the centre line. The other two groups line up in each of the two side lanes, between 15 and 20 feet ahead of the ball.
The player at the head of the line in the middle lane has the ball. He/she is occupying the point (P) position in the outlet set. The two players at the head of the lines in the side lanes are occupying lead (L) positions in that set. Each lead (L) should be 4 to 6 feet from the side line, with shoulders parallel to it.
The exercise starts when the player in the middle lane starts to advance the ball quickly with a dribble. This action cues the two leads (L) to move forward, parallel to the sidelines. Because picking a side cues the two leads (L) as to who will occupy the baseline (B) position and the hole (H), the player with the ball must drive quickly and decisively to one side of the key or the other. The leads (L) should remain parallel to the sideline, until they cross a line which extends from the free-throw line.
If the player with the ball drives to occupy the point (P) position in the fast-break triangle in the left half of the court, the ball-side lead (L) occupies the baseline (B) position, while the offside lead (L) occupies the hole (H) position in the offside part of the money. The two leads (L) should adjust their speed so that they occupy their positions as the player advancing the ball occupies the point (P) position in the fast-break triangle.
When the players have occupied their positions, the point (P) pivots and passes the ball to the player in the middle lane. He and the other two players move quickly to the end of a line, rotating from one line to the next in a counter-clockwise direction.
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Play Options in the Fast-Break Triangle
When the ball is in the point (P) position. A player approaching the point (P) position with a dribble should either drive directly to the basket and score or stop in the point (P) position. Entering the tree-second lane (the paint) cues teammates that the dribbler is taking the ball to the money. Players should not bury themselves, that is, stop in the paint to try to pass. Because of the crowd of both offensive and defensive players in the paint, too often the pass is intercepted, deflected, or mishandled. Consequently, unless a player intends to take the ball to the money, she/he should end the drive before entering the paint, and either shoot or pass.
A player who either ends a dribble or receives a pass in the point (P) position has three options: to shoot, to pass to the hole (H), or to pass to the teammate in the baseline (B) position. The point (P) should pass to the player in the baseline (B) position only after checking-off the teammate going to the hole (H). Not executing one of these three options cues transition to the front-court set.
When the ball is in the hole (H) position. The player cutting to the hole (H) should try to jump to catch the ball so that she/he can dunk or lay it in off the backboard, or land on the court and then shoot a lay-up. The second option is to catch the ball while stopping and then to shoot the lay-up. Unable to shoot, the player should execute an option which will allow teammates to reset in the front-court set.
When the ball is in the baseline (B) position. Upon receiving a pass, the player in the baseline (B) position should quickly shoot or drive directly to the basket for a lay-up, or a short jump shot. Doing neither cues transition to the front-court set.
Teaching Step 22. Explain and demonstrate the options assigned to each position in the fast-break triangle.
A Play-Option-Execution Exercise. The purpose of this exercise is to practise occupying positions in the fast-break triangle and shooting from these positions. The players line up and rotate as in the exercise in Teaching Step 21. Have the players establish the triangle in the right half of the court. After each player has had the opportunity to occupy each of the positions three or four times, have them establish the triangle in the other half of the court.
As the player in the middle lane drives to occupy the point (P) position, the two leads move quickly, parallel to the sideline until they reach the free-throw line extended, when they break to occupy the hole (H) and the baseline (B) positions. The two leads (L) should occupy their positions as the player with the ball occupies the point (P) position. The player who shoots and the player in the hole (H) position rebound. The other player moves to occupy the short safety (SS) position. Whichever player rebounds or retrieves the ball after it drops through the hoop executes an outlet pass to the player in the short (SS) safety position, who pivots and passes it to the next player in the middle lane.
The first play option to practise is the jump shot from the point (P) position; the second, a pass to the player in the hole (H) who shoots a lay-up; and the third, a pass to the player in the baseline (B) position who shoots a jump shot.
Points of emphasis. The player occupying the point (P) position should come to a full-stop, square to the basket, and initiate a jump shot; then shoot or pass, as the situation demands. Ideally, people watching should not be able to tell whether the player will shoot or pass, until he/she executes actually does so.
Fast-Break Triangle Entries
Introduction. (The purpose of play in the Outlet Level of Bee Ball is to get the ball quickly from the back court to the mid-court, from where the player in the point (P) position cues a dribble or passing entry to the front-court set.) However, in the full-court transition game (the Full-Court Level of Play), the first play option is to enter the ball from the back court to the hole (P) position in the fast-break triangle.
Unable or choosing not to execute this option, teammates must advance the ball to the mid-court, from where the player with the ball, who occupies the point (P) position in the outlet set, cues either a dribble or passing entry to the front-court set. If a player in a lead (L) position in the outlet set who receives a pass in the mid-court does not immediately execute a penetrating pass to a teammate cutting to the hole (H) or a penetrating drive to the point (P) position, he/she must cue a dribble or a passing entry to the front-court set.
Similarly, a player who is advancing the ball with a dribble must, as he/she crosses the centre line, advance the ball quickly to the point (P) position of the fast-break triangle or cue an entry to the front-court set.
The Big Triangle. Advancing the ball from the back court to the hole (H) position involves using the big triangle. Three players in the outlet set are involved: the player with the ball who occupies either an entry (E) position or the point (P) position and the two players who occupy the lead (L) positions.
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Teaching Step 23. Explain and demonstrate play in the big triangle.
Attacking the Long Safety Exercise. Each time players gain possession in their back court, they should look first to attack the long safety (LS) position. Have two players ready to occupy the lead (L) positions in the outlet set. Have another near the basket, ready to execute a baseline or sideline throw-in or get a rebound. Have another player occupy the long safety (LS) position. Have one line of players off the court and behind the basket, and another off the court opposite the free throw line. Decide how players should rotate after each attempt to attack the long safety (LS), so that they get to play every position on offence and defence.
The players who will occupy the lead (L) positions are on either side of the free throw line near the restraining circle. The exercise begins when a fourth player (the one who will occupy the long safety (LS) position) creates a rebound (live-ball entry), scores a lay-up, or rolls the ball toward one sideline or the other (throw-in entry). As soon as the player who is playing the point (P) or the entry (E) positions gets the ball, she/he checks off a penetrating pass to the hole (H), before executing a relay pass.
The player in the long safety (LS) position must be creative, that is, deny both the penetrating and the relay passing lanes. He/she cannot simply run back and stand near the basket, but must stay in the mid-court area until the player in the point (P) or the entry (E) position executes a pass.
Points of emphasis. Every player must perform their assigned tasks as quickly as possible, occupying their positions and executing their assigned tasks. Quickness in basketball is playing at high speed with discipline. Playing with discipline involves playing in a manner consistent with the conceptual framework and with the appropriate level of arousal.
Playing hurriedly involves playing fast in a disorganized fashion while being overly excited. "Like a chicken with its head cut off" is an apt simile to describe the player who hurries all over the court with no apparent purpose.
Dribble entries from the mid-court. Players can execute dribble entries into the fast-break triangle from either one of the side lanes or the middle lane. These situations are illustrated in the diagrams immediately below.
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Teaching Step 24. Explain and demonstrate dribble entries from the mid-court into the fast-break triangle.
3-on-2 Exercise in which the the short safety (SS) challenges the point (P).
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3-on-2 Exercise in which the short safety (SS) drops.
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3-on-2 Transition Exercise. This exercise combines the features of the two former. As the player in the point (P) positions starts to dribble, the short safety (SS) may challenge or retreat. The player in the point (P) position should check-off the passing options before executing a dribble entry into the fast-break triangle.
Note: On occasion, to test whether or not players are attentive, the players on defence should cheat. For example, suddenly and without warning, the player in the long safety (LS) position leaves the hole (H) unprotected by quickly moving toward one of the leads (L), as the point (P) starts the exercise with a dribble. Do the point (P) and the other lead (L) immediately exploit this opportunity?
4-on-3 transition exercise. The purpose of this exercise is to practise making entries into the fast-break triangle. There are four players on offence and three on defence.
To begin the exercise, the players on offence and defence should be arranged randomly around the paint. Initially, the coach has the ball. The exercise begins when the coach creates a situation resulting in a throw-in or a live ball entry. Rolling the ball on the floor towards one of the sidelines cues a sideline throw-in. Shooting and scoring cues a baseline throw-in. Shooting and missing cues a live-ball entry (defesive rebound). Later, one of the players who will be on defence can cue the entry into the outlet set.
The first task of the players on offence is to occupy positions quickly in the outlet set. Two defensive players quickly occupy the long (LS) and short (SS) safety positions. The defensive player occupying the rebound (R) position is passive, that is, makes no attempt to disrupt play until the player in an entry (E) position executes a pass or a dribble.
The defensive players work to disrupt play, trying to prevent an entry into the fast-break triangle. When the offence makes an entry into the fast-break triangle, the players on defence should match-up and prevent a shot or drive from any of the positions in the fast-break triangle. An attempt to establish a fast-break triangle ends when the defence gets the ball or when the offence turns it over or gets a shot from one of the positions in the triangle.
On offence, before advancing the ball with a dribble or executing a passing option in the outlet set, players should always check off the passing options in the big triangle.
Transition from the Fast-Break Triangle to the Front-Court Set
Not executing a fast-break-triangle play option cues transition into the front-court set.
When the ball is in the point (P) position. The player in the point (P) position cues transition to the front-court set by not shooting or passing immediately after ending her/his dribble in the point (P). The point (P) position in the fast-break triangle becomes the ball-side (1) trail position in the front-court set.
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Because the player in the hole (H) has priority (being ahead of the trail), he/she can choose to occupy either the off-side lead (4) or trail (2)positions. The trailer (T), who keys on the player in the hole (H), reads which position that player chooses and moves to occupy the vacant position. In the diagram above, the trail (T) becomes the off-side lead (2).
Because the offside lead (4) position has priority when the ball is in the ball-side trail (1) position, the player in the hole (H), exiting to occupy the off-side lead (4) position transfers priority to the off-side trail (2) position.
Whenever players exit from the hole (H) position to occupy the offside lead (4), they transfer priority to the offside trail (2).
When the ball is in the baseline (B) position. The player in the baseline (B)position cues transition to the front court set by not shooting or driving immediately after receiving a pass from the point (P)and by dribbling to occupy the ball-side lead (3) position.
When the ball is in the hole (H) position. The ball going to the hole (H) should result in a score. However, should the player choose not to shoot or shoot, miss, and the team regain possession (an offensive rebound), the players must reset, that is, get the ball to a lead or trail position, occupy positions in the front-court set, and continue playing.
A What Happens Next Exercise. As stated earlier, during the course of play problems will arise. For example, what if the baseline (B) player ends his/her dribble upon arriving in the ball-side lead (3) position, or what if the player ends his/her dribble to initiate a pass to the cutter, but is unable to execute it?
In both instances, what should happen next so that play continues in an organized way? These are the kinds of problems with which the boys and girls will be confronted. Coaches should encourage the players to solve problems as they arise, coming to the rescue only when players are at an impasse.
Teaching Step 25. Explain and demonstrate transition from the the fast-break triangle to the front-court set. To practise this transition, have the players make a dribble entry from the back court to the fast-break triangle. Having made an entry, they should initiate a shooting option from one the three positions, but, rather than shooting, execute transition to the front-court set.
Play Options in the Offensive Front-Court Set
These include the play options of the front-court level of play and perimeter shooting, driving, sliding and pinching, posting-up, and screening.
The player with the ball and teammates without the ball must co-ordinate their decision-making, movement, and actions. This co-ordination of individual effort into a coherent whole is what team play is all about.
Consequently, at any moment during the course of a game, the player with the ball should be able to execute either a team or a one-on-one play option. For example, initiating a penetrating pass may create an excellent driving lane to the money. A teammate executing a basket cut who is not open for a penetrating pass will be in excellent position to rebound. That is when a team player should shoot a perimeter shot.
At the same time, players without the ball must execute play options, not only to create scoring opportunities for themselves, but also to keep the attention of their opponents, making it difficult for them to help their teammate who is guarding the player with the ball.
The highest level of team play occurs when players work together in using the framework to create and to exploit scoring opportunities.
Sequencing play options. The player with the ball can pass, shoot from the perimeter, drive and shoot a jump shot or a lay-up or pass to a teammate, or screen (an around).
The moment a player in a trail (1) position receives a pass, he/she should initiate a shot or drive and execute one of them. At the same time, the teammate who has priority should be walking his/her opponent. Not executing a shot or drive cues a penetrating cut by the player who has priority, while the player with the ball initiates a penetrating pass.
The player with the ball can initiate a penetrating pass, then execute it or shoot or drive. Doeing neither, he/she must execute a reverse, relay, skip, or back-door pass.
The time between receiving a reverse pass and executing a play option should be no longer than 4 seconds, ideally 3.
A player who enters the ball-side trail (1) position with a dribble should shoot immediately or execute one of the passing options, always checking-off a penetrating pass first. Should the player guarding her/him drop off while blocking a passing lane, the point (1) can shoot, providing a cutter is going to the hoop. The point (1) should have the ball for no more than 3 seconds.
The moment the player in the lead (3) position receives a pass, he/she should initiate a penetrating pass to the money. However, should the opponent drop off to block the passing lane, the lead (3) can shoot, particularly if the cutter has rebound position.
Not passing or shooting, the lead (3) can drive to the money. Not driving, the lead (3) checks-off the options with the ball-side trail (1), who was walking his/her opponent. The lead (3) should not have the ball for more than 3 or 4 seconds, unless she/he chooses to dribble the ball to the ball-side trail (1) position.
Players without the ball can slide and pinch, post-up, or screen. Teammates without the ball continually execute play options assigned to the positions they occupy, while being attentive to what the player with the ball is doing. Being attentive, they can complement and support what the player with the ball does.
Teaching Tip 26. At practices, when you think it appropriate, begin introducing the various play options. They are listed below, with diagrams and brief descriptions.
driving and perimeter shooting - Players in a ball-side lead (3) or trail (1) position can pass, shoot, or drive. Explaing and demonstrate how these options are executed and sequenced.
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The Defensive Set
Because of driving, perimeter shooting, and the removal of the free shot, the method of occupying positions in the defensive set in the outlet level of play is no longer applicable. Here is one suggestion for occupying positions in the defensive set in the full-court level of play.
When a teammate shoots, there should always be a player occupying or moving to occupy the offside trail (2) position. That player should occupy the long safety (LS) position. The player taking a perimeter shot (any shot, but a lay-up) should occupy the short safety (SS) position. In full-court play, the short safety (SS) is also a long rebounder. The other two players rebound.
A player who shoots a lay-up should rebound. One of the players occupying an offside position should also rebound. The other two players should occupy the two safety positions.
Regardless of the method, players must communicate so that there is always a long (LS) and a short (SS) safety and two offensive rebounders.
Play Options in the Defensive Full-Court Set
Defensive team play at this level is the same as at the outlet level of play, with the addition of the following play options: help and recover, freezing, double teaming, jump switching, rotating, switching, sliding, and fighting over.
Teaching Tip 27. At practices, when you think it appropriate, begin introducing the new aspects of play on defence, occupying positions in the defensive set and the new play options. Brief descriptions of these options are immediately below.
Help and recover. While guarding opponents without the ball, players should be ready to help teammates, while continuing to guard their opponents.
Freezing. Players who find themselves having to guard more than one opponent must try to slow the tempo of play, allowing teammates to match up.
This freezing involves doing things which result in the player with the ball hesitating, not being sure what the defender will do next.
Double teaming. A double team occurs when two teammates guard an opponent.
Jump switching.Two teammates can exchange or switch who they are guarding. A player cues a jump switch by quickly and suddenly moving directly at an opponent who is being guarded by a teammate.
Rotating. When a double team occurs or when an opponent drives or cuts by a defender, teammates have to adjust quickly in order to protect the penetrating driving or passing lanes to the basket. This rapid adjustment is called rotating.
Switching, sliding, and fighting over. There are three ways in which to defend a screen.
switching - two teammates exchange opponents. When an opponent sets a screen, the player guarding the screener cues the switch, usually by calling out, "switch".
sliding - as an opponent sets a screen, the player who is guarding the screener creates a space between the screener and himself/herself through which the teammate being screened can slide. The player who is is being screened begins the slide, by steping back and around the screener.
fighting over - as an opponent sets a screen, the player who is screened quickly steps up and moves over the top of the screen to continue to guard his/her check.
The essence of sound defence is knowing what your opponents prefer to do and then taking those preferences away.
The Rules of Play
The rules of play are the same as in the outlet level of play, except for the following.
Starting play. Play starts with a jump ball at the restraining circle a centre court.
Scoring. There are no free shots, and all field goals are 2 points.
Offensive rebounding. Players who get an offensive rebound can shoot, dribble out of the key, or pass to a teammate.
Guarding a player with or without the ball. The rules of high school basketball apply.
Travelling. High school rules apply.
Length of games. Organizers of competitions determine the duration and the number and length of the periods of a game, and whether to use stop or running time.
Playing time. Because Bee Ball is a developmental game, everyone on the team must play. There should be a reasonable minimum and maximum amount of floor time for each player.
A Final Word
Coaches should know how to measure the quality of their coaching. Winning is an unreliable measure. Too many variables affect winning, such as injuries, the availability of gifted athletes, and chance.
Similarly, winning is an unreliable measure of the quality of team play. The final score decides who wins the game, but not necessarily which team plays better basketball.
Because a coach has far better control over how players play basketball than over the outcome of a game, people should measure the quality of coaching by how well individual players and the team play basketball, and by how much players or the team improve over time.
Unfortunately, because people can measure winning more easily than they can judge the quality of play, they tend to measure success by winning. Over the years, friends or interested fans rarely asked whether we played well, only whether we had won.
Coaches who measure their success primarily by their win-loss record are usually not committed to teaching players how to play. Learning is a difficult and slow process. When players are learning, their performance often deteriorates. As a result, in trying to win, many coaches rely on recruiting players with special skills or physical attributes, such as athletic ability and size, and on systems of play designed to hide individual and team weaknesses.
On the other hand, coaches who are committed to teaching players how to play and to striving to win will find a conceptual approach the most effective way to achieve both goals. In addition, fans who become familiar with the conceptual approach will have greater understanding and appreciation of how basketball should be played. This knowledge will greatly increase their capacity to experience joy and exhilaration when their team plays well and wins.
Let's Play
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