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 Mid-Court Play |
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MID-COURT PLAY
AN OVERVIEW OF PLAY IN THE MID COURT
As a player either approaches the centre line with a dribble or receives a pass over the centre line, she/he may choose to slow the tempo of play; because
(a) she/he is unable to execute quickly a penetrating pass to
the hole, or a penetrating dribble or pass to the point
position of the fast-break triangle, or
(b) it is appropriate to slow the tempo. For example, with only
seconds left in the half, the team chooses to run the clock
down to take the last shot.
Cueing Play in the Mid-Court Set
To cue play in the mid-court set, the player with the ball simply slows the tempo of play. When advancing the ball with a dribble, the player can slow his advance to a walk or stop, while continuing to dribble.
Ball-side and off-side positions. The three 3 group players occupy the ball-side positions in one half of the court and the two 2 group players occupy the off-side positions in the other half.
ball-side positions - the ball-side positions form a triangle, the middle, the ball-side lead, and the point. The middle position is the same as the point position in the fast-break triangle. The lead position is located laterally to the middle position, about six feet from the sideline. In order to create a good passing angle to the middle position, the point position is five to six feet toward the sideline from a straight line extending from the middle position.
off-side positions - The off-side lead position straddles the free-throw line extended about six feet from the nearest sideline. The off-side trail position is in the middle of the left half of the court, slightly behind the point position.
Note: The half of the court in which the three ball-side positions are located is called the strongside and the half in which the two off-side positions are located is called the weakside.
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EXECUTING FRONT-COURT ENTRIES FROM THE MID-COURT
The first priority of the strong-side players of the mid-court is to enter the ball to the #1 position of the front-court set. The second priority is to enter the ball to the #3 position of the front court set.
While executing an entry, players should try to exploit scoring opportunities. For example, because the #1 position is also the point position of the fast-break triangle, the first play option to check off in that position is a penetrating pass to the hole.
What follows are examples of how strong-side players can enter the ball to the #1 and #3 positions of the front-court set. Examples of entries into the front-court are explained and diagrammed in the section on Front-Court Play.
The focus in this section is on entering the ball into the #1 and #3 positions and on providing some example of how player can score while executing those entries.
Entering the Ball to the #1 Position
The point of the strong-side triangle can use either a passing or a dribble entry into the #1 position of the front-court set.
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Choosing not to enter the ball to #1, the point can execute a relay pass to the strong-side lead.
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Another opportunity for scoring occurs when the player guarding the strong-lead denies the relay passing lane. Initiating but not executing the relay pass cues the lead to back door to receive a penetrating pass in the hole.
Entering the Ball to the #3 Position
After checking off the passing options to a teammate cutting to the hole and to the player in the #1 of the front-court set, the strong side lead can use a dribble to enter the #3 position in the front-court set.
Similarly, when the point dribbles directly at the strong-side lead who clears, he/she can enter the #3 position with a dribble. The player who cleared can post-up in the hole. Not receiving a pass, he/she executes the same option as a player who slides, rolls, or cuts to the hole immediately after the point executes a relay pass to the strong-side lead. This option is explained in the Entry Phase sub-section of the section on Front-Court Play.
USING THE MID-COURT SET TO SLOW THE TEMPO OF PLAY
During this phase of play, the strong-side players keep exchanging positions. At the same time, any one of the two weakside players may execute a free cut (an unsequenced cut) to the hole. For example, should an opponent guarding a weakside player be inattentive, distracted, or provide help defense to a teammate guarding a strongside player, the player he/she is guarding should quickly execute a free cut to the hole.
Play While Slowing the Tempo of Play
To start play during this phase of play, the player in the middle position quickly pops out toward the centre line to receive a pass from the point. Having priority, the ball-side lead may move to occupy the middle position or stay. The player who was the point reads and reacts by filling the open position.
As the player who popped completes a dribble entry to the point position in the strongside triangle, the players continue to exchange positions, until exploiting an easy scoring opportunity or, at the appropriate time, cueing play in the front-court set.
Following are diagrams of examples how player use the mid-court set to slow the tempo of play.
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