Basketball Plays

* With this option, you are positioning your inside player at the free throw line or elbows (think Princeton offense). * This can really open up cutting to the rim since there is nobody on the block at all if you line up this way. * This is also a prime position for the inside player to set screens for cutters going to the rim after they pass. They are in a great spot to set ball screens as well. * You can also pass to this player and use them as a facilitator/passer from the high post spot.

* If you’re using this option, you have a post player who is a threat when they catch the ball inside and you want to get them involved in your offense. * This player will basically follow the ball based on what side it’s on. * You can also use this player to set backscreens on the ballside.

1. If you’re using this option, the post player is always moving block to block depending on where the ball is located. This is a good option if you don’t have a super skilled post presence or a player who is more skilled at going and grabbing offensive rebounds than being thrown to in the post. 2. The main roles of this player is to: 3. Be on the opposite side of the ball so if his defender helps, penetrating guards can pass to him for a layup 4. Clean up all offensive rebounds on the weakside 5. This player can also be a screener, but will mostly be positioned near the block opposite the ball. 6. If the ball is dribble or passed from one side to the other, this player will simply cut behind the rim with their butt to the baseline to the other side 7. What’s also nice about this option is that it makes cutting and screening on the ballside more effective since there is more space without a player standing on the block.

* Another rule you could add involves ball screens. A coach could instruct their players to follow their pass and go set a ball screen. This could be an option within the offense or a specific automatic action for certain players on the roster (post players, for example) * A roll to the rim would act just like any other basket cut in the aforementioned rules * Being able to use the a post player in the high post is very effective with ball screens - especially if they are random and not expected by the defense

* You can add a rule that states: once the ball is passed, the passer must set a screen away from the ball. * The cutter who uses the screen now becomes the cutter to the rim and the same basic rules apply. * When first installing this, it might be wise for the coach to instruct the player who is receiving the screen to always curl tight to the rim. Once this is mastered, the coach can give more freedom to the players to make their own reads and reactions (popping, flaring, rejecting the screen, slips, etc.) * Also, for the screener, coaches should emphasize popping back out following the screen. Oftentimes the screener defender will help on the cut to the rim. This allows the screener to pop out and be open for a shot - and sometimes a drive to the rim against a recovering defender closing out.

* If a player with the ball dribbles at you, you must go backdoor. * Just like the backdoor cut mentioned above, the same rules for a normal basket cut apply here: cut all the way through, cut and fill to next spot, other players rotate to open spot * Players must understand the difference between their teammates driving and attacking the rim and dribbling at themA north and south dribble to the rim is a drive * An east and west dribble to the side is a dribble at * A good rule here would be that if a player dribbles directly at you and they are above the 3-point line, go backdoor. * A key here is the spacing of the inside player. If this player sees a backdoor cut happening, they need to open up space for this pass by filling up and leaving the rim open.

While this is not a set play, these are a few options your team can use by using 5 in the high post.

When you pass, you must basket cut. The first and most basic rule of the 4-Out Offense is that when you pass, you must basket cut - every single time! As players develop, a coach may want to add rules or give options to this but, in the beginning, this rule must be followed to the letter. Cut to score! An important teaching point here is that players should be “cutting to score”. Players must cut every time as if they might get the ball back for a layup (and sometimes they will). This puts more pressure on the defense and the rim. It will also open up the floor for better spacing. Fill the empty spots. Once a player cuts to the rim, the other players fill the empty spots. This movement becomes a habit pretty quickly because it makes sense. Just cut to the open spot next to you. The original cutter simply fills into the open spot. You could literally run this as your entire offense - especially on a youth level - if you wanted to.

There are several alignment options available to coaches when running the 4-Out Offense as well. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages.