Q: I have a general question about what happens on a pass from a perimeter player to a cutter say on the Pass-Cut move or Read-Line cut (basic level 3 stuff). What are the perimeter players taught to do once the pass goes to the cutter?

I am coaching a junior high girls team and there will be times they get the ball as the cutter off the pass and cut, but get stopped in the key by a help or recovering defender. I want them to know where to expect their perimeter teammates to be or if there will be a dish option.

A: This is a very good question - it tells me that you understand the big picture.

I’ll answer it using your scenario:

The left wing will continue the cut and fill the spot at the point. The left corner will fill the left wing. I’ll come back to the left corner in a moment. The reason that the left wing should continue to fill the spot up top is the case that you pointed out. If the point catches the pass and gets stopped before getting to the goal, then she will need to reverse pivot and throw back to where she came from - the left wing winds up filling the point’s Safety Valve - as if the point had driven to the goal.

The left corner has filled the left wing. If the cutter passed the ball back to the point, the point will have someone one pass away. If the cutter catches the pass and continues to the basket, the left corner will stop wherever she is and crash the boards. If she’s made it to the left wing, then she still crashes the boards - unless you have other plans for her.

The right wing has passed to the cutter. What does the right wing do?

This depends on where the cutter received the ball and what she did with it.

I have three examples:

1. If she catches the ball and finishes with a lay-up, then there’s not been enough time for the right wing to do anything other than hit the boards or get back on defense.

2. If she catches the ball a good distance from the goal and must put the ball on the ground to beat a help defender, then Circle Movement applies: the right wing goes to the right corner and the right corner runs the baseline toward the other corner.

3. If she catches the ball and is then stopped, that is, she picks up the ball, then the right wing should register that this is like feeding a post player: the right wing should basket cut and look to get the ball back. This will leave an empty spot that can be filled by either the right corner or the player at the top of the key. There’s no clear rule for who should fill this spot, but I lean toward the right corner filling up to the right wing. The most important thing is for someone to get open for the cutter: she’s picked up the ball and is in trouble!

I hope this helps - let me know how it goes!