Written by Rick Torbett on July 24, 2009 – 9:31 PM
Q: In the 4 OUT set, when a wing passes up to the guard, does that passing wing cut. If so, how does the circle movement work?
A: The wing still cuts. It’s Layer 3 action. Once the habit of passing and basket-cutting has been taught, there shouldn’t be any place in the offense, regardless of the formation, where the passer doesn’t cut. It’s hard enough to teach players to cut to score. If they’re allowed to choose whether to cut or not, I know what they’ll choose: they’ll choose to stand and come up with a good excuse for it.
Here are some scenarios to consider for the wing who passed up top and MUST now basket cut:
a. The post is on the wing’s side of the floor. When the wing cuts, the post can screen for him. The wing can fill out to the other corner, remain in the post and change your set to 3 OUT, or set a back-screen for the other wing or guard and take their place.
b. The post is on the wing’s side of the floor. When the wing cuts, the post can back-screen for him; if the wing is not open, then he plants, turns and cuts back to the same wing or corner while the post plants, turns and sets a down-screen for the wing on his way out; Screen and Re-screen action.
c. The post is on the wing’s side of the floor. When the wing cuts, the cut is on top of the post. The wing turns in the lane and fills out to the corner from the same side of the floor from whence he came. The post faces the lane and screens for the wing on his way out to the corner and then shapes up in the lane in case the guard can feed him straight down the lane from up top.
d. The post is on the opposite side of the floor. When the wing cuts, he can screen for the post. The post ducks into the lane for a possible score. This is good action because of the big/little switching problem for the defense. The wing can stay inside, or fill out, or back-screen out.
e. The post is on the opposite side of the floor. When the wing cuts, his defender stays in the lane to help. The post sets a pin screen and the wing sets up for the skip pass in the opposite corner.
f. The post is on the opposite side of the floor. The wing passes up top and basket cuts as if the formation was 5 OUT. The wing sets a back-screen on the opposite wing. The opposite wing can now use two staggered screens: the back-screen and the post on his side.
g. If the post is opposite the wing and the wing passes up top and cuts through to the other side, the guard up top has one-half of the floor to drive without any help defense in place.
h. If the post is on the wing’s side of the floor and the wing passes up top and basket cuts through to the other side of the floor, the guard up top has a “Post Isolation” opportunity. All it takes is a dribble toward the empty wing and the post can be easily fed.
In the 4 OUT option, it seems to me that filling 4 of the 5 perimeter spots (used for the 5 OUT) will still allow players to follow the circle movement rules. Is this how you would suggest running the 4 OUT? Or, do you prefer a two-guard, two-wing option? In a two-guard, two-wing alignment, does the tight spacing between the wing and corner following a rotation cause any problems?
Thanks.
Hey Jeff,
I’ve posted the answer to your question here, http://www.betterbasketball.com/read-and-react-offense/dribble-penetration-circle-movement/alignment-in-the-4-out-set/.
The post is titled, “Alignment in the 4 OUT Set”, can also be found in the “Dribble Penetration” or “Formations & Sets” categories.
Thanks