From: Arne Eriksson

I enjoy reading your R&R blog: it stimulates a lot of thought. Here is an idea I had about running Pass & Cut from the corner in the 5 OUT set. The video shows the cutter cutting in, then filling the spot he just left. We did this to start, but I think I have an idea of how it might be improved. What if a sub-layer were developed where whenever a player passes from the corner, rather than replacing himself after the cut, he pivots and posts up? This is a very effective way to post up. Kevin McHale of the Celtics was very adept at getting the ball in the post in this way. It is very tough to defend because the defensive player actively retreats, treating it like a cut. Now all the cutter has to do is jump stop, reverse pivot, and present himself for the ball. A similar situation occurs in the safety valve drive: a penetrator who has been stopped in the lane, reverse pivots and passes out to his safety valve. All that’s left for the passer to do is shape up in a good post position and look for the ball. In either instance, if the ball isn’t thrown into the post, he can fill an open spot just as he normally would in the Pass & Cut layer.

If you were running 4 OUT or 3 OUT, you could dovetail this habit by saying if you pass from the wing, you cut in, down screen for the post, then post up. I didn’t think of this adjustment until after our season was over, but I think we will tinker with it next year. Many high school & junior high players are not very good at feeding the post which is a necessity for good offensive basketball. After drilling your team on these different ways of getting the ball to the post, then you could reinforce this habit in scrimmages by making it a rule that no shots are allowed until we get at least one pass into the post. Or you could award a bonus point for every pass into the post on a possession.

Rick’s Response:

Hey Arne!

Your solution to 5 OUT pass and cut from the corner is excellent! After fielding these kinds of questions for the last six months, I’ve realized that I did a poor job of communicating the idea of connecting all the layers into an offense where each layer complements the other layers and solves these kind of problems. My intention was to show the pass and cut, post play and backscreens as separate TEACHING layers with the intention of eventually melding them all together. You’ve articulated the “melding” of these layers quite well. But instead of a “sub-layer”, my intention was: once the offense is complete, a cutter (which could be someone who has just made a pass from the perimeter OR a dribble penetrator who penetrated and pitched the ball) would have the choice of doing one of the following:

1. Fill out to an open spot on the perimeter;
2. Take a spot on the perimeter by setting a backscreen on a teammate;
3. Remain inside and Post Up;
4. Set a screen for a Post teammate (downscreen or crosscreen) and fill out to the perimeter;
5. Set a screen for a Post teammate (downscreen or crosscreen) and fill the other Post spot (3 OUT 2 IN);
6. While exiting the lane on the weakside, recognize good helping position by the defense, turn around, and set a Pin Screen;
7. While exiting the lane on the weakside, recognize that a weak-side teammate is setting a Pin Screen, and get into the Skip Pass position.

There are two other ways to use a Read & React skill to get a player in the post:

8. Speed Dribble someone (forcing a basket cut) and let them post up, screen a post, or set a Pin Screen instead of simply filling out.
9. Power Dribble, hand-off, roll to the basket and post up, screen a post, etc.

Thanks for your input, Arne. It shows my blind spots where I’ve assumed too much. When it comes to teaching, repetition is king. I should have communicated this concept in a number of different ways to make sure that coaches “get it”. You explanation will help! My biggest concern with the Read & React was creating a framework that maintains 5-player coordination but has enough freedom that coaches like yourself can make these kinds of adjustments as your team needs them.

Regarding your last paragraph about feeding the post, etc., I couldn’t agree more and that’s a great way to make sure the ball goes inside and out at least once in a possession. In terms of what it does to the defense, I think it’s like reversing the side of the floor with the ball; it makes the defense change and adjust their positions. When that happens, defensive assignments and positions break down which affords the offense opportunities to score.