Q: I purchased the R&R system a couple of months ago and have been reviewing it constantly. I’m sure that I’m going to implement this in my program (high school girls). I have a question that’s been puzzling me, however.

How do I use or get into R&R offense when being pressed? I saw the part where it said it can be played against any defense but for the life of me I don’t see how it helps against a ½ court ¾ or full court press. In fact, that’s why I like to press a lot, because it doesn’t give the offense a chance to run any organize plays or system. Is there something that I’m missing or not understanding?

A: No coach, you’re not missing anything. That’s why most people press and trap – because most teams cannot play by principle. However, which team should stand a better chance at using spacing, passing, cutting, and dribbling to beat a trap: a team that runs set plays or a team versed in Read & React habits?

Here’s how I adjust the R&R habits in order to get my team to apply them to traps and full-court presses.

Redefine the “spots” to giant spaces on the full court – perhaps break the full-court into a grid. Players cannot “spot up” in the same sector or even adjacent sectors. The middle one-third of the court is redefined as “the basket” (and is the single most important and highest priority spot to be filled).

Now, let’s implement the R&R half-court reaction habits:

When players pass, they must basket-cut (Layer 3), but remember, the new basket is the middle of the zone! Empty spots need to be filled by a teammate (Layer 3). When someone else passes, the middle must be vacated (to an empty spot – Layer 3 habit), because the passer will fill the middle of the zone (the “new” basket).

Speed Dribbles (Layer 5) would apply similarly. If the ball is dribbled at a teammate, that teammate must “basket cut”, i.e., cut to the middle of zone.

With this emphasis on spacing and having a teammate in the middle of the zone, you’re team will pick up the two most important principles when breaking traps: (1) get someone (anyone!) to the middle and (2) create passing targets (with your spots and spacing) that stretch the zone’s coverage.

When this action reaches half-court (in other words, when the press is broken) the players continue the attacking actions on the half-court without setting up; more importantly, without giving the press time to transition from their full-court press to their half-court defense.

Now, your Read & React is a Full-Court Offense rather than a Half-Court Offense. To your players, it’s a mind-set; a habit of attack; it’s simply “offense”. With that implemented, you can turn all of your attention to YOUR full-court press and trap. Remember, “press a pressing team; trap a trapping team”. See if your opponent can play by principle as well as your team does – I’ll bet not (unless they run the Read & React!).