Q: Situation: We are in a 5 OUT open post set versus a 2-3 zone corner trapping defense.

Do we change our set or immediately skip the ball to the weak side on a pin screen and skip pass?

A: Here are a few suggestions:

1. Don’t play 5 OUT and try to keep the corners empty as much as possible. Even if you don’t have a post player, put a player inside and on the weak side of the zone.

This post player should stay opposite the ball and look to do 3 things:

• Set a Pin Screen whenever possible.

• After the zone shifts (following any pass or dribble) look to flash into open areas where the ball can see him. When cutting from the weak side after the zone shifts, the zone defenders will be blind to this cut – in other words, their backs are to the post and thus they won’t see the cutter coming.

• Be a safety valve in the sense that he can step anywhere to receive a pass; short corner, high post, etc. If there’s a double team, then he can bail a teammate out of trouble. And by the way, catching the ball in the interior of the zone does not mean that the post has to shoot. He can pass back outside to teammates since the zone will more than likely collapse on him. As a habit, catch and look opposite first.

2. In your 5 OUT set, experiment with the following options for the Corner player who receives the pass:

• Immediately drive baseline and look for the windows in Layer 2. The wing who just passed the ball will be in the middle of a basket cut. The wing must react as a post player and slide up to the FT line elbow. Since the defense has a strong ball side presence, the natural pitch to the opposite corner will open a lot.

• Immediately dribble out of the corner back to the wing. Get out of the trap before it can be set. Let the wing cutter stop in the short corner on the ball side. Look to pass there. I have a feeling it won’t be covered because they’ll be chasing the ballhandler to the wing to try and trap.

• Immediately dribble out of the corner toward the wing and make the skip pass. Someone on the weak side should be setting a Pin Screen on the weak side of the zone. You must make them pay for overloading one half of the court.

3. Here are some other general options:

• Don’t throw to the corner. Instead make the skip pass from the wing. Immediately set a Pin Screen and get ready for a return Skip Pass.

• Relief from these kinds of trapping zones is located at the top of the key. If anyone passes from the top and the key and cuts, then someone must fill the top of the key even quicker than if you were playing against a man-to-man.

• You can sometimes hold the ball at the top of the key and let cutters settle into place, but on the wings and corners (or wherever the traps occur) the ball cannot be held – it must be passed or dribbled quickly.

• Don’t forget to drive the gaps of the zone from anywhere on the floor. Attack the zone – don’t wait for it to attack you. You should force the zone to worry about defending the goal first and trapping you second.