Winnetka Bullets Basketball Blog

4 OUT AND 1 IN MOTION OFFENSE

This offense will have 4 players running motion offense on the perimeter and one player working the low and high post area. The perimeter players have the option of filling a post spot opposite the permanent post player - for a 2-3 second count. This will be discussed in the rules of the offense.

The Basic Set

The perimeter players have 5 possible areas to locate at. The 5 areas are: the point spot near the top of the key, the wings, and the corners. The post man has 7 different spots he can locate at: low posts, mid posts, elbows, and the free throw line spot.

General Rules of the Offense

(1) Players should know their shooting range and try to receive the ball within their shooting range.
(2) Make good screens. Players should know proper methods of setting and receiving screens.
(3) Players need good spacing. We like 12-15 foot spacing between players. If it is closer than this the defense can give help. If it is further than this the defense can deflect the long slow pass.
(4) Practice the proper way to receive the ball - we want our perimeter players to immediately square up to the basket and be in a triple threat position.
(5) Don’t pass too fast - make sure you look inside before swinging the ball on the outside.
(6) The dribble should only be used to do the following: improve passing angle, drive for a lay up, prevent a 5 second count. We don’t want the unnecessary dribble.

Perimeter Player Rules:

(1) Pass and cut to the basket. If you don’t receive a return pass break out to a vacant perimeter position.
(2) Pass and screen away on either a perimeter player or post player. Continue all screening to the baseline - an example of this would be: point passes to the right wing, point sets a screen for the left wing, point sees the 4th perimeter player in the left corner, the point continues on and now screens down for the corner player.
(3) We want every 3rd pass into the post. When a perimeter player passes into the post he should screen for the closest perimeter player or cut to an open spot on the perimeter. Non-passing perimeter players will be running the downscreen rule - if a player is below you then you screen for him.
(4) Pass and “v” cut and replace yourself.
(5) Pass and cut to the vacant spot on the perimeter.

The Post Player Rules:

(1) Stay in a post position for approximately 5 seconds. Moving too often and quickly will make it difficult for perimeter players to coordinate their movements with the post. If the post does not move enough then the defense will be in a position to “cheat” and “give help.”
(2) With no one else in the post, the post player has a tremendous amount of freedom to operate. The post may operate as a screener, passer, driver, or shooter from the high post, low post, ballside or backside position.
(3) Post may screen for any perimeter player who does not have the ball. A good example of this situation would be the low post screening for the weakside corner cutting across the baseline to the ball.
(4) Post may screen for any perimeter player who has the ball when there is no other offensive player between the player to be screened and the baseline. The example of this situation would be: player on right wing has the ball - right corner is vacant, post on right low post comes out and runs a pick and roll on the ball.

Perimeter Player Rules When In Post

Perimeter players may fill any of the 7 post spots - we don’t want them doing this on a regular basis and it must be done meeting the standards of the rules set. The rules:
(1) When a perimeter player comes to a post spot he should be opposite the permanent post man. An example of this would be: high -low, low right - low left.
(2) We only want perimeter players in the post for a very short period. A maximum of 3 seconds in the post area and then vacate to an open perimeter area.
(3) Post up only if an offensive advantage is there. We want to keep it to a minimum - we don’t want to clutter the offensive area for the post man.
(4) A perimeter player who is in the post and makes a pass should follow the same rules that are listed above for perimeter players.

Summary:

This offense is very easy rules wise. Players like this offense because it has unlimited number of scoring opportunities for all players. You can use similar teaching methods that I introduced in my article on 3 Out and 2 In Motion Offense.

NOTE:  Coach Michael Wells passed away in 2007 from brain cancer. Coach Wells had put together this information on his AOL Home Page at Michael Wells Basketball Coaching Information. I recently received information that AOL is eliminating their home page sites. In order to preserve this information for the basketball coaching community I am posting some of Coach Wells’ articles here. Coach Wells was a leader in the coaching community and he believed the internet was a great way for coaches to communicate and develop their coaching skills and knowledge through positive interaction with other coaches. CoachWells started a Yahoo coaching group to further this belief. The group had over 2800 members and more than 53,000 messages on just about every coaching topic.  The message board can still be accessed at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/basketball-coaching/messages although no new messages can be posted.

MICHAEL J. WELLS
VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL COACH
ADMIRAL FARRAGUT ACADEMY
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA

Career record: 614-283
Previous coaching positions:
University of Wisconsin-Platteville 1977-78 (assistant)
Orangeville High School (Illinois) 1978-83
Keswick Christian High School 1983-99
Admiral Farragut Academy 1999-2007

THE 3 OUT - 2 IN MOTION OFFENSE

Positioning Rules

The Post Men:

You have 2 posts in this offense. They may locate in 7 different spots: low post(s), mid post(s), elbow(s), and middle of free throw line. When the offense begins both posts go down low and post up.

The Perimeter Players:

You have 3 perimeter players. The 5 spots they can locate at are: the point, the wing(s), and the corner(s). When the offense begins the ball is in the point’s hands and the other two players are usually in the wing areas. Perimeter players should try to stay about 12 feet apart. If you are more than 12 feet apart - the ball is in the air longer and the chance for a deflection increases. If you are closer than 12 feet you allow a defender to defend the pass and still be in position to stop the drive. LEARN PROPER SPACING.

GENERAL RULES

When you make a pass you must move - it is easy to guard someone standing still.

Only dribble for the following reasons: (1) to make an immediate drive to the basket. (2) to improve your angle of pass to your teammate. (3) prevent a 5 second count violation. It is very important that your players understand what the 5 second count is - STUDY THIS RULE AND TEACH IT.

POST RULES

Both posts should immediately go to the low post area on each side of the lane and post up. You want the ball in the low post - thus it is very important you teach your players how to post up. When the ball is passed from point to wing, this is when the posts begin to work together with rules. The weakside post will key on how his offensive post partner is defended. If the post on ballside is fronted the weakside post will flash ballside elbow. If he receives a pass we look for the low post pin and a high low play. If no high low pass then high post slides down and players have just switched spots. If the ballside post has the defense playing behind him - the weakside post breaks straight up the lane to the weakside elbow. We want the ball passed into the low post every time in this situation. Note if the weakside post defender doubles down then the weakside post player needs to get a pass out from the low post for the elbow jumper. If the defense plays the ballside low post with a 3/4 defense then the ballside post will come and screen for the weakside post. If the defense switches on this play - the screener always steps back to the ball. A teaching point we always teach to prevent turnovers - low post player has his hand up yelling for the ball. When player is going to vacate the post (screen away), we drop our hand a one second count before we turn and go. This prevents turnovers when you pass and the player has vacated the post and the ball hits him in the back of the head. The post player always has the freedom to break up to the high post when he sees the point to wing pass having trouble being made. This movement opens up the backdoor cut for the wing player.

PERIMETER RULES

The perimeter players have 5 spots to locate in. They can do the following after passing the ball: (1) pass and cut to the basket and relocate to an open perimeter spot. (2) pass and screen a partner perimeter player away from the ball. (3) pass and “v” cut and replace yourself. (4) pass and slide - this is cutting to an open spot away from the ball. (5) any time a pass is made to a post player - the perimeter player who made the pass to the post will go pick for the closest perimeter player to him. The pick should be at least 10 feet from the post player - make sure this pick is not closer than 10 feet or perimeter defenders may double down on the post..

TEACHING METHODS

We separate the post players and the perimeter players when introducing this offense. Post players learn to work together and read the defense. The coach can create 2 on 2 situations while he holds the ball out on the wing. The perimeter players learn their rules by going 3 on 3 against each other. The key will be spacing and moving - players tend to want to stop and watch and not move. When the basic rules are learned we create the following teaching progressions for this offense: (1) 5 on 2 with defense only on the posts - posts can only score. (2) 5 on 3 with defense only on the perimeter - perimeter can only score. (4) 5 on 4 with coach dictating what player has no defense on him - player with no defender is not allowed to score. (5) finally we get to 5 on 5. The coach can dictate different situations such as: (1) certain number of passes must be made. (2) specify which player can only score (only the offense knows who the player is). (3) no dribbles may be allowed.

In summary, this is a great offense. It allows you the freedom to keep your post players near the basket and gives your perimeter players the ball where they are most effective to operate. I find that your defense improves because this offense makes your defense work so much harder. Try mixing in some set plays within this offense and your man to man offense will be set.

If you should have any questions , feel free to contact me. Contact me by going back to my web page: Michael Wells Basketball Coaching Information Web Page

NOTE: Coach Michael Wells passed away in 2007 from brain cancer. Coach Wells had put together this information on his AOL Home Page at Michael Wells Basketball Coaching Information. I recently received information that AOL is eliminating their home page sites. In order to preserve this information for the basketball coaching community I am posting some of Coach Wells’ articles here. Coach Wells was a leader in the coaching community and he believed the internet was a great way for coaches to communicate and develop their coaching skills and knowledge through positive interaction with other coaches. CoachWells started a Yahoo coaching group to further this belief. The group had over 2800 members and more than 53,000 messages on just about every coaching topic. The message board can still be accessed at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/basketball-coaching/messages although no new messages can be posted.

MICHAEL J. WELLS
VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL COACH
ADMIRAL FARRAGUT ACADEMY
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA

Career record: 614-283
Previous coaching positions:
University of Wisconsin-Platteville 1977-78 (assistant)
Orangeville High School (Illinois) 1978-83
Keswick Christian High School 1983-99
Admiral Farragut Academy 1999-2007

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