Previous Plays of the Week
Week of February 27th
Quick Strike Play
This post-season, continue to prepare your team by putting in a few simple twists with new easy-to-learn out-of-bounds plays, such as the two options of this week's Sideline Quick Strike play. These plays are pretty simple, and by practicing them just a little bit, they can help your team to win.
Adding an extra wrinkle to a special scoring play for your man or zone offense can build confidence, and will help your team respond at crunch time.
Another coaching tip: you must have a play that can get a basket your first possession of the second half. You cannot afford to go without scoring — something that happens all the time. Be sure to have something ready for zone, man-to-man, and even a press. In short: be ready for everything — it is your job, and doing so will give your team a huge confidence boost.
Option 1
Option 2
Week of February 20th
3 Plays for 4 Seconds or Less
This week, Coach Lewis is sending 3 great plays you can use with 4 seconds or less from the endline. You have to practice them in situations and develop a couple of good passers and players that can catch and score on them.
Most states are starting playoffs, and you never know when you’ll need a great play. All of these plays have worked at one time or another. Players' confidence will increase when they know they are prepared for all possible game situations. It is your job to prepare them for all things that might arise.
Good luck in the post season!
Play 1
Play 2
Play 3
Week of February 13th
BOX: Quick Shot Against Zone
Coaches: it is the time of the year when you have been scouted quite a bit. Please consider using a few new OB plays or put some new wrinkles into the ones you are using now. Doing so will make it tougher for your opponents during the playoffs. It is important to remember to get a line on the sidelines with 3 or 4 of your players, to ensure you can always get ball in and not waste time outs. I see wasted time outs all the time due to a lack of sure plays to in-bound the ball.
Good luck!
The BOX is an easy set to obtain a quick shot against a zone defense. A 1 gets the ball from the referee, 1 raises the ball above his head, which is the signal to start the play. Two (2) and 3 break from the baseline. Five (5) should try to screen the defensive player on his side. If the X4 tries to step out and intercept the pass, 5 should be wide open for a crib shot.
The primary cutter 1 is looking for is 2. Other options which may be open are the lob to 4, the baseline shot for 3, or the short pass to 5.
Note: The play will not work unless 1 steps back away from the ball when in-bounding it.
The diagram shows the pass to 5 after the defensive player X4 stepped out to intercept the pass to 2 on the baseline.
Week of February 6th
3/4 Court: 7 seconds left
Coach Lewis used this outstanding play in "Situations" practices every year. The play was used just once in a game because it was almost never needed. It works when you have only seven seconds left and your team is in a must-win situation. When Coach Lewis's team needed it, they got a layup and a foul.
If you help to ensure your team believes they are prepared for any situation, they will have more confidence and will be much more likely to win.
Key point about the play: you must get the ball to the exact spot on the sideline to call the time out. Good luck!
1 goes at the ball. 2 lobs over his defender, and 1 goes hard to the basket for a layup. Just before he gets to the top of the circle, 1 will know if he can go all the way or if he should kick off to 4 to your best shooter. 3 comes toward ball if help is needed.
Note: if you pass the ball to where 2 is, you can call time out with seven seconds left.
Week of January 30th
Box Tip Play
Coaches: Remember the most important thing on an out-of-bounds play is to get the ball in to your team safely! If you would like to see a OB play for a specific situation, please let Coach Lewis know, and he will help to put that kind of play in for you.
Week of January 23rd:
Sideline Out-of-Bounds Play to Score
Coaching tip for all out-of-Bounds plays: Never slap the ball as signal for players to go; rather try this: the passer should start the ball at his chin, and when he lifts ball over his head, his teammates start breaking! The defense has their backs to ball and will not know when you are starting play.
Sideline OB to score: Practice this play from 10 to 20 times a night until you have it down. You will win games with it. Of course, you need to do the play from both sides of the floor.
Week of January 16th:
Line Out-of-Bounds Play
It is extremely hard to stop these line plays when your opponent is running either man or zone against you. Option 1 has the players alternating in line the direction they break.
NOTE: if you use this play on the sideline to get the ball inbounds, you will never have trouble anywhere on the court when getting extreme pressure — there will always be someone open! If you have a leaper that can score, always put them in 3rd spot in line (C); many easy baskets can be had right at the rim with this play.
Week of January 9th:
5 Seconds Left Out-of-Bounds Play
This is a great play when the opposing team comes out playing man-to-man and is trying to deny everyone.
Key to the play: Call time out on sideline at or just past half court.
If they front Post (#5 or your best inside player), F4 would lob over the defense; if they don’t front, pass in for a 1-on-1!
Week of January 2nd:
Zone Out-of-Bounds Play — "BROMS"
Three (3) passes to 4 after a screen by 1.
Week of December 19th:
Out-of-Bounds Play: Score from Endline vs. Zone Defenses
Coach Lewis used this play for seven straight years against all kinds of defenses — it is basically unstoppable.
Week of December 12th:
Zoner Man Out-of-Bounds Play
The ZONER MAN is very similar to the ZONER. The ZONER MAN is used against the man-to-man defense.
Two players have different responsibilities. When 4 moves to set the pick on the man guarding 3, he should roll to the low post instead of rolling across the lane for the double screen. After 1 passes the ball inbounds, he steps in and stays on the same side in which he inbounded the ball. He should go to ball side corner to set up a triangle with 3 and 4.
Although it is not shown, ZONER MAN may be continued into 1 special by cutting 5 into the opposite side post.
The diagram below shows the triangle with 1 passing inside to 4.
Week of December 5th:
Zoner Out-of-Bounds Play
This particular out-of-bounds play is great to use against zones.
The ZONER is used against a zone defense on baseline out-of-bounds situations.
The alignment is in the diagram at left.
The official hands the ball to 1, 1 slaps the ball. Immediately, 4 moves to set a pick on the guard as shown at left. It is important that 3 does not cut any lower than necessary to receive the pass from 1. At the same time the ball is being passed in, 5 should be moving down to form the double screen with 4, who will roll across the lane after picking the guard. Two (2) should move to the point position.
The ball is then moved around the perimeter.
Immediately after 1 passes the ball inbounds, he should step in, move to the opposite side of the floor behind the double screen, and get squared to the basket for the shot.
The ball should be passed around the perimeter so that 1 gets the shot behind the screen. One (1) should make sure that he is set up behind the double screen and not in the corner. See the diagram at right.
Week of November 28st:
Out-of-Bounds Play
This particular out-of-bounds play is used against a man-to-man defense. The initial set is show in the diagram at left.
When the referee hands the ball to 1, 1 will slap the ball. Four (4) immediately makes a cut towards the ball, hesitating slightly on the top side of 5. Four (4) is the first cutter.
On the slap of the ball, 5 should turn in towards the sidelines on the ball side. He does this so that he will be facing the ball if his man tries to help out on the first or second cutters.
The second cutter is 3, who should try to time his cut so that he is moving off the double screen set by 4 and 5. Three (3) is the primary person that 1 should look for in this play.
At the top of the circle, 2 should delay his cut slightly, then move to the ball to get open.
