[David Williams]

Good idea. We are a girls team with one high-quality player who is a guard. What would you suggest about getting the person the ball if they are setting screens? Rick suggested in another post to run zone attack with few adjustments.

[Stuart Dezellem]

I seen your post after I put this one in. We are a girls team also. Had a game last night, they went into a Box and 1. I experimented a little with the 4out 1in setup. We need to work on the dynamics of it in practice. It was clumsy in the game, flow of the offense was not where I would like it. But did manage to get the player some good open looks.

As far as getting the player the ball, I’m looking for her to pop out off the screen for a quick look, or a cutter screening her defense, then roll down the lane to the short corner area. We need to work on the action so everyone understands what we are trying to do. I have other shooters, so the box zone can’t stay collapsed around the key.

[David Williams]

thank you. ARe you using the man to man read and react against this with your adjustments or the zone attack with adjustments as the base set up?

[Stuart Dezellem]

You could call it the permanent nail, which would be a 4 out 1 in setup. But I am trying to screen the defense outward as the zone shifts to guard the ball on the wing. Then getting the screener the ball as she pops out off the screen. Most Box and 1’s I’ve seen are in full denial of the player being guarded m2m. I’m hoping to get her an open look on the perimeter or an opportunity to drive. Hope this make sense? Going to work on it tonight in practice.

[Coach Rick]

Don’t change what you are doing. That’s what a box & 1 wants you to do.

(1) Pass the ball away from your Good player (the one being guarded m2m) and train him to fill the empty spot VERY high. He’s being denied so he will be able to rear cut when the ball can be passed to him. He should catch it outside the arc – that’s how high he should be.

(2) Your Good player (if he’s 2 or more spots away or after cutting) should set PIN screens. This occupies two defenders because the defense is not supposed to switch off him. This allows him slip or shape up or slide to the Flank after the pass goes over his head. Just because he’s being guarded doesn’t mean he can’t get the ball. Tell him that he’s guarded the same way when it’s M2M and he still get’s the ball.

[jnolte]

My experience with against the box and 1 is to not change a thing. You will need to have another player or 2 on the floor who can score (that always helps :). If not simply moving the ball and cutting will create scoring opportunities if the defense has to work for a bit. When they go box and 1 they want you to change what you are doing because it works, the challenge is getting your best player to understand that they don’t always need the ball in their hands and they may need to rear cut a bit more. This is no different then what they would normally do, but to them it feels like they are getting the ball less. Therefore they press much harder just to get the ball in their hands instead of playing the regular unselfish basketball they always have. Convincing your star player that the defense is trying to create the feeling that they need to get the ball more is just as important as any adjustment you can make against this defense. We tell our star player that she should look to set some backscreens and shape up or set some pin screens to get open. Especially on backscreens, if it is a good screen and the defense doesn’t help we get a layup, if the defense does help she gets the ball.

One thing I haven’t tried that I have thought about is having a player on the weakside post to set a pin screen after the star player cuts. We know the defender is going to be close to the cutter so it should be an easier screen and if it is a physical screener it may loosen up the defense some. I would have the star player look at this pin more like a down screen and allow them to curl, or pop, or fade off the screen.

Another interesting option I haven’t tried but could work is to use a power dribble. If they fight over the top of the handoff pull the ball and have the star player curl.