Middle
 | 1 Four attackers rotate around one attacker who stays in the middle of the press offence, usually against a press that does not deny an inbounds pass. Dave Odom - Press attack - once in the middle, always in the middle, on the line of the ball and the basket. 2 has to break the line of the defence at halfcourt. Also see Old Dominion Trap "O" (Blaine Taylor). a) 5 in the middle 5 is at halfcourt, 2 and 3 are on the sidelines. 4 inbounds to 1 and trails the ball to provide a third short passing option, 3 goes deep for a long passing option opposite the ball. |
 | 2 A pass to 5 in the middle is an attacking pass, his first look is opposite to 3. Bill Self - on a pass to the middle, the trailer runs wide opposite, the passer becomes the new trailer (shown). Heath Millar - get your best player in the middle of the press. One metre either side of half is a "no flash" zone, don't catch the ball on or near the halfcourt line. In the backcourt don't pass the ball across the split line. breakthroughbasketball.com - once you get the ball in the middle, the press will be beaten 99% of the time. |
 | 3 If the ball is reversed to 4, 3 comes back to the ball, 2 goes deep middle. |
 | 4 2 becomes the short sideline option on a pass to 3, 1 is the long option. |
 | 5 If 4 dribbles towards the sideline, 3 moves up the sideline to keep spacing, 2 moves opposite the ball, 1 comes behind the ball as safety (Ian MacKinnon - except if 4 is big enough to throw over defenders). Dave Odom - 4 takes it on the dribble if he is a good dribbler. Blaine Taylor - 3 swivels up the sideline, 1 swivels behind 4, 2 goes to the other side. John Brady (LSU Set) - 4 takes two dribbles upcourt towards the sideline, 1 slides behind the ball (always have someone behind the ball). |
 | 6 b) 4 in the middle Against a press that does not trap on the inbounds pass (e.g., a 2-2-1), 4 can inbounds then sprint to the centre circle and bump 5 deep. See Ashbury halfcourt, Duke vs 2-2-1, Old Dominion trap "O", Arizona, 5star, Hofstra. Blaine Taylor - against a 2-2-1, centre the ball, take away help, but attack the sides first. The attacking set is like using a 1-3-1 against a 2-3 halfcourt zone. Dave Odom - against a 2-2-1, you must take the ball to the level of the defence. Jay Wright - in a press breaker, 4 and 5 can never be too far away from the ball, get them up the court, it's better to be too spaced then to be too crowded. |
 | 7 Then the pattern is the same. |
 | 8 Swivel action. |
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