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Basketball Systems, Skills & Drills
 

Press breaks
Middle


sketch
1
Four attackers rotate around one attacker who stays in the middle of the press offence.

Dave Odom - once in the middle, always in the middle, on the line of the ball and the basket.
 
Don Meyer - 4 corners - best decision-maker (point guard) is in the middle of the floor.

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 stays or optionally goes up the sideline, creating space for 1 to attack on the dribble or pass over the top.

Dave Odom - 2 has to break the line of the defence at halfcourt.

Don Kelbick - 1 should have the following options,
- break on the dribble (up the sideline, going away from pressure from the bottom, and seeing pressure from the top)
- long over the top (to 2, eliminate pressure coming from upcourt)
- middle (to 5, who looks opposite to 3 to create numbers)
- long opposite (to 3)
- ball reversal, an enemy of fullcourt pressure.
 
See Press breaks - Michael Lynch, 2-1-2.
 
Lynch - in the regular alignment, 3 stays in the backcourt so we have a player to swing the ball to. In the stretch alignment, 3 starts and stays in the frontcourt, 4 comes in weakside on the inbounds pass (see 2-1-2). In both alignments, 2 is up the sideline and 5 is at halfcourt.

sketch
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.

sketch
3
If the ball is reversed to 4, 3 comes back to the ball, 2 goes deep middle.
 

sketch
4
2 becomes the sideline option on a pass to 3, 1 is the long option.
 
Lynch - 2 stays on the other side of the floor (optionally unless 3 is double-teamed).

sketch
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, creating a 2-1-2 set (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).
 
Brian Barone - 4 can pass back to 1 who swivels up the right sideline, 4 fills behind.
 
See Press breaks - 2-1-2.

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6
b) Denials

1 cuts across the foul line if denied, 2 breaks to the ball.
 
Lynch - regular alignment against man presses. If denied, 1 face cuts to the opposite side of the floor, or posts up his defender. 3 and 5 are prepared to help.

sketch
7
On an inbounds pass to 2, 3 replaces 2 and 1 replaces 3, run the system from there.
 
For a 2-1-2 set, 4 would replace 1.
 
Variations
 
- 5 replaces 2, 1 cuts middle (Bill Self 1-3-1, also Giorgis regular)
 
Arizona - 5 goes long, 1 cuts middle.

Ashbury fullcourt - 5 replaces 2, 3 cuts middle.

Brian Giorgis - 1 slashes middle, this is the action he likes, a point guard with the ball in the middle of the floor.

sketch
8
2 goes long if denied, 5 breaks to the ball.
 
1 cuts up the middle on a pass to 5, who can make a return pass to 4.

See Press break - Ashbury fullcourt (Inbounds pass to 5).
 
Variations
 
- 5 breaks to the ball after 1 cuts across the foul line, 2 breaks if 5 is denied
- 5 breaks to the ball before 1's cut.
 
See Press breaks - Hoop Tactics.

sketch
9
c) 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.

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10
Then the pattern is the same, a 1-3-1 set.

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11
Swivel action.up

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