Full Court Press

1. Full Court Press How to beat it. The “X” play and important tips.

2. Stay Calm – The defenders want you to panic and make mistakes. If you do lose the ball, clear your head and try again. • The Whole Team Must be Aggressive - they will likely double team the guy with the ball, so that means somebody is open. Short quick passes can beat a press. This means everyone on our team must help. Keep good spacing and make cuts. • Inbounds Quickly – If the other team has just scored a basket take the ball quickly and try to inbound it before the defense gets into position. • Put a Forearm to Their Chest – If the defenders are in position, the Point Guard should walk up to the defender and place his forearm on the defender’s chest then push forward slightly, then turn and run to get open. • Triple Threat – When you receive the inbounds pass and face up court and get into the triple threat position. Pivot around and move the ball. The key is to look for a quick pass up court. Remember, they will be trying to double team you, so someone will be open, if we have good spacing. • Meet the ball – When the ball is thrown to you, run towards it like you are trying to intercept the pass. Keep your body between the ball and the defender. • Look for weak side passes – Just like in our offence, you should throw to the area with the fewest defenders. In a press, there is likely to be a place where there are no defenders. • This position is called the • triple threat position • because you can: • Dribble • Pass, or • Shoot.

3. Avoid Trap Areas – There are certain spots on the court where it is easy to get stuck (trap areas). Don’t dribble into these areas. If you are headed for a trap area, back up and don’t stop dribbling. The defense wants you to stop dribbling because it is easy to guard a guy that can’t move. • If Stuck in a Trap – Here is what to do and what not to do: • Don’t pick up the ball. If you pick it up the defenders will get closer to you. • Don’t turn your back to the defenders – this lets them get close and you won’t be able to pass. • Don’t put the ball over your head – that lets them get close too. • Do face the defenders. • Do get in the triple threat position. • Do keep the ball low and moving. • Do move on your pivot foot. • Do look for a pass. • Do attack the outside leg of the defender if you are going to dribble, or split the two defenders by stepping between the two defenders.

4. Did you know – After a basket is made by the other team, the person in bounding the ball can move back and fourth behind the out of bounds line? • Did you know – that you do not have to wait for the referee to hand you the ball after the other team scores? You can just grab it and inbound it. It is frequently a good idea to do this when the other team is doing a full court press. • Did you know – that you have 10 seconds to get the ball across half court?

5. Three "looks".When receiving the inbounds pass, catch it and get into triple-threat position facing the defense and look up the floor before immediately starting your dribble.1. Look up. See the floor. Look up the court. Don't look down at the ball.2. Look before you pass. Make good, quick safe passes.3. Look before you dribble. Don't dribble unless you have to. You beat the press by quick, sharp passing usually not dribbling. Getting the ball in-bounds. Get the ball in quickly, before the defense can set up. Make sure you make a good in-bounds pass. Do not take the ball out from directly under your basket, or your passing lane may be restricted by the backboard. If the other team has just scored, you may "run the baseline". You cannot run the baseline if the ball went out of bounds and the official is handing it to you. You must stay where the ref gives it to you. If the ref doesn't handle it (like after a score), you can use the whole baseline. You can run the baseline after a time-out, if the time-out was called immediately after the opponent scored. To receive the inbounds pass, the point guard must get open. Too often I see young point guards trying to get open by running away from the defender, which is usually unsuccessful. Instead, our point guard should walk up to the defender, make contact with the defender (get a forearm into the defender) and then "bounce-off" off the defender to get open. If the point guard is being aggressively denied, he/she can walk the defender down almost to the baseline, seal and quickly release long for the over-the-top lob pass. When receiving the inbounds pass, we teach our receiver to get into "triple-threat position" after receiving the pass, rather than just putting the head down and starting to dribble. Getting into triple-threat allows the receiver the "three looks" disussed above, to see the defense, see our receivers, and still have the dribble option. Avoid "trap areas"... the corners. Don't dribble into one of the trap areas (see below)... back away but keep your dribble alive, or pass off. If you find yourself in a trap.. (1) do not turn your back to the defenders as this allows them to close the gap on you and you cannot see your teammates to pass the ball. Instead, face the defenders, and keep the ball low and moving and keep your body moving using your pivot foot; (2) Stay low and do not stand upright with the ball over your head, as this also allows the defenders to immediately close in on you. If you have your dribble, you can (1) attack the outside leg of one of the defenders and dribble by, or (2) split the double-team by making an aggressive "step-thru" with one leg between the defenders, with head and shoulders bent over forward, cradling and protecting the ball like a football halfback going through the line, and then push the ball out in front of you starting your dribble. Quick, accurate passing. You must look and find the open man immediately, and make a quick, accurate pass. Avoid soft, lob passes. Passing up the floor, and cutting, are the secrets to beating the press. Look up the floor and anticipate where you will pass the ball, even before you get it. Don't be hesitant to make the long pass up the court. Oftentimes a good point guard can attack the press with the dribble and, before the double-team arrives, make a long pass up the court to an open receiver for a lay-up. Play “X” Step 1 – If they are set up, get set up too. The first step is for the small forward to inbound the ball. The small forward slaps the ball and the point guard and the shooting guard cross each other’s path. The idea is for them to cross so closely that the defenders get bumped off of our players. (the X play) If the point guard is not open, pass it to the shooting guard. At the same time, the Power forward is to run to an area just above the three point line and present a good target. If the small forward can’t get it to either the PG or the SG, he should pass it to the Power Forward. PF C PG SG SF There are three options for passing. Receivers meet the pass... go to the ball, get open. But keep your spacing. Look for the open spots in the defense. Get open so your teammate can pass to you. Before you even get the ball, look to see where other open teammates are, so you will know where to pass to immediately. When you receive the ball, don't have your back turned. Immediately pivot and face down-court, so you can find an open teammate. Use the whole court and reverse the ball to the opposite side. Keep at least one player on the "weak-side" to reverse the ball to the opposite side of the court.

6. Three "looks".When receiving the inbounds pass, catch it and get into triple-threat position facing the defense and look up the floor before immediately starting your dribble.1. Look up. See the floor. Look up the court. Don't look down at the ball.2. Look before you pass. Make good, quick safe passes.3. Look before you dribble. Don't dribble unless you have to. You beat the press by quick, sharp passing usually not dribbling. Getting the ball in-bounds. Get the ball in quickly, before the defense can set up. Make sure you make a good in-bounds pass. Do not take the ball out from directly under your basket, or your passing lane may be restricted by the backboard. If the other team has just scored, you may "run the baseline". You cannot run the baseline if the ball went out of bounds and the official is handing it to you. You must stay where the ref gives it to you. If the ref doesn't handle it (like after a score), you can use the whole baseline. You can run the baseline after a time-out, if the time-out was called immediately after the opponent scored. To receive the inbounds pass, the point guard must get open. Too often I see young point guards trying to get open by running away from the defender, which is usually unsuccessful. Instead, our point guard should walk up to the defender, make contact with the defender (get a forearm into the defender) and then "bounce-off" off the defender to get open. If the point guard is being aggressively denied, he/she can walk the defender down almost to the baseline, seal and quickly release long for the over-the-top lob pass. When receiving the inbounds pass, we teach our receiver to get into "triple-threat position" after receiving the pass, rather than just putting the head down and starting to dribble. Getting into triple-threat allows the receiver the "three looks" disussed above, to see the defense, see our receivers, and still have the dribble option. Avoid "trap areas"... the corners. Don't dribble into one of the trap areas (see below)... back away but keep your dribble alive, or pass off. If you find yourself in a trap.. (1) do not turn your back to the defenders as this allows them to close the gap on you and you cannot see your teammates to pass the ball. Instead, face the defenders, and keep the ball low and moving and keep your body moving using your pivot foot; (2) Stay low and do not stand upright with the ball over your head, as this also allows the defenders to immediately close in on you. If you have your dribble, you can (1) attack the outside leg of one of the defenders and dribble by, or (2) split the double-team by making an aggressive "step-thru" with one leg between the defenders, with head and shoulders bent over forward, cradling and protecting the ball like a football halfback going through the line, and then push the ball out in front of you starting your dribble. Quick, accurate passing. You must look and find the open man immediately, and make a quick, accurate pass. Avoid soft, lob passes. Passing up the floor, and cutting, are the secrets to beating the press. Look up the floor and anticipate where you will pass the ball, even before you get it. Don't be hesitant to make the long pass up the court. Oftentimes a good point guard can attack the press with the dribble and, before the double-team arrives, make a long pass up the court to an open receiver for a lay-up. Step 2 – Try to pass the ball to the Power Forward If the inbounds pass goes into the Point Guard or the Shooting Guard they should try to pass it to the Power Forward. He should be presenting a big target (arms out so people can’t get in front of him). If this is not possible, it can be dribbled or passed to the Center or Shooting Guard. The small forward steps in bounds but stays behind the play in case the ball gets intercepted. If this happens he must try to prevent a score for long enough until his teammates come back to help him. He is also an passing option if the down court players are covered. C PF SG PG SF If the ball is intercepted, the small forward “presents.” Receivers meet the pass... go to the ball, get open. But keep your spacing. Look for the open spots in the defense. Get open so your teammate can pass to you. Before you even get the ball, look to see where other open teammates are, so you will know where to pass to immediately. When you receive the ball, don't have your back turned. Immediately pivot and face down-court, so you can find an open teammate. Use the whole court and reverse the ball to the opposite side. Keep at least one player on the "weak-side" to reverse the ball to the opposite side of the court.

7. Three "looks".When receiving the inbounds pass, catch it and get into triple-threat position facing the defense and look up the floor before immediately starting your dribble.1. Look up. See the floor. Look up the court. Don't look down at the ball.2. Look before you pass. Make good, quick safe passes.3. Look before you dribble. Don't dribble unless you have to. You beat the press by quick, sharp passing usually not dribbling. Getting the ball in-bounds. Get the ball in quickly, before the defense can set up. Make sure you make a good in-bounds pass. Do not take the ball out from directly under your basket, or your passing lane may be restricted by the backboard. If the other team has just scored, you may "run the baseline". You cannot run the baseline if the ball went out of bounds and the official is handing it to you. You must stay where the ref gives it to you. If the ref doesn't handle it (like after a score), you can use the whole baseline. You can run the baseline after a time-out, if the time-out was called immediately after the opponent scored. To receive the inbounds pass, the point guard must get open. Too often I see young point guards trying to get open by running away from the defender, which is usually unsuccessful. Instead, our point guard should walk up to the defender, make contact with the defender (get a forearm into the defender) and then "bounce-off" off the defender to get open. If the point guard is being aggressively denied, he/she can walk the defender down almost to the baseline, seal and quickly release long for the over-the-top lob pass. When receiving the inbounds pass, we teach our receiver to get into "triple-threat position" after receiving the pass, rather than just putting the head down and starting to dribble. Getting into triple-threat allows the receiver the "three looks" disussed above, to see the defense, see our receivers, and still have the dribble option. Avoid "trap areas"... the corners. Don't dribble into one of the trap areas (see below)... back away but keep your dribble alive, or pass off. If you find yourself in a trap.. (1) do not turn your back to the defenders as this allows them to close the gap on you and you cannot see your teammates to pass the ball. Instead, face the defenders, and keep the ball low and moving and keep your body moving using your pivot foot; (2) Stay low and do not stand upright with the ball over your head, as this also allows the defenders to immediately close in on you. If you have your dribble, you can (1) attack the outside leg of one of the defenders and dribble by, or (2) split the double-team by making an aggressive "step-thru" with one leg between the defenders, with head and shoulders bent over forward, cradling and protecting the ball like a football halfback going through the line, and then push the ball out in front of you starting your dribble. Quick, accurate passing. You must look and find the open man immediately, and make a quick, accurate pass. Avoid soft, lob passes. Passing up the floor, and cutting, are the secrets to beating the press. Look up the floor and anticipate where you will pass the ball, even before you get it. Don't be hesitant to make the long pass up the court. Oftentimes a good point guard can attack the press with the dribble and, before the double-team arrives, make a long pass up the court to an open receiver for a lay-up. C Step 3 – The Power Forward passes the ball down court. In this case the Power Forward has a few options, but the best option is to pass it to the weak side, which in this example would be the Shooting Guard. Had the ball been in bounded to the shooting guard the pass would ideally go to the point guard. It is likely that we will get a fast break lay up, but if that does not occur, get the ball back to the point guard and set up a new play. PG SG PF SF There are three options for passing. Receivers meet the pass... go to the ball, get open. But keep your spacing. Look for the open spots in the defense. Get open so your teammate can pass to you. Before you even get the ball, look to see where other open teammates are, so you will know where to pass to immediately. When you receive the ball, don't have your back turned. Immediately pivot and face down-court, so you can find an open teammate. Use the whole court and reverse the ball to the opposite side. Keep at least one player on the "weak-side" to reverse the ball to the opposite side of the court.