Introduction

Why use the 1-4 offense? 1) The offense has great spacing. 2) There are four passing entries. 3) There are four dribbling entries. 4) It can be a quick hitting offense. 5) It can also be a patient, continuous action offense. 6) It takes the defense away from the basket. 7) There are opportunities to drive the ball to the rim -- especially from the wings. 8) From a teaching standpoint, you only are dealing with two positions, two post players and three perimeter players. 9) It is difficult for the defense to keep the ball on one side of the court. 10) It has a back door threat on every offensive possession. 11) If a play entry is exhausted, the players do not have to reset. After each play is executed from start to finish, the players are in the "spots" with the post players ready to flash to the pinch post positions and the three perimeter players are in the three perimeter spots. 12) Plays can be keyed by where a pass is made, or where the ball is dribbled. The four base plays. 1) "Post quickie" 2) "UClA Wing Pro" 3) "Dribble Chase" 4) "Hi Pro" The 4 base plays could be the entire offensive package for a team. For example, each time the team comes down the court, a specific pass, or dribble entry could key which play was to be executed. If a pass were made to one of the post players, the post pass would key the "post quickie." If a pass were made to either of the wings, the wing pass would key the "UCLA Wing Pro" play entry. If the defense is denying the pass to a wing, the point can dribble chase the wing man and the dribble entry would key the "triangle action." The point man can call the two post players higher to run the "high pro" play entry. In our situation, we will use the four base plays out of our early offense. If we call a play, we will run the called play, but if we have not found the shot we want, we will reload and run one of the base plays as the "continuity." If we still do not get the shot we want, we will reload and repeat the same play, or one of the other three base plays depending on where the pass or dribble was made. Since we do not play with a shot clock we can run the continuous action until we get the very best shot. If you are playing with a shot clock, it would be very easy to run a screen and roll, much like the NBA teams do, when the shot clock is running down.

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As mentioned, the 1-4 can be a quick hitting offense. As testimony to that fact, Dean Smith quit running the 1-4 as his primary offense at North Carolina because he said his teams found good shots too quickly. He went to the passing game to get his team to make more passes before taking the shot. He did however keep parts of his 1-4 offense in the playbook and always had a shuffle cut play action out of the high1-4. We will show the four base plays, and how they can be used to be as an entire offense. We will then show other 1-4 plays that we can and have used depending on the personnel a particular team has available. There are play entries for each position. The plays are categorized according to where the first pass goes, or where the ball is dribbled. The book would not be complete if we did not show how we make the transition from the secondary break (early offense) to the high 1-4. There are several different early offense situations that are diagrammed, and if they do not get us a good shot in transition we will flow right into the high1-4 without any break in the action to reset the offense. I am of the opinion that a good offense keeps pressure on the defense. By flowing from early offense into the half court offense you do keep the pressure on the defenders. We will also present some of our zone offensive ideas out of the high1-4. There will also be a segment on drills to use in order to break the 1-4 offense down and work on its various parts. As a matter of fact, I firmly believe that you teach by showing the whole, then breaking the offense into parts, and drill the parts. Finally, you put the whole offense back together again. Many of the drills have at least two shots and sometimes 3 shots as a part of the drill. Again, in my opinion your shooting drills should come from parts of your offense. Using The Table of Contents The Table of Contents appears at the left. Click the “plus” symbol next to each chapter name to expand page listings for that chapter. Acknowledgement The diagrams in this eBook were created using with Basketball Playbook from http://www.jes-soft.com

© 2012 by Creighton Burns All Rights Reserved.

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1-4 offense Transition

• "Primary Fastbreak" • Get the ball to the #1 man ASAP. This rule applies to the defensive

rebound, an opponent's made shot, or free throw, and any recovery inside the top of the key extended.

• The players on the wings must get out wide and sprint. If either wing is

open ahead of the ball, the ball handler should pass the ball ahead. • Both wings should run a cut to the rim when they hit the top of the

circle extended. • If a wing does not get the ball he should pop back out beyond the

3-point line.

• "Transition" • If #1 , #2, or #3 recover the ball above the top of the circle extended,

they should get the ball and attack the rim. • If #4 or #5 recover the ball above the top of the lane extended, they

must get the ball to #1. The exceptions would be if either is an outstanding ball handler, or they see a teammate open ahead, then they should pass the ball down the court.

• The man with the ball should penetrate until a defender stops them. • If they get the ball inside the lane they should shoot it.

• Transition - Secondary - Early Offense • If the primary break is not available the players will run the secondary

break into an early offense. • The ball will be given to #1, #3 will run the right wing, #2 will run the left

wing, #5 will run to the rim, and then post up on the ball side and #4 will be the "trailer."

• If #4 and #5 have played together for a long period of time they can

change assignments, and the same holds true with #2 and #3. • However, #1 will always have the ball in the middle of the break.

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1-4 offense • Transition • At the end of the secondary break, the players will be in these

positions. • #1 at the guard spot, #2 free throw line extended on the back side, #3

in the ball side corner, #4 at the back side guard spot, and #5 at the ball side low post.

• Note: #1 will penetrate with the ball until the defense stops his

penetration. If he gets the ball into the freen throw lane he should be given the green light to shoot the ball.

• Transition • This diagram illustrates the finish of the secondary on the left side of

the court. • Note: The trailer, #4 should be one pass away, and at least one step

behind the ball. This will prevent the defense from denying the pass from #1 to #4.

• Transition • If the defense is denyiing the pass to down the court to #3, the wings

can "cross" on the baseline. • The ball side wing will be the screener and the back side wing will use

the screen and run a "turnout" to fill the ball side wing. The screener will then move to the back side wing.

• The screener will run at the rim to set the screen and the screenie will

make his cut at the edge of the glass on his side of the court. This maneuver will always have the screener going high and the screenie going low, and will prevent a collision as they cross on the baseline.

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1-4 offense 2 quick - shuffle

• "2 Quick Shuffle" • #1 enters to #5 and #4 steps out and to set a back screen for #2. • #2 runs a "quick cut" to the rim looking for a pass from #5. • #1 makes the pass to #5 and then sets a screen for the screener, #4. • #4 fills the back side guard spot.

• If #2 is not open, #5 will pass to #4. • #4 will then pass the ball to #1 on the wing. • On the pass from #4 to #1, #2 will set a "back screen" for #5. • #5 will set his defender and run a shuffle cut to the rim, looking for a

pass from #1. • If #5 is open he should get the ball.

• After passing to #1, #4 will down screen for the screener, #2. • #2 will fill the point.

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1-4 offense • On the pass to #2, everyone will fill one of the high 1-4 spots.

• The players are now ready to execute the high 1-4 offense again.

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1-4 offense 1-4 atlanta handback

• Atlanta Handback • #1 enters the ball to #2 and runs an outside cut to the ball. • On the entry pass, #4 slides down the lane and #3 cuts hard from the

right wing to the ball side corner.

• #2 will hand the ball back to #1, and then run a cut over the back screen set by #5.

• If #2 is open, #1 should get him the ball for a score.

• If #2 is not open, #1 will keep the ball and #5 will move out to set a ball screen.

• #1 will accept the screen and drive the ball into the middle. #1 may

have an opportunity to score off the drive. • As #1 dribbles off the ball screen, #4 and #2 will set a staggered

double for the screener, #5. • #5 will cut to the basket, utilizing the screens, and if he is open, #1 can

get him the ball at the rim for a score. • #3 will move up to the point to balance the court.

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1-4 offense • If nothing is open, #1 will dribble the ball to the right wing. • #3 will fill the point, #2 will fill the left wing and #4 will move up to the

back side elbow.

• When #3 receives the ball at the point, he can make a pass to any one of the four players across the free throw line extended OR...

• He can dribble off a screen set by either post player, #4 or #5. OR... • He can also dribble chase either wing.

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1-4 offense Zone attack - spartan

• Zone Attack - Spartan • #1 enters the ball to #3. • #4 and #5 slide down the lane with #5 sliding out to the ball side short

corner. • #2 flashes from the backside wing into the middle of the defense trying

to find the open hole.

• If #3 cannot pass to #5 or #2 cutting into the middle, he will pass to #1 at the point.

• #1 will swing the ball to #4, who cuts to the wing. • #5 runs the baseline to the opposite short corner, #2 slides down to the

backside block and #3 flashes into the middle. • #4 will look to #5 on the baseline and to #3 flashing into the middle.

• This diagram illustrates another ball reversal with #2 moving out to the wing, #5 running the baseline, #3 sliding down to the back side block and #4 flashing into the middle.

• #2 will look down to #5 on the baseline, and #4 flashing into the middle. • If #2 passes to #4, #4 will look first to score, then to either #3 or #5 on

the baseline. • Note: If the ball goes to the man in the middle, the man in the short

corner will go to the rim.

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1-4 offense • When #4 gets the ball in the middle, #5 will go to the rim. • #1 will slide down toward the wing on the back side and get into #4's

vision. • If #4 cannot get the ball to #3 or #5, he will look to #1 on the back side. • On the pass from #4 to #1, #3 will slide out to the perimeter and #5

would continue his cut to the ball side short corner. • #4 would slide down to the back side block and #2 would flash into the

middle.

• This diagram illustrates ball reversal from wing to the opposite short corner.

• On the pass from #3 to #5, #2 would slide down to the rim. • #5 may have a shot, a pass to #2 going to the rim, or #5 can look to

skip the ball to #1 at the point.

• If #5 throws the skip pass to #1, #4 will slide out to the wing, #5 would run the baseline, #3 will flash across the middle, and #2 holds on the back side block.

• Again, as with any other zone attack, encourage ball movement,

penetrating the gaps, good shot and pass fakes, making the extra pass, good discipline and patience.

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