Basketball Plays for Your Shooting Guard (the 2-Series)

By Dr. James Gels, From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook
"Helping coaches coach better..."

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Over the years, we have had some very good shooting guards, who could not only shoot well, but also attack off the dribble. Below are plays designed to get your shooting guard O2 open for good shots. Also see the play links at the bottom of this page.

We run these out of our 3-out, 2-in motion offense, but you could use them with any offense by just calling a play and getting your players positioned correctly. You could also run these plays on the left side for O3. This page presents several good man-to-man plays:



"Kansas"

This is a good play if O2 is tall, athletic, and can jump. O3 slides to the corner. O4 screens for O1. O1 dribbles over the screen to the wing. O4 rolls off the screen down the left side of the lane for the pass from O1. If the initial pass is not there, O4 moves out to the short corner. Meanwhile, O2 moves up top calling for the ball, as O5 sprints up and back-screens for O2.

basketball play Kansas basketball play Kansas basketball play Kansas

O2 back-cuts to the hoop and O1 lob passes to O2 for the lay-up (diagram G). After screening, O5 pops out on top and could get the pass from O1 and take the 3-point shot (diagram C). If O2 does not get the pass off the cut, he/she moves out to the corner for a possible pass from O5, and the 3-point shot (or shot-fake and drive).

Key points - O4 must stay on the left side of the lane (and go to the short corner) for spacing for O2's cut. O5 and O2 must time the back-screen and not go too early, but wait until O1 goes over O4's screen.


"Jayhawk"

Jayhawk is the sister play of "Kansas". O1, O4 and O3 do exactly the same things. O4 screens for O1 and rolls down the left side of the lane, while O1 dribbles left over the screen. O3 slides to the corner. In "Jayhawk", O5 goes to the opposite elbow while O2 starts low on the block. Instead of a back-screen (as in "Kansas"), O5 down-screens for O2. O2 cuts around O5's screen for the pass from O1 and the 3-point shot. The only difference between the two plays is that in "Kansas", we use a O5-on-O2 back-screen, and in "Jayhawk" we use a O5-on-O2 down-screen.

basketball play Jayhawk basketball play Jayhawk


"Louisville"

This play gives O2 a chance to attack the right seam (lane line) with a dribble-move from the top. Both post players move to the left side of the lane, to clear the right side for O2. O4 flashes to the left elbow, while O5 posts up on the left low block area. O1 passes to O3. O2 flare-screens for O1 and O1 goes to the right corner. O2 pops out on top and gets the pass from O3. Notice that this looks a lot like the "Loyola" play, except with O2 attacking the right seam. O2 can shoot a lay-up or pull-up jumper, or pass to O5 or O1.

basketball play Louisville basketball play Louisville


"Iverson"

The "Iverson cut" (aka "AI cut") is a type of shallow cut named after the great Allen Iverson. The cutter cuts over two high post screeners, one positioned at each elbow. The diagram shows the Iverson cut from a Horns set with the posts at the elbows. O2 cuts hard over O4 and O5 for the pass from O1, as O3 clears to the opposite side. O2 might shoot, iso and dribble-drive, post-up, or back-cut if the pass goes to either post players. You could also run this from a 1-4 set, or really any situation where you have both posts at the elbows.

Iverson cut

Allen Iverson doing his thing:



See the complete article in the members section.



The complete article also includes:
  • Arizona - This simple play creates some movement and gets O2 open on the left wing instead of the right side... (more)
  • Arizona and Back - We will use this after running Arizona a couple times... (more)
  • 42 and 52 - These two plays feature back-screens for O2, and then a pick and roll with the screener... (more)
  • Illinois - Here's another play with a lot of options... (more)
  • Virginia - This play has several options... (more)
  • Elevator - This play is called "elevator" because of the elevator screen used at the high post... (more)


More plays for O2:

Vs Man-to-man:

Vs Zones: