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Basketball Plays - "4-Low" Baseline Out-Of-Bounds Plays

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

See the animation

These plays start with a 4-low set.

Also see these out-of-bounds plays:


baseline out-of-bounds

Out-of-bounds Play "MSU Clear"

Simple play from coach Tom Izzo. Get the ball into your scorer, clear out the right side and let him/her attack. O1 lob passes to O4, as O5 clears to the left side. O4 shoots or attacks the rim. This is good when there are only a few seconds left in the period (or shot clock). Another option is a kickout pass to O3 and 3-ponter if the X3 defender drops inside.

Out-of-bounds play, Clear


Out-of-bounds Play "Spread" or "Flat"

(Diagram A). The guts of the play is with your two strong low post players who position themselves at each low block. It is a simple, effective pick and seal play. The ball-side post (O4) screens for the opposite post (O5) and seals the defender for inside position. O5 cuts around the screen to the middle of the lane for the pass and the shot (Diagram B).

Out-of-bounds play, Spread Out-of-bounds play, Spread Out-of-bounds play, Spread

(Diagram C) If O4's defender (X4) switches and picks up O5, then O4 should have inside position (if he/she sealed the X5 defender correctly), and gets the pass for the easy lay-in. O4 need not be concerned about the "3-seconds" call when positioning inside the lane, as the 3-second count does not begin until the ball is touched inbounds.

O2 (a good outside shooter) makes a V-cut and cuts back to the corner, looking for the pass and the three-point shot. After your post players get a couple easy lay-ups, the defense will sag into the paint and then O2 should get an open shot. O1 makes a cut out to the top of the ball-side three-point circle, looking for a pass, and also is our defensive safety.

After making the inbounds pass, O3 either becomes a rebounder (if the pass goes inside), or cuts out to the ball-side corner. If the inbounds pass went out on top to O1, then O3 should cut quickly to the corner and look for the pass back from O1 and the potential three-point corner shot.



Out-of-bounds Play "4-Down"

Start in the 4-Low setup. In this play, we have a post player O5 as the inbounder. The two inside players screen for the corner players, who cut to the hoop, looking for the pass and shot. After screening for O4, O2 goes to the corner and looks for the pass and the 3-point shot.

Out-of-bounds play, 4-down

O3 always moves out to the point (after making the screen), to serve as a defensive safety, or for a long outlet pass. If the pass is made to O3, O5 should slip inbounds to the opposite low post area for a quick pass back from O3.


Out-of-bounds Play "Wildcat"

Start in the 4-Low setup seen below. The inside players (O1 and O5) set back-screens for the outside players (O2 and O4). Our first option is to lob pass to O2 (our best shooter) coming over the screen, for a quick shot (diagram B).

out-of-bounds play Wildcat out-of-bounds play Wildcat out-of-bounds play Wildcat

On the opposite side, O5 screens for O4, and O4 cuts up to the free-throw line. If the defense does not switch this back-screen, O4 should be open for the pass and shot (diagram B). If the defense switches the O5 back-screen (diagram C), then O5 should seal the X4 defender and cut back to the hoop for the pass and lay-up. If O5 screens and seals well, this should be a very good option.


Out-of-bounds Play "Bearcat"

This play is designed for a corner 3-point shot for your best shooter O2. Start in the 4-Low setup seen below. O2 passes to O1, as O5 and O4 set a double-screen for O2. O2 cuts to the corner for the pass from O1 and the 3-point shot.

out-of-bounds play Bearcat out-of-bounds play Bearcat


Out-of-bounds Play "Blue"

This play uses a screen and pin action. O3 cuts out and O4 passes to O3. O5 moves to the elbow area and O3 passes to O5. The inbounder O4 back-screens for O2. O2 cuts through and could get the pass from O5, but if not, moves out to the opposite corner (as O1 rotates up to the wing). O4 pins the X2 defender and cuts to the hoop for the pass from O5, and a lay-up.

out-of-bounds play Blue out-of-bounds play Blue out-of-bounds play Blue

See this clip:



Out-of-bounds Play "40 - 3"

Again we start in the 4-Low setup... (more)

Out-of-bounds Play "40 - 2"

Start in the 4-Low setup... (more)

Out-of-bounds Play "Flat - 2"

Start in the 4-Low setup. Notice that our best shooter O2 is the inbounder... (more)

See the complete article in the members section.



The complete article also includes:
  • 40-3
  • 40-2
  • Flat-2