There’s 10 seconds left in the game. You’re down 3, with no timeouts left, so you can’t set up an inbounds play. What do your players do? If you don’t have a play you can call from the sideline for a quick three, they’ll just come down the court and heave up a low percentage shot. That’s why you need to practice situations, so that when it comes time for the real game, your players already know what to do.
Quick Three
This very simple play is a favorite of mine, but I would only recommend running it if you have a player who makes good decisions with
the basketball coming off the pick and roll. Set up with your primary ballhandler just over halfcourt on the right side of the court, and your best three point shooter on the right wing, foul line extended. The last player should be setup just over halfcourt on the left side – you want this player to be a knockdown shooter, but also one of your best screeners.
The ball handler will dribble towards the right wing, and your wing will set a pick on the ballhandler’s defender. The ballhandler will misdirect inside and use the screen to the outside, coming off hard and looking to take the three pointer if there is no switch or hedge by the screener’s defender.
Meanwhile the last player, post, will come down and set a side screen on the wing’s defender, allowing the wing to rub off that screen and curl up with their hands ready at the top of the key. “ As a last option, the post can do a couple things. If the neither the ballhandler nor the wing had an open shot, the big man can try to free them up with another pick; they can flash to three point line looking to shoot; or even flash to the basket to try and score the quick two points.
Your two other players, the other wing and post, can simply downscreen and exchange to keep their defenders occupied, but they are not primary options in this play.
Coaching Tips
- Remember that screeners should always set the screen with their back pointing the direction the screenee is going to be running
- Try running this as a drill with just three players, letting them get a feel for the decision making. Then make it three vs. two. Three vs. three. And finally, when they’ve got the hang of that, they can practice it five vs. five.
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