Cutting a player through to the opposite side of the court is
another play that has been around for ages. The cut through is almost a
necessary part of every offense designed to attack zone defense. However, the
good old cut through can be used against man-to-man just as effective. I’ve seen
teams us it to get into a stacked offense after a reversal of the ball.
emember, the usual two-step rule applies to all players when
receiving a pass from a teammate, Also, stress that the cutter and screener
should always pass to shoulder to shoulder on the screen and the screener should
always open-up toward the ball. Spend some time, teaching your players how to
read a screen.
Keep in mind that the cut through, as any other play, has many
options. All these other options need to be practiced in order to attain
complete success with this play. Your advantages often multiply when the defense
either denies a pass or over-shift in their effort to stop the play.
The Basic Set
The following diagrams show examples of the cut through from
the Wing, Guard, Forward, and Point positions:
Options for Play 6
As mentioned earlier, there are many options.
The options that follow must be practiced in order to take advantage of
situations that develop during the running of this play. Your players must
recognize and counter whenever the opponent attempts to deny a pass or
over-shift in their attempt to defend the play.
Teach Players to read the Defense
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Do what defender
allows This is a good drill for
teaching the offensive fundamentals of reading your defender. The way the
defender moves dictates three counter moves:
The Flare
The Pocket
The drawing illustrates some of the passing options available during the
exercise of this drill. In the beginning, the coach serves as the feeder and
as he teaches ... always catches the ball in a triple threat position.
Once players become adept to this drill, the feeding position can be
filled by #8 or players rotate clockwise, whichever if preferable. The
purpose of this drill is to teach players the proper way to use screens by
teammates. Use these options with any play using screens.
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The Give and Go
Drill starts with #1 being closely guarded, making a crisp two-handed chest
pass to the coach, and cutting to the basket. If open, he/she receives a
return pass, jump stops, and lays it in the basket. (The coach must
insist that all these are executed properly by every player.)
The coach is the feeder in the beginning; however, players are introduced
once the players understand the proper execution of this drill. (This
also becomes a good drill for teaching young players to properly execute the
jump stop and prevent charging calls.)
All players must take their time using screens. Keep in mind the player
receiving the pass can hold the ball 5 seconds, dribble it for 5 seconds,
then hold it another 5 seconds. This is a long time! (Use this to
illustrate the importance of taking your time. At least, in most cases, it
is desirable for every ball handler to hold the ball long enough for a
scoring opportunity to present itself.)
I always told my players to imagine the screener (5) as a big tree rooted
in the ground. Simply play hide and seek with your defender.
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Flare Cuts
All players must take their time using screens. Keep in mind the player
receiving the pass can hold the ball 5 seconds, dribble it for 5 seconds,
then hold it another 5 seconds. This is a long time! Take time for a scoring
opportunity to present itself.
As the player comes off his/her screen, he/her, in this case calls,
"Flare!" The player catches and shoots. For variety, the coach can have
player, shot-fake then shoot, or shot-fake and drive. (Try to make this
drill as game like as is possible. Add defender at the post position, for
example.)
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You need to use a number of perimeter and post drills in
teaching your players to read the defense and learn spacing and floor balance
that is much required in today's motion defense. Break your offense down into
two and three-man plays.
In motion offenses, some coaches only involve perimeter
players in three-man plays and post players in two-man plays; however, I do not
subscribe to this theory.
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Pocket Cut In this diagram,
the coach has dribbled in order to allow more time for a scoring opportunity
for #1 to develop. Player #5 helps obstruct the defender's route to the
elbow. Teammate #1 catches the ball at the elbow and shoots.
(As with the flare cut, the a shot fake and drive can be
substituted for variety. Make this drill as game-like as possible.)
Run drill on both sides of the floor
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Curl Cut
If the defender tries to follow around the screen, the curl cut give the
cutter an open path to an easy basket. As the cutter recognizes this, he/she
shouts, "Curl!", as he/she executes the cut.
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