Basketball Plays, Drills, and Training Tips
Skip Navigation Links

Areas of the court...

Plays
Choose another play...
Category:      Play: 
Your selected article...
Box Offset
Description

This under-your-basket inbounds play is designed to take advantage of a zone defense. It has two options; one of which usually gets you a good shot for a scoring opportnity.

Play Setup
  • Your best passer inbounds the ball (in the example it is player 3).
  • The other four players form a box that is offset to the side of the inbounds.
  • Player 4 (a post player) starts in front of the inbounder.
  • Player 5 starts in the ball-side corner.
  • Player 2, or your best outside shooter, starts near the sideline, ball-side, at a depth of the foul-line extended.
  • Player 1 starts near the high-post on the ball-side.
The Play
ANIMATION
Get Microsoft Silverlight
  • Player 3 slaps the ball and yells "Go!" to start the play.
  • Player 4 cuts into the key and seals the middle-low defender in the zone.
  • Player 5 crashes down from the short-corner to the low block and seals in the outside-low defender on the ball-side.
  • OPTION #1
  • Player 2 cuts down to the ball-side corner looking for the inbound pass.
  • If player 5 has a good seal, player 2 should have an open jump-shot from the corner.
  • Player 1 retreats back near the half-court line for the safety-valve pass.
  • OPTION #2
  • Player 5 seals the zone's outside-low defender just long enough for the inbounds pass to player 2.
  • Player 2 receives the inbounds pass in the ball-side corner.
  • Player 5 intentionally allows his defender to slip out and into the corner to defend the ball.
  • Player 5 now re-establishes post position and looks for the short entry pass from player 2.
  • Upon receiving the pass from player 2, player 5 should have good position for a close-range shot.
  • Player 1 retreats back near the half-court line for the safety-valve pass.
Key Coaching Points
  • Players 4 and 5 should post players.
  • If the inbounds pass is made but both options are defended, look to reverse the ball quickly out of the corner and start your offense.
  • The safety-valve pass to player 1 should always be available. Make sure your inbounder is instructed to lob that pass over the defense to player 1.