If your team is lacking scoring power and offensive skills the “little things” take on greater meaning. Executing with greater detail can make a difference. Boxing out, taking the charge, and free throw proficiency are examples of ‘little things” that can increase the number of your offensive opportunities and reduces your opponent’s opportunities. Proper cutting and use of screens is another example. Every little bit helps.

When we watch ineffective offensive teams run their offensive sets we often see a lack of attention to detail. Teams walk through the out of bounds plays, players throw weak, off target passes, teams run their plays “as instructed” rather than looking for opportunities to break down the defense, and players set ineffective screens and fail to use screens to create space.

Screens are used to assist players in their efforts to create space to operate effectively. Players don’t need to hurry when using a screen. In fact, taking your time and setting the screen properly, reading the defender, will produce the best results. If you fail to use the screen properly by, for example, leaving room for the defender to get by the screen, you will not gain an offensive advantage.

When setting the screen position yourself with feet about shoulder width apart, knees flexed, body in balance. Cross your arms across your body for protection from the inevitable contact. In most cases ball screens will be set facing the sideline, making sure they are stationary when their teammate comes off the screen. Ball screens will be set offering the ball handler ample room to come off the screen with space. Screens that are set too close to the sideline or mid-court line essentially trap the ball handler, making it easy for the defense to use the lines to limit the ball handler’s space and create turnovers. Screeners must move intelligently after the ball handler comes off the screen, either rolling to the basket or popping to the outside looking for a scoring opportunity. The screener’s footwork is essential to maximizing these scoring opportunities. Make every effort to avoid making contact with the defender when rolling or popping. Illegal screens are a current point of emphasis for officials. If you roll (or pop) early and make contact with a defender a violation, and / or a personal foul could be called.

When using the ball screen the ball handler dribbles into a position that allows her to run her defender into the screen creating space and breaking down the defense. The ball handler will have either a scoring opportunity, draw a help defender and have an assist opportunity, or draw the on-ball defender and the screen defender and hit the open roll / pop player for a scoring opportunity.

To create the proper angle and effectively utilize the screen the ball handler must develop dribble moves that allow her to rub the defender off on the screen. If possible, the ball handler dribbles lower than the screen then, using a cross-over dribble, reverse dribble, hip swivel, glide or another dribble move, drives back up towards the screen. Use of the power dribble and related moves (power dribble / reverse or power dribble / half spin) can also effectively set up use of the screen.

The ball handler learns to read and exploit the defense.

If the screen defender hedges (steps out) the ball handler uses a hip swivel to step back and engage the hedging defender. She then looks for the screener to seal and roll.
If the on-ball defender goes under the screen the ball handler looks for the jump shot – assuming the jump shot is part of her skill set.
If the defenders switch the ball handler looks to beat the slower defender off the dribble or steps back, using a hip swivel to engage the defender and looks to hit the roll. The screener seals and rolls.
If the on-ball defender plays high, anticipating the pick, the ball handler “rejects” the pick and drives towards the baseline.
If the screen defender hedges too wide, the ball handler uses the dribble to split the defenders.

Screens away from the ball must be worked in much the same way. Cutters must wait until the screener is stationary. It is the cutter’s responsibility to make use of the screen. The cutter takes her defender down below the screener and maneuvers her defender towards the screen. The cutter then reads the defender and accelerates off the screen and into space. If the defender tries to fight over the top of the screen the cutter flashes low, under the screen. Conversely, if the defender moves under the screen the cutter moves over the top and into space.

Cutters do not always have to move at full speed while setting up the cut. As with other parts of the game changing speed and changing direction can be very effective when using the screen to get space.

Again, footwork is essential to maximizing the opportunities created by effectively using the screen. If the cutter thinks she can beat the defender across the screen, as with a curl cut, she plants the outside foot and pushes across the screen into space. Ball handlers must use the inside foot square up or the 1:2 step to make use of the space created and shoot the open jumper or be balanced and strong when delivering the pass.

If the cutter sees the defender going under or behind the screen she can pop out to the wing. In this case she plants the inside foot above the screener and pushes back and out to the wing with the outside foot. She then pivots, swinging the inside foot back and out, finishing square to the basket. Whether rolling to the hoop or popping to the outside the screener’s footwork can mean the difference between scoring opportunity and blown scoring opportunity.

Even when the cutter sets up the cut and creates space, she will need to receive the pass on target and on time. Passers must see the play develop and anticipate the cut, delivering the pass before the defense rotates or recovers.

Players often have to cut to get open without the help of a screen. In these cases, efficiency is vital. We see a lot of players using a lot of energy trying to get open. Executing simple cuts with good footwork can make it easier. With a simple V-cut the player slowly moves down towards the block, bumps (not push) the defender, plants the outside foot and accelerates out to the wing. Two simple adjustments can make this move more efficient. As she gets to the block the cutter can step across the defender’s front foot and then cut to the wing or reverse pivot, bump the defender and release to the wing.

A L-cut can also be effective. The player walks her defender across the court, plants the inside foot and cuts hard to the ball on a 90-degree angle.

The Stop & Go – the player takes a step in one direction then accelerates in the opposite direction. As she approached the screener she stops, allowing the defender to bump into her (she loses momentum) then accelerates through the screen.

The Nudge Cut – As the cutter approaches the screener she runs right at the screener then nudges the defender with her shoulder and hip (do not extend the arm) into the screener.

The Run Cut – Starting under the rim, the cutter takes one or two steps up towards the free throw line then plants her foot and sprints back towards the screener and into open space.

The most efficient technique for getting separation from the defender and getting open is the Seal and Release. The offensive player walks into the defender, facing her, uses a reverse pivot to get her back on the defender, seals her and releases to the ball.

When drilling the skills related to screening all of the above factors must be considered, practiced and reinforced. Do not drill at “practice speed”. All drills are at full, “game speed”.

V-Cut Square Up

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