Basketball Play - Buzzer-Beater from Half-Court
By Dr. James Gels, from the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball PlaybookContributed by: Coach Ken Sartini (aka "Coach Sar"), Arlington Hts, IL.
Here's the situation: the game is tied, or your team is down 1 or 2 points, with a few seconds left in the game. You have the ball out-of-bounds at the half-court line (or just inside half-court). Here's a play you can try with several options.
See the diagrams below. You can change the player assignments to fit your team's strengths. Have your two three-point shooters (O2 and O3) start down low, with your posts (O4 and O5) spaced out on the three-point arc (or higher) as seen in Diagram A. O2 and O3 will set back-screens for the post players, and O1 may attempt the long pass to either O4 or O5 for the lay-in (Diagram B). Now, if the defense switches and sags and denies those passes, or if you need a three-pointer, look to Diagram C... after setting the screens, O2 and O3 roll out to the three-point arc for the pass and shot.
Coach Sar says that in his experience, oftentimes the O5 defender does not like to leave his man and give help defense. In this case, you could switch the roles of O5 and O3, especially if you have a very athletic O3 (one of those slender, long-armed, quick kids that can really jump, catch the ball and finish). This option may also work too if you have a O5 who can step outside and shoot the three-pointer.
Now suppose the defense decides not to guard the in-bounder, but instead positions him/her in the paint to prevent the long pass (see Diagram D below). Run the play just the same (Diagram E), but hit then in-bounder (O1) with the return pass for the three-point shot (Diagram F).
One way to set this up, assuming you have a time-out, is to get ready to run the play. Then if you notice that the in-bounder is not being guarded, call time-out and have your team go to this option instead. If the players know both options, or you have no time-outs left, just yell "Option 1" ("1" for the in-bounder, the point guard).
