Newsletter #235

Today's Theme:  "Blitz" - a Favorite Hi-Lo Play

"Blitz" is a great simple play if you have two post players who work well together.  On the website, it is called "Big", and there are several variations described there.

This play works if your inside post player can beat his/her defender 1-on-1 with a post move.  Additionally, if the post defender is in foul trouble, this play exposes him/her to another fouling situation.  Instead of fouling, he/she may simply play soft defense and allow us to score.  We like the hi-lo feed from the top, as there is usually no helpside defense when the ball is at the top.

See the diagram below. O1 dribbles toward the right wing as O2 slides to the corner.  O4 moves to the top and O1 passes to O4.  O5 aggressively posts-up in the paint and O4 makes the quick hi-lo pass inside to O5.  O5 scores or gets fouled as the first option.  The pass from O4 to O5 must happen quickly to avoid O5 getting a 3-second violation.  Timing is important.

After O1 passes to O4, O2 backscreens for O1, and O1 slides to the wing-corner area.  If the pass inside to O5 is denied, O4 could skip-pass over the top to O1.  O1 could shoot the 3-pointer, or pass inside to O5 posting up on the ball-side.  Another option when the pass from O4 to O5 is being denied is to have O4 fake a pass to O5, and make a quick dribble move to the hoop around the right side of the defender.

See:  "4-Out Big Series Plays".