European Ball Screen Continuity Offense With Lason Perkins

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A few years ago, NBA teams started incorporating more European sets into their offensive schemes and with this, came the European ball screen offense. And just like everything else that is successful at the NBA level, it slowly trickles down through the college then high school and even to youth basketball.

And this certainly isn't a bad thing. Ball screens are a great tool for any offense and a great way to teach players how to play.

I'm a motion guy, but as long as you have a couple of decent ball handlers on the floor, I could see this being used with players 11 years and older.

Advantages Of European Ball Screen Offense

  • SIMPLE - This is a very simple continuity, but very effective at all levels. The simple pattern makes it easy for players to learn.

  • Flexible - The offense will allow you to get the ball to your best player whether they are a dominant guard or dominant post player.

  • Very hard to guard - The defense has to be very adept to fighting through screens. You'll notice that defenses might guard the first screen very well or even the second, but after three, four, five, or even six screens, the defense will eventually break down.

  • Constant continuity - The offense has constant continuity with movement across the court which causes the defense to work harder. As a result, you'll be able to exploit gaps in their defense.

  • Constant cutting movement - In addition to guarding screens, the defense has to control the constant cuts by the offense.

  • Spreads floor - It spreads the floor and makes the defense work harder and opens up gaps for the offense which makes it easier to attack the basket.

  • Use your quickness advantage - Smaller teams can take advantage of their quickness advantage over bigger teams.

  • Take advantage of having good post players - With your big guys constantly setting screens, a mismatch is bound to be exposed on a switch or bad defensive play. As soon as this happens, this offense will have your bigs and your guards ready to attack.

  • Tweakable - The offense can be tweaked to work for your personnel. You can hide players and set them as screeners or you can have your best player be the screener to take advantage of mismatches.

Ball Screen Offense Continuity




1 dribbles down to the right wing to initiate the offense.
5 sets the screen on the wing, then rolls to the basket.

1 attacks the ball screen and looks to score.
If a scoring option is not there off of the initial ball screen, 1 reverses the ball to 4.

As 4 receives the pass, 3 cuts to the basket and clears to the opposite corner. 1 cuts to the opposite wing. 5 cuts to the top.
After 3 clears, 2 cuts to receive a pass from 4 on the wing.

4 follows the pass and sets a ball screen on the wing.
2 attacks the ball screen.

4 rolls to the basket.
If no scoring opportunities present themselves, 2 passes to 5.

2 fills the opposite wing.

4 cuts to the top.

1 basket cuts and fills the opposite corner.

Next, 3 would cut to receive the pass. 5 would pass and set the ball screen. And the ball screen offense would continue.

Ball Screen Offense Adjustments

Based on how the defense reacts, the offense will need to make adjustments when attacking the ball screen in order to be successful.

Reject Screen

If the defense plays the top side of the screen and the baseline is open, 2 can reject the screen and drive baseline.

4 fills behind 2 for a safety valve.

5 cuts to the rim for a pass or rebounding opportunity.

1 fills the top.

3 drifts and finds an open spot along the perimeter.

Slip Screen

The slip is a great option for the screener to use when the defense hedges hard and also to keep the defense guessing.

4 goes to set the ball screen. But rather than waiting for 2 to attack the screen, 4 immediately cuts to the basket.

Looking to add a ball screen offense? Check out the Billiter Rocket Offense.

What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...



Comments

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Coach Lambdin says:
4/8/2015 at 1:09:10 PM

After looking up Coach Perkins, he has another great offense called the Horns or A-Set offense. I am wanting to get one of the DVDs, but am not sure which one to get. They both are great, I like the A-Set better, but I really want a continuity offense and not sure I can get that out of the A-Set like I can in this European Ball Screen Offense. Any advice/help would be appreciated.

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Jeff Haefner says:
4/10/2015 at 7:17:50 AM

Coach - It has been a long time since I have watched this DVD but I'm pretty sure the A-Set DVD is all "called plays" and there is not a continuity offense.

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Jeremiah says:
5/21/2015 at 10:32:12 AM

This is a great video. I myself have always been a motion guy but am very intrigued by this offensive system. The great thing is that he shows you different entries into the offense. For example, if you like 2 guard front or like to run Horns, everything leads back to the continuity. Coach Perkins may have convinced me ...

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Coach Jaye says:
1/29/2014 at 1:17:45 AM

I just taught this offense to my kids today and they are in love with it. They caught on in just an hour, so we spent the rest of the time running tht play through practice. It was awesome. Thanks a lot!

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Coach Tom says:
11/11/2013 at 6:58:36 PM

Variation: if you have mobile, ball-handling bigs and/or guards that are better shooters than users of an on-ball screen another option is to replace the ball-screens with dribble hand-offs.

If the big's defender is hedging to cover the wing using the dribble hand-off, the big keeps the dribble alive and slips to the basket.

If the wing defender goes under the dribble hand-off, the wing has the option of flaring and taking the jumpshot - unlike the original set, the wing doesn't have to pick up his dribble which keeps his options open if the wing defender closes out too hard.

Also, if you want to avoid pigeon-holing players, you can have all players setting and coming off the ball-screens/dribble hand-offs:

Looking at the third diagram when 1 passes to 4, instead of having 5 space out up high and 1 on the wing, have them do the opposite. After the next ball-screen and reversal, the 1 will be setting the screen for 3. Have 2 & 4 do the same following the screen and later 2 will be screening for 5.

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Deadspinhoops says:
5/11/2013 at 6:56:22 AM

I ran this offense last season and it is a very good and tough offense to defend.

I also made a little adjustment to it and went with a 3-2 look with the bigs starting down on the Blocks.

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greg says:
11/11/2020 at 5:55:44 PM

Can you show me

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Big Dog says:
11/18/2012 at 12:11:13 AM

Breakers Trans

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james says:
11/15/2012 at 8:58:26 PM

its more secondary offense - need smart players as you can change the ball screen to handoff fake screen (slips) or backdoor cuts but they need to be able to play that and make those reads plus defenders will "show" hard on those wing screen/hand off actions.

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james says:
11/15/2012 at 8:52:29 PM

university wisconsin runs the same thing!

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John says:
11/15/2012 at 8:01:08 PM

I love this offense and I see how it would work great against a man to man defense.

Does it work against a zone (2-3)? or is there something similar that would work against a zone.

I like the concept and want to run a bunch of screens but we play against almost all zone teams. I have one player that is a great mid range shot and also should be able to penetrate fairly easily against most defensive players but I really like ball screens and off ball screens as well.

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Coach Mac says:
11/15/2012 at 1:49:12 PM

I own the Open Post Offense DVD and I love it. How is this offense different from that offense.

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Brian Whitmer says:
11/15/2012 at 9:27:33 AM

This is a good simple offense to use. I have the DVD and it does a good job explaining the offense.

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