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
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1 dribbles down to the right wing to initiate the offense. |
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5 sets the screen on the wing, then rolls to the basket. 1 attacks the ball screen and looks to score. |
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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. |
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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. |
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2 attacks the ball screen. 4 rolls to the basket. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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To fully understand how to teach and implement the offense, take a look at Lason Perkin's European Ball Screen Offense. Coach Perkins does an excellent job demonstrating how to use ball screens (the fundamentals) and how to execute this offense from beginning to end. We highly recommend this DVD for your library and it gets our full seal of approval.
The DVD includes:
- 2 more adjustments including the backdoor and dribble handoff and how your other players on the floor should rotate.
- 5 special actions including the running slip, flare slip, hook post, cross screen, and back screen.
- 7 different defensive adjustments including going under the screen, going over the screen, anticipating the screen, hedging the screen, blitzing the screen, switching the screen, and trapping the screen. It also shows you how to attack those defensive adjustments.
- 8 Key points to screening and attacking the screens.
- 16 offensive entries including transition entries, dead ball entries, post player isolation plays, plays to get your shooter a wide open look, and much more.
- 5 inbounds plays.
- 2 additional continuity offenses.
- 4 drills to help you practice and build your European ball screen offense.
What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...
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