In the 2025 NCAA Men’s Championship Game, Houston trailed Florida 65-63. With 19.7 seconds left, Houston had possession of the ball.

Houston attempted to go for the win by generating a 3 point shot. Instead, they never got a shot off and lost by 2!

While no one should doubt the coaching excellence of Houston Coach Kelvin Sampson, it was a tough moment to watch. His team was unable to get a clean look at a 3 when they needed one most.

Is your team ready for that moment? Do you have a play you trust for when you need a 3? Even better, what if you had a family of plays that were similar but had unique twists to exploit the defense?

If that sounds appealing to you, check out the following three plays from The Relentless Pressure System with Mike Hilmer.

How A 3x State Champ Gets Open 3’s!

Being able to run multiple basketball plays from the same formation gives you an advantage. Your alignment is not a tip-off to the defense. These 3 plays give you a variety of scoring options based on different screening actions.

Play 1 - Michigan

• The play starts in an overload formation.

• 1 has the ball at the top of the key.

• 3 down screens for 4.

• 1 passes to 4 on the wing.

• 5 sets a back screen for 1.

• If 1 is open, 4 should pass to them for a layup.

• If 1 isn’t open, 4 should pass to 5 up top.

• 1 pops out to the wing.

• 5 reverses the ball to 1 on the right wing.

• 3, 4, & 5 set up a triple-stagger screen for 2.

• 1 hits 2 at the top of the key for a shot or drive.

Coaching Tips:

• When setting the triple stagger, your screeners should look for opportunities to slip those screens and score a layup.

• If the other four defenders are distracted by the screening action, I can attack their defender 1-on-1.

• Make sure to put your best shooter in the 2 spot.

Play 2 - Wolverine

Wolverine is a counter to Michigan. It starts the same but ends with a different action, creating confusion for the defense.

• The play starts in an overload formation.

• 1 has the ball at the top of the key.

• 3 down screens for 4.

• 1 passes to 4 on the wing.

• 5 sets a back screen for 1.

• If 1 is open, 4 should pass to them for a layup.

• If 1 isn’t open, 4 should pass to 5 up top.

• 1 pops out to the wing.

• 5 reverses the ball to 1 on the right wing.

• 3, 4, & 5 go to set up a triple-stagger screen for 2.

• Instead of using all 3 screens, 2 curls between 4 & 5 to receive a pass for a layup.

• If 2 isn’t open, they space to the corner.

• 3 pops up off a stagger screen from 4 & 5.

• 1 looks to hit 3 at the top of the key.

• 4 should look to slip the screen and dive to the rim for a layup.

Coaching Tips:

• All screeners should look for opportunities to slip their screens for layups.

• If 2 is a good post player, they can post up if they don’t receive the ball on their curl.

Play 3 - Michigan State

Michigan State is the 3rd play in this trio of sets. This play puts pressure on the rim before looking for a 3 point shot opportunity.

• The play starts in an overload formation.

• 1 has the ball at the top of the key.

• 3 down screens for 4.

• 1 passes to 4 on the wing.

• 5 sets a back screen for 1.

• If 1 is open, 4 should pass to them for a layup.

• If 1 isn’t open, 4 should pass to 5 up top.

• 1 pops out to the wing.

• 5 reverses the ball to 1 on the right wing.

• 3 sets a back screen for 4.

• If 4 is open, 1 should pass to them for a layup.

• If 4 doesn’t get the pass, they should pop out to the corner.

• 3 & 5 set a stagger screen for 2.

• 1 looks to pass to 2 at the top of the key for a shot.

• 5 can also look to slip the screen.

• If x5 overplays, 5 dives to the rim.

• 1 looks to hit 5 for a layup.

Coaching Tips:

• The slip is a great option against switching defenses.

• If 4 is a good post player, they can post up after receiving the back screen from 3.

• 1 can look to rip and attack on the right side of the floor on their initial catch. This is a good time to attack as the basket area is clear of defenders.

One System To Revolutionize Your Program

Ready to add these plays—and an entire pressure system—to your team?

The Relentless Pressure System with Mike Hilmer gives you far more than just a few sets. You’ll get a complete pressing blueprint for creating easy scoring opportunities, forcing turnovers, and keeping constant pressure on your opponent for 32 minutes.

You’ll have a system that constantly puts opponents in difficult positions, whether you are on defense or on offense! It’s no coincidence that after going to this system, Coach Hilmer won 3 Iowa State Championships!

So, if you want a proven approach that helps your team play fast, aggressive, and efficient, this is worth a serious look.

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