Chapter - 24

Individual Offense

Body position | Pivoting | The reverse | The one-on-one

The success of the best offensive patterns will depend a great deal on the individual offensive abilities of each player. The offensive pattern may set up numerous opportunities for shots and drive situations but unless players have developed the individual abilities required for these situations, the offensive pattern will go for naught.

Body Position

All offensive players should maintain a body position with the weight distributed on the balls of the feet, the knees bent slightly, with slight forward body lean. This allows the individual to be in perfect balance and allows quick cuts to meet passes or to cut for the basket. Players in the pivot position may be in a slightly more erect position than outside players since they must present a big target for incoming passes. However, no player can move quickly until he bends his knees. As he receives the ball, the pivot player immediately should bend his knees slightly in order to be able to move either left or right quickly.

Pivoting

Pivoting technique is necessary to be able to position the body to protect the ball. In addition, a quick pivot and cut can often free an offensive player for a pass and scoring attempt.

The player with the ball cannot move his pivot foot or the resulting walking violation will cause loss of the ball. Once the pivot foot has been established, the player may pivot on this foot at complete 180 degree turns to protect the ball from an aggressive defensive player. The pivot should always be made on the ball of the foot.

In executing the simple pivot, the dribbler advances to the defensive player and comes to a stop with one foot in advance of the other (Illustration 2). As the stop is made, the rear of the body should be brought low to maintain balance. The rear foot will be the pivot foot. If the player has his right foot to the rear, he may pivot by picking up his left foot and moving it to his left or right. However, he will gain maximum protection for the ball by moving his left foot to the right. There are situations when the ball may be caught as both feet hit the floor simultaneously. In these cases, either foot may become the pivot foot.

ILLUSTRATION 2. The simple pivot. Dark area indicates position of feet as the stop is made. Dotted lines indicate position of feet after the pivot. The pivot should be made on the balls of the feet.

ILLUSTRATION 3. The reverse or trailer pivot. The dribbler picks up his dribble after the front foot strikes the floor and establishes this foot as his pivot foot. This pivot is more difficult to master than the simple pivot and is used most often by more highly skilled players.

The reverse or trailer pivot may be used by the dribbler to pass off to a cutting teammate. As shown by Illustration 3, the dribbler catches the ball with his right foot on the floor and advanced slightly to the front. Instead of bringing his left foot forward, he swings the left foot to the rear and pivots so that his back will be to the defensive player. He should be in a low crouch and may pass off easily to a cutting teammate. This pivot is more difficult to master than the simple pivot and is used most often by more highly skilled players.

The Reverse

It is very important for all players to develop the reverse move in order to shake an aggressive defensive player. The move is used most often by forwards who are being guarded tightly making passes in to them difficult. As shown by Illustration 4, the tightly guarded forward will pivot to the outside on his rear foot and make a quick cut for the basket. With practice the move can be made quickly and can result in many scoring opportunities. Coordination between the passer and the player executing the reverse is essential. The reverse move must be preceded by a fake cut to meet the pass. The passer must fake the pass to the forward to draw the defensive player tighter and then must make the good pass to the reversing forward.

ILLUSTRATION 4. The reverse move by a forward to shake an aggressive defensive player. Shaded area indicates position of the feet after cutting to meet the pass while dotted line area indicates position of the feet after the pivot has been made.

The One-on-One

The success of most offensive systems is dependent on scoring from the one-on-one situations that arise during the game. Many teams build their entire patterns around these situations.

In addition to developing overall shooting and ball-handling ability, the individual must develop the following abilities in order to be a good one-on-one offensive player:

1. Fake right, shoot.

2. Fake left, shoot.

3. Fake right, fake shot, drive right.

4. Fake right, fake shot, drive left.

5. Fake left, fake shot, drive left.

6. Fake left, fake shot, drive right.

7. Fake right, drive left.

8. Fake left, drive right.

9. Fake right, fake left, drive right.

10. Fake left, fake right, drive left.

A part of each day's practice organization should include time for practicing the various 1-on-l situations that occur. Hours of practice are necessary before the individual moves can be perfected. Players must learn when to fake with the feet, head, or eyes, the cross-over step must be mastered (Illustration 5), and other parts of the 1-on-l maneuver perfected. Therefore, the coach must direct individual attention to each player if effective 1-on-l moves are to be learned.

ILLUSTRATION 5. The cross-over step. With the pivot foot to the left, the offensive player fakes a drive to the right by either stepping to the right or faking his head and shoulders to the right. He quickly pivots on his left foot and simultaneously crosses his right foot across so that his initial step

on the drive left will be with his right foot.

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