Guard to Forward Passing Patterns

Originally Published in: Winning Basketball Fundamentals

Provided by: Human Kinetics

GUARD-TO-FORWARD-PASS-PATTERN

Focus

All-purpose offense, guard-to-forward pass pattern.

Procedure

Players begin on the half court. Follow these steps:

1. O1 passes to O4, takes a hard jab step to the middle, and tries to get his head and shoulder around the opponent for an inside ball cut. If O1 is open, he gets a quick return pass. If O1 is not open, he continues to the low block on the strong side.

2. As O1 cuts, O5 turns and screens for O3, who relocates to the strong-side elbow looking for a pass and a possible shot.

3. O2 V-cuts to the top of the key and gets a pass from O4 (figure 6.2).

4. O5 relocates to the low post on the weak side. (Options 2, 3, and 4 pick up here.)

Option 1

5. As O2 receives the pass, O1 turns out off O5's baseline screen. O3 continues toward the basket and relocates to the low block opposite O5.

6. After O4 passes to O2, O4 pins down on O3's opponent and O3 pops out. This puts O4 at the basket for the rebound.

7. O2 takes one or at most two dribbles, looking to reverse the ball. O2 passes to O1, who can shoot, pass to O5, or call O5 out for a sideline pick-and-roll.

8. After O2 passes to O1, O2 turns and screens for O3, who is coming off O4's down screen (figure 6.3).

Option 2

5. Play begins with O2 catching the ball at the top of the key.

6. O4 screens down for O3, and O1 turns out off O5.

7. O2 has the option of starting toward O1, reversing the dribble, and passing to O3 (figure 6.4).

8. If O2 reverses and dribbles toward O3, O5 steps into the middle, looking to post up on X5.

9. This effective counter play can be called at a time-out.

Option 3

5. Another option has O2 with the ball at the top rotating the ball to O1.

6. O2 then reverses and sets a staggered double screen with O4 for O3.

7. O3 works off the screens, looking for a catch-and-shoot (figure 6.5).

8. O5 is a post-up option. O1 can also run a pick-and-roll with O5.