I like this offense. Installed it with my 8th grade team today. My question is, how do you get that post player screen for the baseline runner if she follows the ball? It’s better if she’s opposite the ball.
Hey Coach -- I am a high school boys coach in Idaho that has been utilizing the Pistol Continuity as our primary offense for a couple of years. I really like the offense as well and so do our players. Some good ideas on some a couple of options here - I like the UP action and had not used that. We also recently implemented Zoom, Spain PNR and Stagger actions into the offense as options depending on where the ball goes from the guard setting us up -- as you said in the video the great part is the kids just react to the defense and where the ball goes, no called plays or actions.
Hey coach. Thanks. Yeah you can really customize it to fit what you like. Love zoom action and we've been running zoom stuff as entries into our base offenses. I've always struggled with Spain PnR for some reason. The "up" action is really "pistol 21" that NBA teams run but in half court and not transition. I really, really like that. Last year we ran Pistol out of transition but not as a continuity -- we ran Underwood's Spread. It just depends on the team I have. But yes, it's really just a read the defense offense. If you have at least 3 kids who can handle and a big that buys in, it's very effective.
Hey coach, I see several examples of the Pistol Offense where the guard is passing the ball instead of a DHO. What are your thoughts on that? Any advantages of one vs the other?
Hello - do you run the hand off ball screen action as continuity? If the first side did not create a shot, I assume the post player could sprint back to top of key and run hand off ball screen action it on other side?
Coach, whenever you were teaching your players the spread offense, did you do break down drills of it? For example, 1st cut, 2nd cut, two man. Or you taught the full offense with all 5 players? At the 7 minute mark you said it was the second day running the spread, so I was interested on how you taught them the offense.
100% we do breakdowns. A lot of them. We use them as warmups. 1st cut, 2nd cut, 2-man shooting, etc. We then do a lot of 3x3 live small-sided games out of 2-man game. Start with a skip, then play it 3x3 live. Then start with a pass to the slot guard (assuming skip isn't open) and play from there. For the AAU teams we only met 2x a week so we were rushed to get it in. And these are higher bball IQ kids than your typical HS team so we could afford to do that. There are reads to make in this offense that really make it click, even though it's technically a continuity so the 3x3 stuff I think is critical to maximize those reps to learn what the reads are. End of the day your offense is only as good as your players, but this really does give kids a lot of ways to score.
Chad everything for me is based on personnel. I really, really like all of the scoring ops Spread gives you. But if I have 3 or 4 elite ball handlers/decision makers with a mobile post, Pistol is still a fantastic offense. Simple to learn, but extremely hard to guard but you need the right kids to run it. Circle is good but it gets predictable unless you add a lot to it. Euro is a great, great offense but you really need the 4 and 5 to be able to shoot to make it really go. Otherwise they'll just zone off the bad post shooter. All of them can work (Blocker/Mover as well). It just depends on WHO is operating it.
I know I'm a bit late to the party on this video, but for anyone who runs Blocker/Mover this is a great zone system to compliment that offense. You still have that wheel motion and dribble top action, but instead of baseline running the opposite guard flashes high post. We got great looks when we would hit the blockers in the short corner and have that flashing guard dive down the middle. You could have your opposite blocker flash high post after the guard vacates, but I always told them to screen the bottom defenders while the guard with the ball occupies the top two guards on the dribble top action. We got some good looking 3s that way.
I run euro ball screen motion. I’ve run your pistol offense plus I’ve run spread by Brad Underwood just like you. Which one of these offense do you like best ? I’ve never ran circle but have ran a lot of five out.
Chad I think everything you do has to be personnel based. I love all of those offenses. But I have teams that can’t run euro. Or pistol. But are good at spread and circle. I love blocker mover if I have the right personnel. I think pistol is extremely tough to guard if you have 4 guards who can all play and a post that can move. But pistol takes time. I’ve had coaches contact me, saying that pistol “doesn’t work”. well like anything you have to drill it like crazy so that the players can make the appropriate reads and not play sideline to sideline. Spread I think generates great shots but you need to be able to make reads and add counters. So which one is “best” is a tough question.
This is great stuff coach. Good wrinkles. I would encourage you to run the "wave" option where you wave the first wing player through if they are denied. The first cutter still comes through. The second cutter and the nail set an elevator screen and the second cutter slips to the block they would normally go to anyway. Normal two man game ensues on the backside.
Yeah i looked at the dribble entry. I worry that it would take too long and the wing has to keep her dribble active while the cutter runs that zipper cut. Has that not been an issue?
@@billabner It does take a little while. But if your point guard is good at seeing that denial in transition they can wave them through quickly to start the possession. We got a lot of drives when that player would back cut, their defender would turn their head and our point guard would just attack 1 v 1 with no help. You are right though.... waiting for the player to dive through and come up through the screens takes a while. It's great to exploit tough matchups though.
Great video and coaching points. We've been running a Pistol offense for the past two seasons, and we've seen improvements. We'll use this concept this season. Best of luck this season!
Hello Coach. I happened upon this video and absolutely love it! I am high school coach and would love to talk you more about this offense. Is there a way to contact you?
Coach, I would love some more information circle motion with a post player? I'm looking to run this offense, but will have 1-2 players that are good in the post and they might not guard on the perimeter
I love these videos - thank you! I have been watching and trying to decide btwn Circle, Euro Ball Screen, and Pistols as our primary offense. We don't have as much practice time with the whole team as I would like (girls are in senior high school and focused on school/university). I like Circle b/c it seems like the simplest to implement and doesn't require any specific personnel. My questions - (1) what are you entries into the offense, esp on fast break, (2) do you have any dropoff in offensive rebounding with the bigs potentially standing outside? Thanks again!
Your team runs their O very good and this is a great video. But these Zones you are facing are all typical weak Zone Defenses the kind that make some Coaches become Man-2-Man ONLY Coaches. And so your good Offense works great against these bad Zones. I just wonder how well it would work against a truly ELITE Zone Defense, a team that specializes in an ELITE Zone. The good news is IF I installed it on my team I could see it against an Elite Zone (top 5 Defense 3 years in a row now). I think we would destroy it, but then, we pretty much destroy every offense so that would not mean your offense isn't good. I think it would work for us on Offense, most of the Zones we play against are lame too. But against our D in practice idk if we could really get it off the ground and running. Oh well, that is a thought for next season after we lose some Seniors and need a new edge. Thanks for the vids. I save almost all of them for a rainy day.
Coach Abner: Appreciate all of your info that you've generated. If you WERE to continue with Xavier as a Continuity offense, what would your preferred movement be to restart on the left side, etc? Thanks! Bill
You can certainly keep in this action especially vs a 2-3. I would designate a baseline runner (shooter). When the ball screen is used and then gets kicked wing to corner, if there's no shot, have the corner player run to the opposite corner. Then the post comes out and ball screens again and run the action on the other side. Hope that makes sense.
@@billabner Coach: Yes, that makes perfect sense. I've been monkeying with different patterns, I like your suggestion, and appreciate the quick reply!! Have a great Holiday season and basketball year!
Do you have to specifically call "up" or can the point guard choose to DHO (original video) or hit the wing and get the DHO and play from there like the 2nd video. Thanks
@@billabner thank you for answering. Do you ever have the wing come up and pick for the point who can either go to the basket, or swing the flare back to the picker. Just a variation. Thanks and have a great Thanksgiving.
Running this with my 6th grade girls. Hardest part for mine is the DHO so we pass into the wing a lot followed by the first screen. I see your girls did the same occasionally. Can’t thank you enough!
Coach, these are amazing videos. How much are you using this compared with your "Circle" offense? Do your players decide on the floor which offense they are running or are you calling from the bench or during timeouts? Thanks!
I run Pistol or a variation of it, especially with the right personnel. Circle I still use, but not as much as a main offense. More as a change up. Glad you enjoy the vids!
@@FL-cw4pk If the bigs aren't skilled but can screen, I'll run blocker/mover wheel. If they can score or have some shooting ability i like euro ball screen -- or you can still run wheel.
