FIBA EUROPE

COACHES - OFFENSE

by Geno Auriemma

THE HIGH-POST
AND THE TRIANGLE
OFFENSEs

Geno Auriemma, 2006 inductee in the

Basketball Hall of Fame, was women's team
assistant coach at the University of St.
Joseph's, and then at the University of Virginia.
As head coach of the University of Connecticut,
he won five NCAA women's titles. This ItalianAmerican coach was chosen as Women's
National Coach of the Year five times by different organizations, and coached six collegiate
Women's National Players of the Year. He also
won a gold medal as assistant coach of the
U.S. Women's National team at the Sydney
Olympic Games, and a bronze medal as the
head coach of the women's team at the 2001
FIBA Junior World Championship.
The basic move from which we start to teach
this offense is the split cut, which is a cut of two
players around the high post. The first one, who
passed the ball, cuts first (diagr. 1). The center
can pass the ball to one of the two cutters, or
she can turn, face the basket, and shoot the
ball herself.
When I was young, the players were not indicated as 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, but simply as two
guards, two forwards, and one center. So many
times I will mention the two guards, who cross
the mid-court line practically at the same time,
and one center, who goes in the high-post position whenever it's possible. The reason we
cross the mid-court line with two guards is that
it's difficult for the defense to double team
when the offense moves this way.
After the ball is passed to 1, 2 makes a cross
cut and, if she is free, receives the ball from 1
(diagr. 2). If not, 1 goes to the middle of the
court. She cannot be trapped here, because
there is always a teammate near her, who will
punish the trap.
If 1 is overplayed, she makes a backdoor cut
going towards the mid-court line, or, if she
receives the ball, she can pass to 2 or dribble,
crossing towards the mid-court line (diagr. 3).
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COACHES - OFFENSE
2's defender cannot trap, because there is immediately a
pass back or 2 can easily go behind the ball line and help
the dribbler. Besides, we can send the center away from
the ball, after the inbound pass, because we do not need
her as a safety. In this way, we can avoid to have the center dribbling the ball.
A basic detail: the guard without the ball does not cross the
mid-court line until the dribbler herself: she can be a safety
valve and receive a pass from 1 (diagr. 4), when the defense gets tight.

D.1

When we dribble over the mid-court line and are able to

pass the ball to the post, we make the split action with the
first passer, who cuts first.
Here are the various options:

Pass and cut.

Pass and make a screen.
Pass, fake a cut, and come back.
The center can pass to one of the cutters, or else fake
a pass, and then play one-on-one.

D.4

The key point of this action is that we want the defenders

of the two guards to turn their heads and watch the ball as
it reaches the high post. It's difficult to play good defense
in this situation because the defenders do not know where
the offensive players will go.
I would like to underline that the success of this play does
not depend on the quickness of the two guards, because
they can beat the defenders even if they are slower: they
can count on reading the defense on different options and
on the two different cuts.

D.2

THREE PLAYER SET

We start to build the split simulating a situation of a
rebound, baseline out-of-bound, and then the split at the
beginning a 3 vs 0 and then a 3-on-2 (diagr. 5).
We set the players in three lines, with a guard, who
brings the ball on offense starting from over the midcourt. There is also one mid post player and one at the
free-throw line extension. 1 crosses the mid-court line
and then changes direction. She must pass the ball to
the forward before going out with both feet from the
center court circle: this is the time for deciding where
to pass the ball (diagr. 6).

D.5

We set the players in three lines: 1 passes the ball (again,

before going out with the feet of the center court circle),
and then cuts and goes in the corner on the ball side
(diagr. 7).
2 passes the ball to the mid post and then 1 and 2 make the
split cut (diagr. 8). The center must be active and smart to
read the defenders' moves and capitalize on their
mistakes. It's a must to read the defense, both for the cutters, as well as for the center with the ball.
It's also very important to have a good alignment between
the forward and the center (diagr. 9):
The forward must be outside the three-point line, at the
free-throw line extension.
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D.3

D.6

 The center must be at the mid post position, with

enough space between her and the baseline for
the cut of a teammate. There should also be enough room to let her play one-on-one as a final
option.
We say to the players that no move is prearranged,
but, again, they must read the defense and let that
set up determine what will work best.

D.7

D.12

Here, for example, are two other options after the

pass to the mid post:
1 can anticipate the cut (diagr. 10) or
Makes a curl cut around 5, without going in the
corner (diagr. 11).
Let's now assume that the forward 2 is overplayed:
here are the different solutions:
a. Backdoor. 5 comes high at the corner of the freethrow area, facing the midcourt line, and automatically 2 will make a backdoor cut to receive the
ball (diagr. 12).

D.8

D.13

In short, when the ball crosses the mid-court line, the

play becomes a three-player collaboration: 5 must
read the defense and see if her teammate is overplayed. Then she must offer the choice of the entry
pass to 1.
b. Hand off. If 2 goes backdoor, 1 can receive a hand
off pass and shoots, or drives to the basket, or 5
can always play one-on-one (diagr. 13).

D.9

D.14

c. UCLA cut. 1 passes to 2, makes a cut on 5, and

then goes on the opposite corner. 5 then does a
pick-and-roll with 2: 2 can shoot, pass to 5 on the
roll, or make a skip pass to 1 for a three-point shot
(diagr. 14).
d. Post up. After the pass to 2 and the UCLA cut, 1
can also stop at the low post position (diagr. 15). 2
goes down to pick 1, after the pass to 5 (diagr. 16).
2 then comes high to back screen 5, after 5 has
passed the ball to 1 (diagr. 17).

D.10

D.11

D.15

D.16

FOUR PLAYER SET

Let's now add another player, playing with three
guards and a center. The beginning of the play is the
same, with the ball passed from 1 to 3, and from 3 to 5,
with 1 going to the corner on the ball side. 2 replaces
1 in the middle of the court, after faking a cut in the
other direction (diagr. 18).
If 5 is aggressively guarded, 3 passes the ball to 1, and
1 passes to 5, who has faked a high cut (diagr. 19). If 1
cannot pass to 5, 5 comes out, makes a back screen
for 3, and then plays pick-and-roll with 1 in the corner
(diagr. 20).
Spacing is always very important, staying especially
outside of the three-point line.
FIVE PLAYER SET
We start with two guards on the line, one forward at
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FIBA EUROPE
COACHES - OFFENSE
the free-throw line extension, one mid-post on the
forward side and the other forward at the mid-post
position on the other side of the court (diagr. 21).

D.17

D.22

The play starts when the two guards cross the midcourt line, and the players move based on the
defenders' reactions.
When there is an offensive overload in the corner,
2 must always come in the middle of the court. They
can now play three-on-three on one side, and twoon-two on the other side of the court (diagr. 22).
If 3 has the ball and cannot pass to 1 or 5, 3 makes
a dribble weave, difficult to defend, going towards
1 and then passes to 1. 1 passes to 5, while 2 receives a back screen from 4, and then flares out (diagr.
23). Then, 1 and 3 make a split cut on 5 (diagr. 24).

D.18

D.23

If we cannot pass directly to 5, we reverse the ball

from 3 to 2, who is set in the middle of the court and
outside of the three-point line. 2 can pass inside to
5 (diagr. 25).
If nothing happens, 4 and 2 play two-on-two on the
other side of the court. 2 passes to 4, who comes
high, and then 2 moves, based on the reactions of
the defense, making a hand off, or a pick-and-roll,
using different fakes (diagr. 26).

D.19

D.24

If 2 is overplayed, 4 comes high, 3 passes the ball to

4, 2 makes a backdoor cut and receives the ball
from 4 (diagr. 27).
DIFFERENT OPTIONS
Based on the previous premises, we can build any
play. For example, if 3 is overplayed, 5 comes up to
the elbow, and receives the ball from 1, who, after
the pass, screens for 2, who goes on the forward
spot. At the same time, 3 cuts in the lane and goes
to the opposite corner (diagr. 28). 5 can make a
pass to 2 or 1. We now form a new triangle on the
other side of the court, the left side (diagr. 29).

D.20

D.21

D.25

D.26

On this side we can create a new three-on-three

play, with 1, who passes to 3 in the corner, and then
receives a back screen from 4, who then plays
pick-and-roll with 3. In the meantime, 5 screens for
2 (diagr. 30).
Another option is the entry pass to 4 on the weak
side post, with 2, who immediately makes a backdoor cut to receive the ball and goes to the basket
(diagr. 31). It's important to underline that 1, the ball
handler, must make the entry pass right away,
when she crosses the mid-court line.
If 1 does not have any entry pass options to 3, to 5,
or 4, she will pass to 2. 4 will pop out at the forward
position, and 5 will come out for a back pick for 3,
who will cut in the lane, heading in the opposite
corner (diagr. 32).
We can also form a triangle with 3, 4 and 5, who,

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D.27

D.32

D.28

D.33

after the pick, opens up. 4 can pass to 3, or to 5,

who can pass to 1 on an automatic back-door cut,
right after 5 receives the ball (diagr. 33).
In short, this play can have many options, always has a
triangle on one side, and a two-on-two play on the
other side.
The keys are:
Read the defense.
Proper spacing.
Patience.

D.29

D.30

D.31

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