A high-low continuity vs half-court man pressure.

Taking advantage of whatever the defense gives you

Whenever the thomas Jefferson offense is attacked by a half-court man-to-man pressure defense, we immediately respond with a high-low continuity motion offense that enables us to read the defense and take everything it gives us.

We initiate our "Colonial" series from the low double-stack formation shown in Diag. 1. As you can see, our wing-forward tandems align just outside and under the blocks, giving us superior rebounding position, especially when our point guard elects to penetrate the lane for a pull-up jumper.

If the outside move is not there, the wings will launch our continuity by V-cutting out to the wings. Our point guard may choose either side for her entry pass. If the entry pass isn't immediately available, she may call "Shallow!" and dribble to her spot on the wing instead of forcing a pass.

As shown in Diag. 1, the point guard, after hitting the strong-side wing, goes opposite to set a down-screen just outside the weak-side elbow. Meanwhile, the strong-side forward cuts across the lane to set a back-screen for the weak-side forward and then move up to the weak-side high post.

Note how the point guard and weak-side wing end up exchanging positions after the latter cuts by the point guard. (You can check the positioning in Diag. 2.)

The "Colonial" is now in position to attack the defense.

Diag. 2 shows our first look - feeding the unfronted post with a bounce pass from the wing below the foul-line extended.

Diag. 3 shows our second look - a pick and roll in which the forward sets a back-screen for the wing, who drives over the screen and then looks for the screener's roll to the hoop.

Note: We want the pass to be made only from inside to outside to avoid passing into any oncoming weak-side defenders.

Diag. 4 shows our third look - a ball-reversal to the point followed by a lob to the low post, who has sealed off her defender. If these options are unavailable, the point may dribble to the other side.

Diag. 5 shows our fourth look, designed for the wing - who drives over the high post's screen to penetrate the lane and go for the basket.

Diag. 6, our fifth look, has the wing dribbling over the high post and looking for the point guard.

If the point man is being overplayed (usually outside the 3-point arc), she can go backdoor for a bounce pass layup into the unoccupied post area.

If the wing passes to the point guard, as shown in the diagram, the sixth option, or look, will be a pass to the post. The latter may then try to penetrate or pass back to the point guard (and let her try to penetrate).

Diag. 7 shows our seventh look - a give-and-go between the wing and point guard.

Diag. 8 shows our eighth look, which is effected when our wing cutter cannot get open. She will continue on through the lane to set a double back-screen with the weak-side low post - enabling the weak-side wing to flex-cut into the strong-side post area for a pass from the point guard (on the wing).

Diag. 9, the ninth look, is a variation of the previous play with the strong-side wing coming all the way across to the other side as the ball is reversed from the point guard to the high post (stepping out) and then over to the wing for the three-point shot.

Diag. 10 shows the final (tenth) look, with the high post screening for the point guard and everyone then resetting the offense.

A philosophical last word: "It's not what you coach, but what you emphasize that's most important.

Gary Young and Jim Ryan Coaches, Girls Basketball Thomas Jefferson H.S, Alexandria, VA