THE TURN KEY Zone Offense.

With options that can help you beat man-to-man or combination defense

COACHES WHO ARE looking for a good, versatile zone offense may find the answer in the 1-2-2 offense that worked very successfully for the Penn State University-New Kensington teams from 1966 to 1984.

With the help of several options, it also proved effective against the man-to-man and combination defenses.

The offense was designed around four sets of plays keyed by the entry pass and the subsequent movement of the players, as shown in the accompanying diagrams:

Play 1, a pass to the wing followed by a cut through the key.

Play 2, a pass to the wing and a return pass to the point.

Play 3, a pass to the wing with a cut over the top of the wing.

Play 4, a pass to the corner from the point or wing.

In addition to these basic plays, the Turn-Key offense also includes two major options:

A Turn-Key option--a pass to the high post located on the ball-side elbow, which can be initiated by any player.

A Point option--a pass to the high post at the weak-side elbow.

The following terms will help communicate various actions within the offense.

"Set," a verbal call used to reset the offense; that is, get the ball back to the point man who will again initiate the offense.

"Dribble Set", point dribbles to the wing and the wing clears to the opposite wing, creating the possibility of running Play 2, Play 3, and Play 4.

"Rock-It", initiated after the play has moved from one side of the floor to another, at which time the same play will be repeated and rocked back to the opposite side of the floor.

"Balance", when a player moves to the off-side of the floor to balance the offensive set.

"Flash", any quick move to receive the ball.

"By the numbers", a play # and/or player # selected to exploit a defensive weakness.

"Point Option", the point (key) passes to the weak-side post and cuts to the weak-side for a return pass.

"Turn-Key Option", a pass (key) to the high post (strong side) that will send players rotating toward the weak-side.

PLAY 1

Diag. 1: "Key pass" from point 1 to wing 2, with the passer cutting through the key looking for a pass from 2. If it's not there, he continues to the low post weak-side board. 4 clears out the post area for 1, while 3 replaces the point man and 5 moves to the ball-side elbow, timing his move as 1 moves through the key.

Diag. 2: If the pass to 1 is not there, 2 has the option of passing to the corner (4), who looks for 5 sliding down to the low post.

Diag. 3: If 4 cannot pass to 5, he will pass back to the wing (2) as 1 times a baseline move with 4, who is moving to the low post, as 5 goes to the weak-side board. 2 looks for the pass to 1, who will have a nice short-range shot behind low post 4, or 2 may look for a pass to 4 in the low post.

Diag. 4: "Point option." If 2 does not have any pass options, he will pass to 3 at the point and cut to the opposite corner. 1 will pass to 2 and 5 will flash to the weak-side elbow. 3 passes to 5 and (point option) cuts to the wing. 5 can pass to 3 or to 2 in the corner.

Diag. 5: "Balance." If 3 (point) cannot pass to 5 or 2, he will pass to 1, which will start a new play. All players will watch for the "Key" to see what play is being initiated. 2 will move to the wing to balance the floor, 5 will move to the ball-side elbow, and 4 will move to the corner.

PLAY 2

Diag. 1: 1 sends the "Key" pass to 2, 5 moves to the ball-side elbow for a possible pass from 2, 4 moves to the corner for a possible pass and shot. 3, seeing the ball go to the opposite wing, breaks back to the basket to replace 5. He looks for a skip pass from 2 or to rebound on the weak-side.

Diag. 2: "Key" to Play 2 if 2 returns the pass to 1, who will pass to 3 (who has returned to the wing). Meanwhile 2 follows 4 toward the corner, with 4 stopping at the low post.

The ball is usually passed twice between 1 and 3 to allow 2 to get to the vacated corner for an open shot. 1 may also skip-pass to 2 (in the corner) or pass to 3 on the wing, who can then hit 2. 5 stays at the off-side elbow for an opportunity to run the "point option". On the pass to 2, 5 can move to the weak-side board.

Diag. 3: If 3 passes to 2 in the corner or to 4, he will cut to the ball-side elbow for a possible return pass. If 3 does not get the pass, he will pop out to the point. 1 replaces 3 at the vacated wing. 5 moves to the weak-side board on 3's pass to the corner (2).

Diag. 4: If 2 does not have the shot, he passes back to the wing (1) and moves across to the opposite side, as the wing reverses the ball to point (3). 5 moves to the high-post ball-side and 4 moves to the corner. The floor is now balanced and the wing can repeat Play 2 ("Rocket it").

The "Key" is one pass back to the point. Note: A pass to the corner would initiate Play 4.

PLAY 3

Diag. 1:1 sends the key pass to 2 and cuts behind 2 for a possible return pass. 5 moves to the ball-side elbow on the pass to 2, while 3 replaces 1. 4 moves toward the corner and, on seeing point 1 moving to the wing, crosses the lane to the weak-side board.

Diag. 2:2 shuffle-passes to 1 who dribbles to the corner, as 2 cuts for the basket, looking for the return pass from 1. If 2 does not get the ball, he circles back to the vacated point. 5 waits until 2 clears and slides to the low post for a possible pass from 1. 3 replaces 2 at the wing.

Note: This is one of the several ways we handle disruptions or busted plays. We call it a "balance" move.

Diag. 3:1, now in the corner, looks for a shot or a pass to 5. If 1 doesn't have any of his options, he may return the ball to the wing (3), cut to the basket off a pick set by 5, looks for a pass from 3 and continues to the weak-side board. 4 seeing the pass to 3, flashes to the ball-side elbow, and 5 holds in the corner.

Diag. 4:3 passes to the point (2) and cuts to the basket and around to the opposite corner, with 5 leading him along the baseline. 5 stops at the low post. 4 holds at the off-side elbow for a possible "point option", as 1 moves from the weak-side board to the wing for a pass from the point (2). 1 passes to 3 in the corner or 5 at the low post. On the pass to the corner, 4 slides down to the weak-side board. Again, the "point option" is available.

PLAY 4

Diag. 1: 1 or 2 makes the "Key" pass to 4 in the corner, as 5 moves to the high-post elbow and 3 covers the weak-side rebound area in case 4 takes the shot.

Diag. 2: 4 takes a shot or passes to 2 cutting for the basket. If 2 does not get the ball, he will move to the weak-side board. 5 slides down to the strong low post after 2 cuts through. 1 replaces 2 at the wing and 3 clears the weak-side rebounding area and moves to the point.

Diag. 3: 4 passes to 1 and cuts along the baseline looking for a pass. If the pass isn't there, he replaces 2 in the weak-side rebounding position as 2 moves to the wing. 5 moves back to the ball-side elbow on the pass to 1. if 1 can't pass to 5 he passes to the point (3) and cuts quickly to the basket for a pass over the top from 3. If he does not get the ball, he continues to the opposite corner.

Diag. 4: 3 passes to the wing (2) and 5 moves to double-screen low with 4. 1 comes around the double-screen and looks for a pass from 2 for a close-range shot. 3 moves quickly to the weak-side board and looks for a pass over the top from 2.

Diag. 5: If 1 does not have a shot or a pass down low to 4 or 5, he must return the ball to 2 and cut over the top of the double-screen, looking for a return pass from 2. As soon as 1 crosses over the double, 4 flashes to the corner and 5 moves to high post ball-side. 3 returns to the point. 1 continues to the opposite wing if no shots are taken. The floor is now balanced and ready to start another play.

OPTION: "TURN-KEY"

This option can be initiated by any player at any time, but the "Key" pass must be to the high post on the ball-side. This "Key" will have all players rotating, one position toward the weak-side.