Guard Through

Most secondary fast breaks rely on ball reversal to be effective. Some teams will deny the return pass to the point guard, stifling ball-reversal and killing the secondary attack. This secondary break can be an effective strategy against teams that deny the return pass from the wing to the point guard.

• On the pass to the wing, the point guard cuts through to the weakside block.

• As in most secondary attacks, the post player (4) posts up on the ballside block.

• The trailer (5) fills in at the top of the key.
  If necessary, The wing player with the ball (2) should take 1 or 2 dribbles towards the baseline after receiving the pass from 1, to give 4 time to establish position on the block, and to draw the transition defenders to the baseline (flatten the defense).

• After looking for the pass into the post, the wing player with the ball (2) reverses the ball to the trailer, who has settled in the top of the key. If the trailer (5) is a good shooter, he will often have an open shot at the top of the key.

• As the ball is being reversed, 3 downscreens for 1 on the weakside block

• As 5 catches and turns to reverse the ball, 1 should be coming off of 3’s screen. 1 should never be standing on the perimeter waiting for the reversal pass from 5.

• After setting the downscreen for 1, 3 screens away for 4 on the opposite block. Timing is important: As 1 catches the pass from 5, 4 should be coming off of 3’s screen

• 5 and 2 move towards the weakside block and prepare to set a double screen..

• After screening for 4 on the weakside block, 3 comes off of a double screen from 5 and 2 to the middle of the key.

• If 3 is not open off of the double screen, he pops to the perimeter for the reversal pass from 1.

• 5 comes off of a screen from 2 at the block to receive a reversal pass from 3If nothing is available, the team can shift into it’s halfcourt offense. One of the primary objectives of any secondary break is to have a seamless attack with no breaks in the action between the primary break and the halfcourt offense. Teams should practice shifting from the secondary break into the halfcourt attack without any breaks in the action as well. We want to be executing a planned attack at all times.

secondary break - countering denial defense