Drill breakdown
Full-court Press Back Screen to Cut
This is a full-court press-break concept that turns an initial sideline advance into a scoring cut at the rim. The offense starts with a baseline inbound to the right side, pushes the ball up the sideline to avoid the middle trap, then uses a quick pitch-ahead and a “back screen / slip-to-the-middle” idea to free the original ball-handler (Blue1) on a hard rim cut for a layup.
Objective
Beat pressure with pace and spacing, force the press to over-commit to the sideline advance, and then score on a direct cut to the rim when the ball is reversed to the safety (Blue2). The scoring priority is a clean catch for Blue1 at the front of the rim before help can load.
Setup and Starting Spots (as shown)
Blue5 is the inbounder on the right baseline (ball starts with Blue5). Blue1 is the initial receiver on the right side in the backcourt. Blue2 is positioned as the middle safety (a central outlet in the backcourt). Blue4 is spaced wide on the left sideline as the long outlet. Blue3 is advanced on the right side in the frontcourt as the “pitch-ahead” target. Red is aligned in a press look with Red1 applying early ball pressure in the backcourt and the remaining defenders spaced across the frontcourt arc/paint to protect the middle and the rim.
Sequence (Inbound → Sideline Advance → Pitch Ahead → Reverse → Rim Cut)
Blue5 inbounds to Blue1 on the right side (dashed pass shown). As Blue1 secures the catch, he immediately dribbles up the right sideline (solid dribble movement shown) to stay out of the middle of the floor where traps form. While Blue1 advances, Blue4 sprints up the left sideline to stretch the press horizontally, and Blue2 runs up the middle lane as the primary safety outlet; Blue5 (the inbounder) releases up the floor as a trailing support runner, staying available as a late outlet and potential screening presence.
As Blue1 reaches the half-court area, he throws the pitch-ahead to Blue3 on the right sideline (dashed pass shown). Blue3 continues to advance up the right side (solid movement shown), which keeps the press rotating and pulls defenders toward the ball-side lane.
Once the ball is safely in the frontcourt, Blue3 reverses the ball back to Blue2 (dashed pass shown). This reversal is the trigger that changes the angle: when the press turns and chases the ball-side, the middle becomes exposed for a cut. As Blue2 receives the reversal, Blue1 changes gears and cuts hard to the rim up the right lane line (the finishing lane shown in the final scoring action). Blue2 delivers the pass to Blue1 at the rim (dashed pass shown), producing the layup finish before the defense can recover.