Stop Ball Reversal Passes

WHY USE THIS BASKETBALL DEFENSE DRILL Defenses always have a hard time stopping ball reversal passes that turn into a backdoor lob. The initial action suggests your team is setting up a low-post opportunity but the real goal is to attack the opposite side of the rim. SET UP This play initially looks like something from any coach’s playbook with a point guard at the top with the ball, two wings and two post players on the blocks. HOW TO PLAY The point guard passes to a wing, then cuts to the opposite wing while that player replaces the point at the top of the set (1). The ball handler starts the ball reversal with a pass to the top. The ball then is passed to the opposite wing as the post on the opposite (in this case, the left) block cuts hard to the ball-side-post area. The original ball-side post moving across the lane sets a backscreen for the left wing (2). The wing cuts hard to the hoop and elevates (3). TECHNIQUE The point guard needs to sell the idea the ball is going to the post with either a strong look in that direction or a ballfake. This draws the defense just enough to open up the backdoor cut.