2 on 1 (Keep the ball)

In an earlier post, I briefly described the proper way to execute the "2 on 1" fastbreak. In this post and the next post, the two basic options are illustrated by various Eagles. This post ends with Matt Miller (#14 white) demonstrating what to do when the defender fails to step in front of the dribbler and stop him from driving all the way to the basket. In this scenario, as Miller shows, the ball handler should drive all the way to the basket and shoot a lay up. A key to making this work is spacing. The two offensive players must be wide enough so that the defender cannot stop the ball and recover to the other man once the pass is made. We say that we want to "make the defender make a decision." If he decides to play the man that does not have the ball, which he is essentially doing by not stepping in the ball handler's path to the basket, then he has made the decision to give up a layup to the man dribbling.


Even great "2 on 1" plays are made possible by an entire team working together. Watch Nick Brucker (#34 white) hustle back on defense once he realizes that he is out of position defensively after the opposition gets the defensive rebound following Kip Custer's (#10 white) miss. Brucker goes from being the last man to transition to defense to being in great defensive position, allowing Custer to contest the Panthers' shot. Brucker then gets his hand on the rebound and causes it to be secured by his teammate, Miller, starting the "2 on 1" break.