Successful Strategy For Crashing The Offensive Glass On Free Throws

By Aaron Olson, Former Head Varsity Girls Coach, Lomira High School, Lomira, Wis.

OUR STATE ASSOCIATION has a new rule stating that the offense can only have two players on the lane line, whereas the defending team can have four. After this change was put into place, we felt that we could adapt how we rebound free throws to get an advantage.

Based on extensive studies of missed free throws from the past three seasons, we’ve found that of the misses that result in long rebounds, over 75% of them go to the same side as the shooter’s hand. Probably because a right handed shooter will shoot across his or her body on misses and hit the back left of the rim — resulting in a reflective angle coming off long and to the right. To compensate for this tendency, we have placed a rebounder on the same side as the shooter’s shooting hand.

We also have the 5 try to get as far inside the lane as possible to hopefully clear out the entire right side, which allows our 2 to get all misses on that side. I can’t remember too many games when we haven’t gotten an offensive rebound at least once in the past two seasons due to this strategy.

DIAGRAM 1: This is how we’ll line up. Our best rebounder will be on the right block for a right handed shooter, and the left block for a left handed shooter. We have found over 75% of missed free throws come off the same side as the shooting hand.

Player 2 is also on the shooting hand side to start, while 1 is back telling the coach what play is next. If the 1 is shooting it’s the shooting guard’s responsibility.

DIAGRAM 2: On the shot, 5 attacks the middle of the lane, must beat the defender to that spot. This will hopefully draw in X5 and X2, and 2 fills in that space. 3 steps back or spins to get inside position on X4. We usually get an offensive rebound from this at least twice a game.

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