145 Drill Is A Great Way To Teach Offensive Fundamentals

By Jim Osborne, Former Head Womens Coach, Haverford College, Haverford, Pa.

THE 145 DRILL (1-4 high set, 5 trips up and down the court) is a terrific drill for teaching your players basic offensive fundamentals such as spacing, transition, fast-break organization, V-cuts, meeting passes and is a great skill-based conditioner.

Initial Alignment, Basic Pattern

DIAGRAM 1: Basic Pattern. Have five players line up at half court with your point guard in the middle of the floor with a ball. On the coach’s signal, players 2, 3, 4 and 5 sprint to the baseline, then to their assigned spots out of a 1-4 high set. 1 takes a few hard dribbles toward the basket and sets up near the top of the 3-point circle to initiate a quick-hitting play.

Once your players are at the designated spots, 1 calls out a play number and they quickly run the play. The following diagrams show the assigned play and their corresponding number.

After each play is run, all five players return to half court and wait for the coaches’ signal. Run the plays in sequence and repeat. Once your players have run all five plays, add variations.

This drill can be timed or run for a designated number of sets. If you want to really make this drill a good conditioner, have the players sprint full court. Sprinting full court and quickly running a play is also a good way to simulate game-like situations.

Five Plays From 1-4 High Set

DIAGRAM 2: “Give-And-Go” (Play No. 1). 1 passes to 2, then comes off 4’s screen and breaks to the basket. 2 passes to 1 for the layup.

     Variation: 4 sets a ball screen for 1 who drives to the basket for a layup.

DIAGRAM 3: “Backdoor” (Play No. 2). 2 makes a V-cut to the basket, 1 passes to 4 who passes to 2 for a layup. Variation: Off the V-cut, 2 steps back for a 3-pointer.

DIAGRAM 4: “Shoot A 3-Pointer” (Play No. 3). 3 makes a V-cut toward the basket, then pops out for a 3-pointer off the pass from 1.

     Variation: 3 receives the pass and does a baseline drive for a layup.

DIAGRAM 5: “Pick-And-Roll” (Play No. 4). 1 dribbles to left and curls off a solid ball screen set by 4. As 1 curls off 4, 4 rolls toward the basket. 1 hits 4 rolling to the basket with a bounce pass, chest pass or lob.

     Variation: 1 dribble drives toward 4’s screen, does a fake handoff to 4 and drives for a layup.

DIAGRAM 6: “Post Up” (Play No. 5). 1 passes to 3. On the pass, 5 rolls to the basket. 3 passes to 5 for a layup.

     Variation: On the pass from 3 to 5, instruct 5 to shoot a drop-step shot, hook shot, jump shot or step-back jumper.

After-Shot Responsibilities

After each play is called and the shot is taken, all five players have specific responsibilities.

  1 sprints back to midcourt and awaits the pass from an outlet player.

  2 goes to the outlet position on the right-hand side and awaits an outlet pass from rebounder.

  3 goes to the outlet position on the left-hand side and awaits an outlet pass from rebounder.

  4 battles 5 for the rebound and throws it to the closest outlet player.

  5 battles 4 for the rebound and throws it to the closest outlet player.

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