Basketball Plays Shooter: Strategies for Young Athletes

Written by: Chris Hungerford

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Time to read 15 min


As a parent of young basketball players, understanding the intricacies of basketball plays shooter is essential for their growth in the game. Mastering these tactics not only enhances their skills but also helps them become valuable assets to their team. To maximize your child's shooting ability, this blog post will explore five strategies for creating space on the court, executing pick-and-rolls, exploiting defensive weaknesses, and leveraging off-ball movement.


We'll begin by discussing how to create space for shooters on the court and explore effective pick-and-roll techniques. Next, we'll delve into exploiting defensive weaknesses and utilizing off-ball movement to generate open shots. Finally, we'll examine developing shooting reads that enable players to make split-second decisions during high-pressure basketball games.

By incorporating these advanced concepts into your child's training regimen, you can help them unlock their full potential as exceptional basketball plays shooters.


Table of Contents:

Creating Space for a Shooter

Providing the shooter with ample room to take advantageous shots is a key component of basketball. This can be achieved through various techniques, such as using screens and cuts effectively. Parents can aid their children in mastering the essential basketball techniques, such as screens and cuts, by providing guidance.

Using Screens Effectively

Screens are an excellent way to create space for a shooter on the court. A screen occurs when one player stands in front of another player's defender, making it difficult for the defender to stay with their assignment. To set a proper screen, follow these steps:

  1. Maintain a wide stance with knees bent and arms outstretched.
  2. Position yourself between your teammate (the shooter) and their defender.
  3. Avoid moving or leaning into the defender; let them run into you instead.

To make sure your young athlete understands how to use screens effectively, encourage them to watch professional games and pay close attention to players who excel at setting screens like Draymond Green or Al Horford. Additionally, consider investing in instructional materials from reputable sources like HoopsKing.com.

Mastering Cuts on Offense

Cutting is another crucial skill that helps create open shooting opportunities by forcing defenders out of position. There are several types of cuts that can be used depending on the situation:


  • V-Cut: The offensive player moves away from the ball before quickly changing direction towards it, often resulting in separation from their defender.
  • L-Cut: Similar to V-Cut, but the offensive player moves laterally along the baseline before cutting toward the ball.
  • Backdoor Cut: The offensive player fakes as if they are moving away from the basket and then quickly cuts back towards it to receive a pass for an easy layup or dunk.

To help your young basketball player develop their cutting skills, consider practicing these techniques during drills or scrimmages. Additionally, watching game footage of players known for their off-ball movements like Klay Thompson or Reggie Miller can provide valuable insights into how to execute these cuts effectively on the court.


Incorporating screens and cuts into your child's basketball repertoire will not only improve their overall skillset but also increase their chances of becoming successful shooters. By focusing on creating space through effective off-ball movement, young athletes can learn how to make themselves more difficult to defend while increasing scoring opportunities for both themselves and their teammates.


Mastering the art of creating shooting opportunities is a critical step in attaining excellence as a basketball player. By understanding the dynamics of pick-and-rolls, players can gain valuable insight into how they can create more open shots for themselves and their teammates.


Key Takeaway: To create space for a shooter, parents can help their young basketball players learn to use screens and cuts effectively. Screens involve one player standing in front of another player's defender while cutting forces defenders out of position. Practicing these techniques during drills or scrimmages will improve the overall skillset and increase scoring opportunities for both themselves and their teammates.

Using Pick-and-Rolls

By utilizing the pick-and-roll, two players work together to create space for an open-shot opportunity by forcing the defense into making quick decisions. It involves two players, one setting a screen (the "picker") and the other dribbling around it (the "roller"). This action forces the defense to make quick decisions, often leading to an open shot opportunity for your shooter. Let's dive into how you can effectively use pick-and-rolls in basketball games to get your shooter open.

Executing the Perfect Pick-and-Roll

Pick Placement: The picker should set their screen on the defender guarding the ball-handler at an angle that allows them enough space to maneuver around it. Make sure they are stationary before making contact with the defender, as moving screens result in offensive fouls.

Dribble Around: As soon as the screen is set, have your ball-handler dribble tightly around it while maintaining control of their dribble. This will force defenders to either switch or fight through the screen.

Roll or Pop: After setting a solid pick, instruct your picker whether they should roll towards the basket or pop out behind the three-point line based on defensive reaction and player skillset.

Finding Your Shooter: Once these actions occur simultaneously, look for opportunities where defenders struggle to communicate switches leaving your shooter wide-open beyond the arc or cutting inside the paint area.

Tips for Maximizing Success with Pick-and-Rolls

  • Mix-up-strategies: Vary between rolling and popping after setting picks to keep defenders guessing and create more opportunities for your shooter.
  • Communication is key: Ensure that both players involved in the pick-and-roll are communicating effectively to execute the play successfully. This includes calling out screens, switches, and open shooters.
  • Practice makes perfect: Like any other basketball play, mastering pick-and-rolls requires repetition. Encourage your young athletes to practice this fundamental action during their training sessions at HoopsKing.com.

Employing pick-and-rolls into your squad's strategy can make a significant difference in getting your shooter open. By understanding how to properly execute this classic basketball move and teaching it to your young athletes, you'll see an increase in scoring opportunities and overall team success on the court.

Using Pick-and-Rolls

The pick-and-roll is one of the most effective basketball plays to get a shooter open. This classic offensive strategy involves two players working together to create space for an open shot. The pick-and-roll can be executed in various ways, but its primary goal remains the same: getting your shooter free from their defender and creating an opportunity for them to score.

How Does a Pick-and-Roll Work?

A pick-and-roll play typically begins with the ball handler (usually a point guard) dribbling toward their teammate who sets up to block or impede the defender guarding them. As they approach each other, the screener's job is to block or impede the path of this defender, allowing their teammate with possession of the ball to move freely around them.

The Screen: The player setting up as a screener should position themselves so that they are facing away from their teammate with possession of the ball and have both feet planted firmly on the ground while maintaining balance.

The Roll: Once contact has been made between the screener and defender, it's time for "the roll." The screener will pivot off one foot and cut towards the basket looking for either passes back from the original ball-handler or rebounding opportunities if the shot goes up immediately after passing by the screen set-up earlier in the play sequence.

Tips for Executing Successful Pick-and-Rolls

  • Communication is key: Both players involved must communicate effectively throughout the entire process - verbally signaling when ready; non-verbal cues such as eye contact are also crucial during the execution phase.
  • Timing: The ball handler should wait for the screen to be set before making their move. Rushing can lead to offensive fouls or missed opportunities.
  • Variety: Mix up your pick-and-roll plays by using different players, angles, and locations on the court. This will keep defenses guessing and create more open shots for your shooter.

In basketball games where every possession counts, mastering the art of executing a successful pick-and-roll play is essential. By understanding its mechanics and practicing it regularly with teammates during practice sessions, you'll increase your team's chances of creating open shooting opportunities for your best shooters.

Executing pick-and-rolls is a great way to generate points for new basketballers, and recognizing how to employ them is critical. Exploiting defensive weaknesses can help maximize the effectiveness of these plays even further.

Key Takeaway: Learn how to effectively use pick-and-rolls in basketball games to get your shooter open. The key is proper execution, including pick placement, dribbling around the screen, and finding opportunities for your shooter. Remember to mix up strategies and communicate effectively with your players to maximize success.

Exploiting Defensive Weaknesses

Understanding how to exploit defensive weaknesses is crucial in getting your shooter open for high-percentage shots. By recognizing the opposing team's vulnerabilities, you can create plays that capitalize on these shortcomings and provide your shooter with ample opportunities to score.

Identifying Mismatches

An essential aspect of exploiting defensive weaknesses is identifying mismatches between offensive and defensive players. When a smaller or slower defender is guarding your shooter, it presents an opportunity for them to take advantage of their size or speed differential. Encourage your young basketball player to recognize these situations and use them as scoring opportunities.

Attacking Zone Defenses

Teach your child to identify vulnerable points within the zone defense, such as along the baseline or at the free-throw line extended area, and how to position themselves accordingly for uncontested shots. Teach your child how to find soft spots within the zone defense, such as along the baseline or at the free-throw line extended area, where they can receive passes from teammates and have uncontested shots.

  • Instruct players on proper spacing when facing a zone defense.
  • Emphasize ball movement and quick passing to keep defenders off-balance.
  • Show players how cutting through zones can create openings for shooters.

Breaking Down Press Defense Strategies

If opponents employ press defense strategies against your team, teach young athletes ways they can break down this aggressive approach while creating shooting opportunities:

  1. Dribble penetration: A skilled ball-handler should drive towards the basket drawing multiple defenders before kicking out a pass to an open shooter.
  2. Ball reversal: Passing the ball rapidly from one side of the court to another can disorient defenders, leaving open shots for your shooter.
  3. Screening action: Setting screens on press defenders can free up space for shooters and create confusion among opponents.

By exploiting defensive weaknesses, you'll provide your young basketball player with numerous opportunities to showcase their shooting skills. The key is recognizing these vulnerabilities and designing plays that capitalize on them effectively. As a parent or coach, ensure that you emphasize this aspect of the game during practice sessions so players are well-prepared come game time.

Gaining knowledge of your adversaries' defensive shortcomings can be advantageous for increasing chances to score and make game-altering shots. To further improve your basketball skillset, let's now explore how to utilize an off-ball movement for more effective shooting opportunities.


Key Takeaway: To get a shooter open for high-percentage shots, coaches must teach young basketball players how to exploit defensive weaknesses. This includes identifying mismatches between offensive and defensive players, attacking zone defenses by finding soft spots on the court, and breaking down press defense strategies through dribble penetration, ball reversal, or screening action.

Utilizing Off-Ball Movement

Mastering the art of off-ball movement is crucial for creating shooting opportunities and getting your shooter open on the court. When players are constantly moving without the ball, it forces defenders to stay alert and can lead to defensive breakdowns that create open shots for your team's shooters.

Setting Screens Away from the Ball

One effective way to utilize off-ball movement is by setting screens away from the ball handler. This tactic can help free up a shooter who may be closely guarded by their defender. By setting an off-ball screen near the perimeter, it can force a defender to either try and fight through or switch onto another player, potentially creating space for your three-point shooter.

Cutting Through Defenses

Cutting through defenses is another important aspect of off-ball movement that can create space for shooters. Teach young basketball players how to make smart cuts across lanes or diagonals in order to draw defenders away from key shooting areas like corners and wings (source). Additionally, encourage them not only to cut with purpose but also change speeds during these movements - this will make it harder for opponents to predict where they're going next.

  • V-Cut: A V-cut involves starting at one spot (usually close proximity), sprinting towards half-court in a straight line before quickly changing direction back towards the original position forming a "V" shape path.
  • L-Cut: An L-cut starts similar to a V-cut, but instead of returning to the original position, players cut towards the baseline or sideline forming an "L" shape path.
  • Backdoor Cut: A backdoor cut is when a player on the perimeter fakes as if they are moving away from the basket before quickly cutting towards it in hopes of receiving a pass for an easy layup.

Constant Motion and Misdirection

The key to successful off-ball movement is constant motion and misdirection. When your team's shooters are always on the move, defenders will have difficulty keeping track of them and may lose focus momentarily - that's when opportunities arise for open shots. Incorporate plays into your coaching repertoire that involve multiple players moving simultaneously in different directions; this can cause confusion among opposing defenses (source). For example, while one player sets an off-ball screen for your shooter near the three-point line, another could be making a backdoor cut to draw attention away from their teammate.


Incorporating these strategies into your young basketball players' skillset will help create more shooting opportunities by utilizing effective off-ball movement techniques. By mastering screens away from ball handlers, cutting through defenses with purposeful cuts like V-cuts or L-cuts, and maintaining constant motion throughout offensive possessions - you'll give your team's shooters every chance possible at getting open looks during games.


Exploiting off-court mobility can be an effective way to generate uncontested shots and engage the whole team in the attack. For players who wish to progress in their game, honing shooting recognition is key.


Key Takeaway: Mastering off-ball movement is essential for creating shooting opportunities and getting your shooter open on the court. Setting screens away from the ball, cutting through defenses with V-cuts or L-cuts, and maintaining constant motion can confuse opposing defenses and lead to open shots for your team's shooters.

Developing Shooting Reads

Developing shooting reads is an essential skill for young basketball players, as it helps them recognize and react to various game situations effectively. By mastering this skill, your shooter will be able to make quick decisions that lead to successful shot attempts.

Understanding Defensive Schemes

To develop effective shooting reads, players must first understand the different defensive schemes they may face on the court. This includes recognizing man-to-man defense, zone defense, and various types of traps or double teams. Familiarizing themselves with these schemes allows shooters to identify potential openings in the defense where they can get a clean look at the basket. Learn more about understanding defensive schemes here.

Reading Defender's Body Position

Another crucial aspect of developing shooting reads is learning how to read a defender's body position accurately. A shooter should take note of the defender's posture, foot alignment, and hand positioning as these will indicate what type of shot to attempt. These cues provide valuable information about what moves might work best against a particular defender.

  • If a defender has their hands down: consider taking a jump shot.
  • If a defender is playing too tight: use dribble moves like crossovers or step-backs to create space for your shot.
  • If a defender is sagging off: take advantage by using screens or cutting backdoor for open shots near the basket.

Anticipating Help Defense Rotation

In addition to reading individual defenders' body positions, shooters must also anticipate help-defense rotations. When a teammate drives to the basket or makes a post move, defenders often rotate to provide help. Recognizing these rotations early allows shooters to relocate and find open spots on the floor for uncontested shots.

Practicing Game Situations

Finally, developing shooting reads requires consistent practice in game-like situations. Young players should participate in drills that simulate various defensive schemes and require them to make quick decisions based on their reads. Check out these basketball shooting drills designed specifically for improving decision-making skills under pressure.


By focusing on understanding defensive schemes, reading defender's body positions, anticipating help defense rotations, and practicing game situations regularly, young basketball players can develop effective shooting reads that will ultimately lead to more successful shot attempts during games.


Key Takeaway: Young basketball players can develop effective shooting reads by understanding defensive schemes, reading defender's body positions, anticipating help defense rotations, and practicing game situations regularly. By mastering these skills, shooters will be able to make quick decisions that lead to successful shot attempts during games.

Conclusion

In conclusion, creating space for a shooter is crucial in basketball plays. Employing pick-and-rolls and capitalizing on defensive flaws can generate chances for the shooter to obtain open shots. Off-ball motion can be employed to confound defenders and make room for the shooter. Developing shooting reads will help the player understand when to shoot and when to pass.


Overall, these strategies are essential in developing a successful basketball team with an effective shooter. By honing these approaches, athletes can sharpen their talents on the court and raise their chances of getting buckets. Keep practicing these plays during training sessions to see improvement in your game and become a better basketball player!


Maximize your child's basketball potential with HoopsKing.com. Browse our selection of plays and drills to improve shooting skills and win games.


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Basketball Plays Shooter offers a comprehensive collection of strategic plays and shooting techniques to elevate your performance on the court.

Basketball Plays Shooter

Basketball Plays Shooter

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