Teaching The Princeton Offense – Backdoors vs. Pressure
Princeton Offense – Point Series – Playing vs. Pressure
One knock on the Princeton Offense, or one way many begin to defend the action is to increase the aggressiveness and physicality on defense. We always taught our players to make reads, not run particular sets, even within the Princeton principles we were teaching. We had different reads and reactions based off how the defense was playing. We use the term “let the ball make the call.” In other words, we were ok no matter how we were being played, if we taught the players how to make the correct read.
Clip 1: Point Away Twist
There’s a twist screen, meaning the original screener receives a screen immediately after. The point man dribbles at the handoff. With the defender not maintaining position between the offensive player and the hoop, the backdoor is the open option.
Clip 2: Point Away
This time theres no twist screen, but the same backdoor action occurs. The point man dribbles at the handoff. With the defender not maintaining position between the offensive player and the hoop, the backdoor is the open option. The bounce pass is on time on target for the layup opportunity.
Clip 3: Point Away Down
After scoring a few times out of the split in Point Away, the guard slips the screen and cuts down the middle of the floor wide open. We used a down call to help our guard realize the cut.
Clip 4: Point Away
The reject out of the split is open on the bounce pass for the layup. Miscommunication from the defense leaves two on the point man and the rejecting offensive players defender stays with the pop.
Clip 5: Point Middle
Here’s a variation of Point Middle, similar to the Point Down call. After the point entry, the guard sees the middle of the floor open and cuts to the rim for the layup.
Clip 6: Point Away 2 Man Game
Earlier we saw the dribble at in Point Away and backdoor for the layup. The defender takes it away, so the action continues to the 2 man side with the DHO. The defender goes under the screen, triggering the shot read.
Clip 7: Point Spin
There’s no entry to the point man, triggering the spin action. The lifting guard utilizes the 45 cut, triggering the DHO with the corner lift. The point man follows with the screen and roll to the rim for the layup.
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