MacKay single-double gaps
 | 1 Mike MacKay YouTube video - Single and Double Gaps (and How to Teach Cutting). Use backcuts and blast cuts to create double gaps for dribble penetration (see Progressions for basket cuts). Spacing creates gaps, cutting creates bigger gaps. See Offence - 5-out youth motion, Blog Posts - 5-Out Dribble Penetration, Conceptual Offence, Tactics - Creating Gaps. 5-out offence is used by many youth teams. The problem is that the spacing is single gaps. |
 | 2 One advantage of 5-out spacing is a backdoor pass. If help arrives to take away a pass at the rim, the other option is a pass to a perimeter player (here 4). Adam Spinella - Hoiberg 5-Out Concepts - 5-out spacing allows for backcuts, the rim is vacated. Gregg Popovich - if denied anywhere on the court, go backdoor and continue in the direction you were going. Chris Krauss - Motion Concepts - he doesn't like cuts all the way through, cut to the middle, read what's going on, you might have to come back, or relocate. A backcut (or basket cut) to the rim is a scoring opportunity, then exit cut but first read what's going on (e.g. react to a drive or shot). Hal Wissel - keep the middle open, when you cut to the basket, don't stay in the post area for more than a one-count, fill an open spot on the side of the floor with the fewest players. |
 | 3 A lot of teams play sag defence against this type of offence, no backdoors are available. Gap Theory (Spacing) - 5-out spacing (50) stretches the defence outside the paint and takes away a traditional rim protector. |
 | 4 How can we give the offence an advantage? We like to create a double gap by cutting a player. MacKay - How to Teach Cutting - in a single gap, backcut immediately if you are looked at, dribbled at, or pivoted at. Alex Sarama -Teaching Offensive Concepts - if you are in a single gap, create a double gap for a teammate so they can blast cut. Blast cuts are made from a double gap into a single gap, and give you a speed advantage. |
 | 5 Options Use a double gap for a blast cut or dribble penetration. a) 4 blast cuts into the double gap for a pass, putting the defence in motion. 4 has a chance to play dynamic 1-on-1, reading the defence before catching the ball and attacking immediately on the catch, here baseline. 2 exits the paint weakside. ** 1 does not basket cut after passing, 4 attacks immediately. The blast cut creates baseline space behind 4, who drives into the open space. How to Teach Cutting - back cut and blast cut to fill behind (it's hard for X4 to help on the backcut by 2 and contest the blast cut by 4). How to Teach Youth Motion - automatic drives are a) draft drives (follow a cutter), b) real-estate drives (the spot next to you is empty), c) your defender steps over the 3-point line. Mike MacKay - Read and React Offence - if you are in the key when the ball is being driven to the basket and the ball enters the lane below you, go to the elbows. Or 2 could back-pedal to the short corner, 5 fills the weakside 45-degree angle, 3 fills the 90-degree angle above the ballside elbow, and 1 is the safety moving in behind. Score with 45 Cuts - a baseline drive opens up a weakside 45 cut as defenders help and drop (cover down). |
 | 6 b) 1 can drive the double gap, breaks the foul line, 4 clears behind (away from X4), gets a pass, 1 exits to the corner. ** To maintain the double gap, 4 would hold in the corner (for a two-count), then blast cut. Basketball NSW - a cut that is made toward the basket creates space behind for a second cutter, or for the ballhandler to "drive on the back of the cutter". See Offences - Dribble-drive outline, 5-out dribble-drive motion. |
 | 7 4 has a double gap middle and a long closeout by X4. |
 | 8 Don't freeze the ball and let the help defence set up. Keep the offence moving, the first option is to keep cutting, 3 cuts (a static backcut from a double gap), 5 can go dynamic 1-on-1 into a double gap. ** 5 does not delay the blast cut, 4 already had a chance to attack a double gap. The cut by 5 creates another double gap, and 2 delays a fill behind to keep the gap. Read and React - fill open spots above you. Do not be too quick to fill this space as it takes away the penetration of the player with the ball. |
 | 9 5 attacks and passes if he doesn't have anything. 3 exits opposite the drive. ** 4 does not cut after passing, 5 has a double gap and attacks immediately. Another option is a blast cut by 2 into the double gap (a blast cut can set up another blast cut). Read and React - if you are in the key when the ball is being driven to the basket and the ball enters the lane above you, go to the short corner. Coach Daniel - Future of Offence - 4 guys out and one guy in the dunker spot is still 5-out spacing to him. |
 | 10 4 can "dribble centre", it's like a pass, moving the ball with the dribble. 3 makes a backcut when dribbled at. There is a double gap on each side when 4 picks up the ball (1 does not follow behind). ** Doug Novak - Offensive Philosophy - nothing can stop the ball from moving. If you can't swing the ball, dribble at the next offensive player for a backdoor or throw behind [a pitch or DHO]. If you can't throw behind, look to snapback where you dribbled from. Wissel - balance the floor by dribbling to the point.  |
 | (Progressions) Against sagging defences, use basket cuts to create double gaps, along with backcuts and blast cuts. A basket cut or backcut opens up a "draft" drive or a blast cut, a blast cut opens up a "real-estate" drive or another blast cut. Delay a fill cut to maintain a gap for dribble penetration. Here 1 passes to 2 and basket cuts. 2 has a double gap to drive middle, 3 will give 2 a two-count before replacing 1 (a delayed fill cut). Read and React - after passing to a teammate one pass away, run a basket cut (front cut or back cut). When leaving the basket find the open spot, usually a corner. How to Teach Cutting - double-gap spacing gives 2 space to penetrate, but also 3 space to make a blast cut, which is a cut straight to the ball (beat your defender with a speed cut). Mike McNeill - Teaching Motion Offence to Young Players - every time a player passes the ball they should be a cutter first, stepping towards the pass, prepared to cut (or create a screening angle). Cut to the front of the rim with speed. When you receive a pass, hold the ball for a one count to see the cutter all the way to the basket. Lason Perkins - when replacing the cutter, wait until the ballhandler is done looking at the cutter. Mads Olesen - when you pass the ball on the perimeter, cut through to the basket and out the other side of penetration. Lisa Thomaidis - Basic Offence for Youth Basketball - every cut must be a scoring cut. |
 | 12 Options 1) 2 can drive middle, behind 1's cut (a draft drive). This is a static 1-on-1 but into a double gap. Teaching Offensive Concepts - a double/triple gap, match-up advantage, or late clock is a green-light situation in a static 1-on-1. Dribble penetration draws help (two defenders play the ball), leading to a kick-out pass and often an extra pass for a shot or another drive. Often a teammate will cut to the basket on penetration. Penetrate-Pass-Pass - making the extra pass after an initial drive-and-kick re-opens the lane for another drive, keeps the defence in rotation and forces long closeouts. Thomaidis - penetration causes the defence to collapse, a pass out creates a long closeout, the extra pass is the one that defences have a hard time getting out to. They are always trying to create long closeouts, that is the most difficult defensive skill. Penetrate-penetrate is a turnover in practice. Chris Oliver - Villanova Second Cuts - a teammate can basket cut on dribble penetration if their defender loses sight of them. Tyler Coston - Space to Hunt - in transition, hunt the "logo" off the dribble then cut to score with a "burn cut" from a corner or 45 (a defender loses vision, attack the back of their head). Score with 45 Cuts - a baseline drive opens up a weakside 45 cut as defenders help and drop (cover down). |
 | 13 2) 2 swings the ball to 4 and basket cuts. 3 fills the top of the key (leaving a double gap). 4 can attack behind 2's cut. MacKay - fill to a double gap. |
 | 14 3 blast cuts for a pass after a two-count. The blast cut creates a double gap behind 3, 5 holds the wing to maintain the gap. |
 | 15 3 attacks the double gap with a real-estate drive, or 5 can blast cut after a two-count. |
 | 16 3) 2 does not attack, 3 blast cuts after a two-count. This is an attacking action, 3 can catch and shoot, drive left or right, or backcut. Otherwise 5 will blast cut. a) 3 catches and immediately attacks left. 2 breaks off a basket cut (or does not start to cut). 1 exits opposite the drive. The blast cut creates a double gap behind 3 for a "real-estate" drive, 5 holds the corner to maintain the gap and reads the play. McNeill - 3 and the ball should arrive at the same time. How to Teach Cutting - 3 blast cuts when there is a connection (2 makes eyes contact), shortens the pass, 2 can make a single-gap pass. See Shooting - 3-line drive and kick. |
 | 17 b) 2 passes and basket cuts, creating a double gap, 4 holds the corner to the maintain the gap. 5 holds the other corner. |
 | 18 i) 2 exits opposite a drive by 3. Here 3 draft drives behind 2's cut. |
 | 19 ii) 5 blast cuts after a two-count, 3 passes and basket cuts, 4 fills to a double gap weakside. 5 can attack the double gap, or 4 blast cuts after a two-count. Wissel - draw and kick is best used from the wing after the ball has been swung from the other side. |
 | 20 c) 3 blast cuts then backcuts, a dynamic backcut, creating a triple gap. 5 does not delay filling the top, 2 had a double gap to attack, don't stall the ball. Does a teammate need help or space? NSW open-post motion - cutting on the back of a cutter is effective. See Offence - Petitgoue open-post (Revolve). |
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