Running a Patterned Delay Game

I have run a patterned delay game from a tape I got from Coach Henkle at College of Southern Idaho.  In this delay game, players shuffle and break at the elbow.  They break high if being played soft or the back cut to the basket if they are being overplayed.  A counter that some teams will do is to go to a half-court trap.  What would you suggest my counter be I want to continue to delay against this 1-3-1 half court trap?

Coach James Olsen


Dear Coach Olsen,

The simplest solution would be to spread the floor in a box with one in the middle moving the ball floor around on the perimeter with about every third pass to the middle.  This general approach will work with experienced players who know how to move the ball against the trapping pressure of the 1-3-1 and when to initate a specific interior pass or flash cut to ensure you get a high percentage shot just before the shot clock expires.  

I have never had this problem per se because I always had a motion continuity offense (X-Gap) which involves pattern cuts leading to a specific shot (and with secondary options) each time the offense flip flops the motion.  Motion offenses are simpler for teams to work the clock because the step by step options take away the uncertainty of what to do next while the clock runs.  With practice your team will develop it’s own rhythm for the approximate number of “flip flops” of the motion for a certain amount of time off the clock.  

For example, with practice they will learn that a 30 second possession can culminate with a wide open shot in the corner after 3 flops of the motion.  The problem with continuity offenses are, that if the defense disrupts the continuity your team must be able to re-initiate the motion from any given point on the court with confidence.  Also whatever continuity offense you choose to run, it cannot violate the basic principles for attacking trapping pressure.  Do you always have someone coming high post whether the ball is high, wide on the wings, or in the corner?  Is there a weakside backdoor cutter option for any high post pass.  Are there are least 3 direct pass outlet options for every pass that is made against the trapping defense.  Does your offense allow for penetration of trap pressure without destroying spacing or the possibility of continuing the motion?

I’m not personally familiar with Coach Henkle’s delay game, but it might be possible to adapt it to zones.  However you shouldn’t hesitate to find a sound zone motion offense that will work suitably to run the clock, give you outlets against traps, and result in high percentage shots at the end of your possession.


Thanks for Asking the Coach