Coaching Basketball's Fast Break

Here are a few basketball coaching tips for teaching the fast break effectively.

The main rule is that players must SPRINT the lanes

We have 3 types of lanes on the fast break.

The outside lanes run the length of the floor near either sideline.

This is where a team's athletic guards and swing players run. Ofter these players are numbered - #2 and #3. On every fast break, these players sprint hard to fill both of these lanes. If 2 players fill the same lane, the player in back must switch lanes.

The center lane runs down the center of the floow from free throw line to free throw line.

The point guard/ballhandler usually fills this lane in trasition.

We want the point guard to push the ball up the center lane on the fast break.  This is called "centering the ball"

We also expect the point guard to pass ahead in transition - so if the point guard is pushing the ball up the center lane and sees a teammate open ahead in the outside lanes, he should usually pass the ball.  Exceptions include: passing to a player  who cant handle the ball well while going full speed on the fast break, and passing a player into trouble (i.e. into a double team).

The free throw line is referred to as "The Bubble" in the fast break.

We want our point guard to try to attack the bubble on the fast break.

If thee is no open pass ahead, we want our point guard to take the outlet pass and "push it to the bubble" in 3 seconds on the fast break.

The trailer lanes are where the post players (usually numbers 4 and 5) run in a fast break.

We want our post players to run in straight lines from basket to basket in transition.

Keeping them in the trailer lanes helps us accomplish this.

Here the point guard attacks the bubble while a teammate sprints the outside lane

The point guard should execute a jump stop at the free throw line area in transition.

By executing a 2 foot jump stop, the point guard places himself in position to pass in either direction as well as to shoot a balanced 15 foot jump shot.

The player running the outside lane should make a 45 degree change of speed, change of direction cut  towards the basket when he reaches the free throw line extended.  The floor should squeak on the cut

If a wing (player 2)  receives a pass and does not have a layup, we want him to take 2 dribbles towards the baseline in transition in order to:

flatten the defense (draw defenders who are running back on defense towards the baseline...this makes it easier to reverse the basketball  later on)

buy the post player time to sprint down the trailer lanes and post up on the ball side.  In this picture, 2 flattens to the baseline, allowing 5 time to establish great post up position.

We want to hit open post players as often as possible in transition like this.

If the post up isn't open, we try to reverse the basketball at the end of the fast break.  Often this will yield an open jump shot.

If we don't get a shot, then we go to our half-court offense

The basic fastbreak principles can be taught effectively to basketball teams of all ages.

These principles should be taught and understood before the coach commits to teaching any complex secondary break attacks.

Coaches Academy has more on basketball coaching development, and also be sure to check out Perfect Practice - the  best free information available on the internet for coaching youth basketball