Basic Basketball Tactics
Primary 6 · Physical Education
Basic Basketball Tactics
Lesson 3 of 4
19 min
Let's begin
In P6's first basketball game, all five players on Gatete's team crowd round the ball, waving their arms. One defender can guard two of them at once, and the other team steals the ball again and again.
Basketball is a team game. Today you will learn collective tactics: how five players space out, pass and cut, attack fast, and defend together.
In threes, jog from one end of the court to the other, passing the ball between you with chest passes and bounce passes. Nobody may dribble. Then jog back, faster.
Spread out, well apart from each other, and use the whole width of the court. If you stand close together, one defender can guard two players, and passing lanes get blocked. Good spacing makes room to pass, cut and drive.
The give-and-go (also called pass and cut) is the simplest team play in basketball. You pass to a teammate, then cut quickly towards the basket, and your teammate passes the ball straight back to you for a shot.
A screen (or pick) is when you stand still, feet apart and arms in, right beside your teammate's defender. Your teammate runs past close to you, and the defender is blocked by your body. A screen is legal only if you stand still. Moving into the defender is a foul.
A fast break moves the ball up the court as quickly as possible, before the other team's defence is ready, so that your attackers outnumber the defenders. It often starts with a steal, a blocked shot or a defensive rebound:
Defenders chasing a fast break must never foul from behind. That is an unsportsmanlike foul, a serious foul.
| Man-to-man defence | Zone defence |
|---|---|
| Each defender guards one opponent, wherever that player goes. | Each defender guards an area of the court. A common one is the 2-3 zone: 2 defenders at the front and 3 near the basket. |
Whichever you use, the first rule of team defence is: as soon as you lose the ball, sprint back and protect your basket.
Play 3 against 3 on half a court, or 5 against 5 on a full court. A basket scored straight after a give-and-go or on a fast break earns 1 extra point.
Walk slowly. Stretch your legs and arms, and take some deep breaths. Drink water.
Warning
Stay safe
Tip
Space out, pass and cut, run the lanes, sprint back!
With the ball: spread out, give-and-go, and break fast when you can. Without it: sprint back and guard your player or your zone.
Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.
Why should attackers spread out on the court?
Answer: So one defender cannot guard two of them, and there is room to pass, cut and drive.
Describe a give-and-go.
Answer: You pass to a teammate, cut quickly to the basket, and the teammate passes the ball straight back to you for a shot.
Your team has just caught a defensive rebound. What is the first pass in a fast break called?
Answer: The outlet pass, to a guard at the side of the court.
What is the difference between man-to-man and zone defence?
Answer: In man-to-man, each defender guards one opponent. In a zone, each defender guards an area of the court.
Uwase sets a screen, but she moves sideways into the defender at the last moment. Is this allowed?
Answer: No. A screen is legal only if you stand still. Moving into the defender is a foul.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Put the fast break in order.
Tap the cards in the right order.
