Fastbreak In Basketball

[Versie Rons]

Our coaches are energetic, caring, highly trained, and, above all, professional. In our classes and on our teams, we strive to instill the importance of hard work, working together as a team, gracious winning AND losing, celebrating successes and learning from mistakes. Our coaches realize that as role models, they are helping to build character, well-being and life skills, not just for athletes but for kids.

My 11 year old can now take me on the basketball court. I blame Lonny and the great coaching staff at Fastbreak. They are responsible for improving both my boys overall skill level and competitive edge.

Fast Break Youth Basketball a Division of Pacific Youth Sports is a year round open registration Basketball Training Program for boys and girls ages 6-17 located in the City of Rancho Cucamonga.

Our Skill Development Program provides an affordable opportunity for boys and girls to focus on the development of their individual fundamental skill sets including; Ball Handling, Shooting, Passing, Footwork as well as strength and conditioning to prepare for competitive play.

As a member of the Jr. NBA our League play provides an opportunity for our players to learn motion offense, Laker Cuts, Dribble Hand Off, Screen and Roll, Basket Cuts. We also teach man to man and zone defense concepts, inbound plays, and more. We encourage the development of teamwork, good sportsmanship and a never give up attitude when pursuing their goals.

Shooting Clinics are offered throughout the year with a specific focus on improving shooting mechanics. Our staff will work with each player addressing each step for improved shooting dynamics. Progressing from one handed form shooting without guide hand, focus on balance, stance, and footwork to shooting off the dribble or pass.

Game Development scrimmages are also offered throughout the year for our players to participate in coached and guided scrimmages to have a better understanding of offensive spacing and actions. Games are paused so teaching can take place in real time and resumed once an understanding has been established.

Our Travel Ball Program offers an opportunity to experienced players to participate in our successful and competitive yet affordable year around basketball program. We currently offer programs for 10u thru 16u teams. We work hard on detailed team development with our awesome coaching staff. Our travel ball club plays primarily in the Inland Empire and Orange County throughout the year.

In a typical fast-break situation, the defending team obtains the ball and passes it to the fastest player, who sets up the fast break. That player (usually the smaller point guard, in the case of basketball) then speed-dribbles the ball up the court with several players trailing on the wings. He then either passes it to another player for quick scoring or takes the shot himself. If contact is made between him and a defender from behind while on a fast break, an unsportsmanlike foul is called. Recognition, speed, ball-handling skills, and decision-making are critical to the success of a fast break.

In basketball, fast breaks are often the result of good defensive play such as a steal, obtaining the ball off a block, or a missed shot by the opposing team and a rebound, where the defending team takes possession of the ball and the other team has not adjusted.

A fly fast break (also known as a one out fast break, the technical term for the play) is a basketball move in which after a shot is attempted, the player who is guarding the shooter does not box out or rebound but instead runs down the court looking for a pass from a rebounding teammate for a quick score.

The coach designates a certain guard or guards to carry out the Fly fast break. This is often the guard that defends the opponents' shooting guard. When the designated opposing guard makes an attempted shot. The defending guard (referred to as 'Fly') will contest the shot but then sprints down the court to the other team's key. When the defending team obtains the rebound or has to inbound the ball (after a made basket), they throw the ball into the other team's key, knowing that there is a 'Fly' waiting to catch the ball and score.

Bellingham Parks & Recreation offers adult recreational basketball leagues in the fall/winter. Teams generally play one and up to two games per week for the duration of the season. Each game consists of two 25-minute running clock halves. City of Bellingham Parks & Rec ruleset governs play. Standard NFHS rules apply in all other scenarios. Captains must register their team ahead of the season. Registration is on a first come first serve basis.

The fast break and transition offense occurs when you gain possession of the basketball and push the ball as quickly as possible up the floor via the dribble or the pass. You can gain possession of the ball by a turnover, rebound, blocked shot, or an attempted shot. Like Don Kelbick likes to say in his Transition Offense and Four-Second Fast Break DVD, "The operative word in fast break is 'fast.'"

To get easy scoring opportunities - Many teams have great half-court defenses when they are set. Whether it's an advantage fast break 2v1, 3v2, etc or 5v5 transition offense situation, the fast break allows you to attack the defense before it can get set which can lead to many easy baskets for your team. If an easy basket does not present itself, they transition directly into your offense to keep the defense on their heels.

• Control tempo & force bad decisions for your opposition - Some teams are not used to playing a fast tempo. Due to your opponents' lack of repetitions running the fast break, this can lead to more bad decisions for your opposition which would be advantageous for you.

• Wear teams down - If you practice the fast break every day during practice, chances are that your players will be in pretty good condition. Your opponents may not spend as much time running the break, so when you pick up the temp, this will wear on your opponents. It may not happen right away, it may not happen until the last 4 minutes of the game. Paul Westhead's teams were known for wearing teams down, then going on enormous runs in the second half.

• Beating zones and pressure - Many coaches will say that your best offense against a good zone or defensive pressure is your fast break and transition offense. As mentioned before, you want to get the ball up the court for easy scoring opportunities before the defense can get set.

• Aggressive mentality - When taught properly, the fast break can lead to an aggressive offensive mentality. If you watch the best players in the world, they usually have that "attack" mindset. Quite often, the difference between average players and good players is their mindset. If you can get all of your players with the same mindset, it could lead to a much better team. This doesn't mean that everybody on your team is jacking up 3's or the first open jump shot, your players should just do what they do well with assertiveness.

• Offensive rebounds - Many rebounders are not good at running the floor. When you big man is conditioned, it will lead to many more opportunities. Danny Miles will sub his post players more frequently than his post players because post players have to cover more ground on each possession. This helps keep his post players fresh. Danny typically subs his post players every 4 minutes.

Against talented, athletic teams, you may choose to slow down your offense, but I don't believe that you want to completely dismiss fast breaks because they could lead to some very easy baskets. In this situation, you may enforce a "lay up" only rule. If you get an advantage, take a lay up.

• No jump shots until 30 seconds have passed.
• No jump shots until 10 passes have been made.
• No jump shots until the ball has been reversed 5 times.
• No jump shots until the ball has touched the post twice.

Running a transition offense, at least a good one, is a lot more than just running up and down the floor as fast as you can. For a break to be truly effective in a transition system, the break must fit seamlessly with which ever half court offense you have chosen to run.

The purpose for a transition system is to take advantage of your opponent's break downs while they are changing from offense to defense or from defense to offense. It is designed to take control of and lengthen the transition period. Openings will exist as your opponent is making the transition giving your team a great opportunity to take advantage of openings. It would be counter productive to your goals and objectives if you had to hold the ball out to reset your offense and give the defense a chance to organize and defend.

When running a transition game, I think the single most important things to establish are your break objectives. What do you want to get out of your break? Coaches do it with the offense. Coaches do it with the defense. How many coaches address it with their break?

1 is the point guard and can bring the ball up the left side of the floor or the right side (not the middle, we want the point picking a side). You can allow the point guard to choose a side or if you prefer, you can specify that point always goes up a certain side (ex: right side).

The best and the simplest break I have ever experienced did not have multiple cuts or transition options. I have learned that it gets you up the court quickly and fits with any transition offense. It is simple and you can teach it in a minute. I recommend that everyone try it, at least for a little while.

You can figure out the trailers, you can figure out where the wings go. You can even have players run in the same lane. As long as they finish in spots where your offense can continue, there is no harm. In fact, if you have 2 players run in the same lane, as long as they are properly spaced, the first cutter will strip the defense for the second cutter and you might find opportunities where none were present before.