Triangle Positions

Triangle Positions

The triangle is created from a post player on the strong-side block, the strong-side corner, and the strong-side wing. Spacing stretches the defense to defend both sides of the court, and this creates a problem for the help side defense and defensive trapping. Offensive players should be looking to fill the five spots. In this blog I will explain the player’s positions during the 1-4 set and corner option in the triangle.

The triangle offense is an effective offensive attack that primarily uses the give-and-go concept of offensive movement. It is a three pass offense that is a quick hitting attack based upon the ability of the offensive players to read and react to the defense they are facing. Key objective to running the triangle offense is to make sure that every player knows their role within the offense. The wing player (2 and 3) role is to always look first to feed the low post, look to score, or pass to the corner. The corner player looks to pass into the low post (4), or shoot or drive to the hoop. Low post player (4 and 5) looks to score while being aggressive in the post or sealing defenders inside. The top player (3) job is to look to pass to the post player, or look to shoot the 3 pointer.  The point guard is always the 1 player.

1-4 set

The first method is a simple pass to the wing. The 1-4 set can start with a dribble down or a handoff. When the ball is entered on the pass, the passer makes a corner cut. This can be accomplished with an inside cut or an outside cut. The 5 man sinks to the strong side low post and the 2 man sinks to set up a cutting angle. The 4 man then angles to screen for the 2. The 2 man cuts to the top off of the screen by the 4. The triangle is a 3 man game on the strong side by the 1.3. and 5. The weak side two man game is created with the 2 and 4 man. The ball can be passed to any player, which can create different set of options. The 1-4 set can and will be repeated if executed properly. Players should look for back-doors, screen and rolls, turn-downs, slips, re-screens to create different scoring options.

Corner Option

In the corner option, the 3 passes to the 1 in the corner. The 5 steps out to backscreen for 3. The 3 cuts off the backscreen. The 4  rolls down to the weak side block and prepares to be a screen for 3. The 2 flares out for spacing. After 3 has cut through, 5 steps down to ball screen for 1. The 4 cuts high to clear the lane to help take away the help. The 1 and 5 plays a 2 man game. They can screen and roll, screen and pop, turn-down, pop or slip. The 1 can reverse the ball by passing to 2 over the top or by going through 4 and 4 passing to 2. As the ball is reversed, the 5 cuts to the strong side.

It is very important that the triangle offense and positions are ran correctly, spacing is the key and it will allow the offense to  attack the defense weakness.  

References:

1Kelbick, D. How to Run the Triangle Offense. Retrieved October 1, 2016, from https://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/offense/triangle-offense2.html

2Gels, J. A. (n.d.). Basketball Offense – High Low Triangle Offense. Retrieved October 1, 2016, from http://www.coachesclipboard.net/Screens.html