Building a Ball Screen Offense

with Rob Senderoff, Kent State Head Coach;
2022 MAC Coach of the Year;
2017 MAC Tournament Champions;
2015 MAC Regular Season and East Division Champions

Kent State Head Coach Rob Senderoff shows how he teaches and runs his effective ball screen offense. With on-court instruction, Coach Senderoff walks through the many different actions that make this offense so successful. He also addresses why this offense works, what to emphasize as you teach this offense and shares drills to use as you build the offense in your practice. After viewing this session, you'll be able to immediately implement the Kent State Ball Screen offense.

Though many offenses can be challenging and time consuming to teach, the ball screen offense is simple and can be mastered in a relatively short period of time. Coach Senderoff begins with a discussion on why this offense should be used. For example, for teams with multiple ball handlers, this type of offense is effective at allowing them to create offensive opportunities. It also can create great post-up opportunities. If there are four players on the court who can shoot, many open shots are created after they have set the ball screen. Weaker players can be hidden with this offense as well.

Using an on-court demonstration, Coach Senderoff builds each phase of the Kent State ball screen motion offense. He shares two warm-up drills that incorporate the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop action into your offense. He teaches three main ball screen options-side, shake, and flat. He also provides a detailed look at the 3-out 2-in ball screen offense along with a 4-out 1-in ball screen offense centered around guards with speed.

Included in the presentation is a unique set that shows how a team with only one strong ball handler can still run this offense. The "flat" set aligns fours players on the baseline with a skilled guard at the top of the key with the ball. A post then sprints to the screen presenting terrific scoring opportunities.

With each option, Coach Senderoff outlines how defenses will attempt to guard your ball screen action. With each defensive alignment, he demonstrates counters that will leave opponents dragging their feet as they watch shooters blow by to the rim. He shows how to simulate different situations with players as they go through the offensive development of the ball screen system. Discover ways to take advantage of what the defense is giving when players learn how to better read defensive movements.

This video is also ideal for high school coaches who want to implement a ball screen offense. Using the strategies presented here, players will learn how to attack their opponents with ease and simplicity.

Produced at the Fall 2012 Cleveland (OH) Clinic.

63 minutes. 2013.