Continuity Inside Game

This video teaches a variation of the well-known 131 Wheel Offense. This offense features a shuffle cut into the paint off a backside double wall screen followed by a flash post to the ballside elbow and then a guard down screen to free up ball reversal across the top. It quickly produces good shots around the lane and provides good offensive rebound opportunities (not mentioned in the video). This is a very structured (strict) continuity pattern that can be used successfully by amateur teams that disdain casting up three-point bricks. (It is my experience that many kids thrive on the structure of being told exactly where to go next.) The coach demonstrates the wing entry pass action and a nice dribble entry pressure reliever from a 212 set (although it can be easily modified to start from any formation) and ALWAYS winds up in a 131 set. This video version shows a permanent center around the lane and the other four players exchanging places on the perimeter. (There is a five player version by having the bottom double wall screener flash to the elbow instead of the permanent center screener shown here.) Like any continuity pattern, if ball reversal is prevented by the defense, the offense has problems continuing! This video assumes that ball reversal is available and does not provide a counter if the passing lane is denied. However, the beauty of this 131 Wheel offense is that it will nearly always produce a good, quick shot after just one or two ball reversals, especially if the offense wisely alternates initiating the wing entry on the right and left sides. The coach teaches this offense from the ground up 5-0 with uninformed amateurs so the viewer gets a truely accurate depiction. No other drills are demonstrated. The coach mentions on the video that his team practices team offense for 30 minutes every day and uses more than one offense. It is my experience that only 5-10 minutes of practice a day is necessary for unskilled amateurs to be proficient with the 131 Wheel Offense. It is designed to attack Man-to-Man defense, but because of it's alignment and flash to the ballside elbow, it could be used as a change up zone attack. I have witnessed Junior High, Senior High and NAIA college teams have success with the 131 Wheel Offense. However, I would not use it as my only M-M offense either because the defense eventually learns how to play the play. This video is a good introductory to the 131 Wheel Offense initiated from a 212 set but it is nothing more than that. P.S. To create a three-point shot (and as a counter when ball reversal is denied), the new point man could fake ball reversal and have the wing shuffle cut into the paint and then change directions back out to the corner while the double wall screeners hold their position re-screening for the same cutter going in the opposite direction. The point man will throw a skip pass to the corner for a trey behind the double wall screen (and the other wing can work a backdoor cut or come around for a handoff).