Basketball Wheel Offense

Wheel offense is an offensive strategy in basketball, developed in the late 1950s by Garland F. Pinholster at the Oglethorpe University. It is a kind of continuity offense in which players move around in a circular pattern to create good scoring opportunities. The wheel offense is a popular offensive play, frequently used by teams from middle school to college levels because it can effectively work against any defense, including zone defense and man-to-man defense.

Strategy

There are various ways to run the wheel offense. The original form of the wheel offense developed by Garland Pinholster starts with a 2-1-2 formation, where two players stand edge by edge at the free throw lane.

By using sets of screens and cuts, this 2-1-2 formation can be maneuvered into a 1-3-1 formation, with the ball-handler on the wing. Once in position, the player in the low post (the second cutter) will set a screen for the ball-handler (the first cutter). The first cutter quickly passes the ball to the player on top at the perimeter (the fourth cutter), and then, depending on how the defense react, makes a cut to the basket either down the base line or over the top from the free throw line. Meanwhile, the fourth cutter will pass the ball to the player on the other wing (the fifth player), and quickly go down to the free throw lane and set a screen for the second cutter. The second cutter then make another cut across the free throw line. After the first two cuts are clear, the player in the middle at the free throw lane (the third cutter), who have been setting double screens for the previous two cuts, will now fake a step towards the basket and then break off to the top on the side of the circle, and the fourth cutter will go to the wing position initially taken by the first cutter. Note that at this point the players are again in the original 1-3-1 formation, except flipped to the other side.

During the time the other players are making the play, the fifth player on the other wing, now having received the ball from the player at the top, needs to watch if any good shot opportunity occurs and make appropriate passes. If the first cutter gets rid of the defense, he or she will get the ball for an easy layup down the basket. If the second cutter gets open, he or she will get the ball for a quick catch and shoot at the free throw line. If the first two cuts are unsuccessful, the third cutter will receive the ball and drive down the lane for a layup, if possible. Even if there is no good opportunity during the whole play, the players are now again in the 1-3-1 formation, and are ready to initiate another wave of offense.

Advantages of using the wheel offense

The wheel offense is very advantageous to use. First it is very flexible and easy to set up. All the positions in the wheel offense are interchangeable (i.e. the point guard doesn’t have to be the first cutter).This enables the ball-handler to start the wheel offense from either wing without the other players changing their positions. With its flexibility, the wheel offense blends well with both half-court attack and fast break.

Once the play is set up, the wheel offense can work effectively against both man-to-man defense and zone defense. The various cuts and double screens will create open shot opportunities if the defense fails to react quickly. Even if the defensive players manage to cover all the cutting offensive players, they are forced to switch match-ups. Switching match-ups often causes mismatches between offensive players and defensive players, and when mismatch happens, the offensive team often take advantage of it to score. Also, when a team runs the wheel offense, their game tempo will be very hard to disrupt.

The wheel offense can also integrate other offensive plays. Pinholster's Oglethorpe team would often run some concealment plays before they start the wheel offense. This made the wheel offense very hard to detect, and they could catch the defense off guard. During the play, when the wheel offense is in the 1-3-1 formation, it can also switch to other plays based on the same formation. This greatly increases the variation of the wheel offense, making it very hard to defend.

Moreover, the wheel offense is very helpful for team-building. Because the wheel offense demands every player to have good ball-handling and shooting skills, each player is forced to develop more fully. In the wheel offensive play, five players play as a team rather than individuals. Thus practicing and running the wheel offense is very helpful for developing a team spirit among the players.

Requirements for using the wheel offense

There are a few conditions need to be satisfied before using the wheel offense. Some are listed below.

The wheel offense works better for a balanced team than a team that relies on one or two superstars.
To run the wheel offense, the team has to have good ball-handling skills. The first cutter needs to use good timing, speed and ingenuity. The second cutter needs to be good at shooting.
The big men on the team have to move, though not necessarily fast, to set screens for the cutting players

Outline

SPORTS WORLD

Basketball

The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 metres (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made.

Rules and Regulations

Gameplay: A jump ball is a method used to begin or resume play in basketball. Two opposing players attempt to gain control of the ball after it is tossed up into the air in between them by an official.

Positions: During the early years of basketball's evolution, two guards, two forwards, and one center were used.

Equipment: The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends.

Official: Basketball is regarded as among the most difficult sports to officiate due to the fast speed of play, the complexity of rules that must be followed, the unique case-specific interpretations of rules, and the instantaneous judgement required.

Violations: The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds.

Fouls: An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul.

Strategy: The playbook starts as a canvas picture of the basketball court with all its boundaries and lines. On top of that, the playmaker can draw O's for players on offense, and X's for players on defense.
Techniques and Practices

SPORTS WORLD

Techniques and Practices

Basketball moves are generally individual actions used by players in basketball to pass by defenders to gain access to the basket or to get a clean pass to a teammate to score a two pointer or three pointer. Basketball Moves »

Shooting: Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the basket, methods varying with players and situations.

Slam dunks: A slam dunk, also dunk or dunk shot, is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball(s) above the horizontal plane of the rim, and scores by putting the ball directly through the basket with one or both hands.

Rebounding: Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made, or the rebound allows the defensive team to take possession.

Passing: A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. Most passes are accompanied by a step forward to increase power and are followed through with the hands to ensure accuracy.

Dribbling: Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand, and is a requirement for a player to take steps with the ball.

Blocking: In basketball, a block or blocked shot occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player.

SPORTS

Basketball

The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own.

The rules of basketball are the rules and regulations that govern the play, officiating, equipment and procedures of basketball. While many of the basic rules are uniform throughout the world, variations do exist.