What to Discover or Recall . . .
The "Clock" is a simple offense to teach and easy to master .
It can be used very effectively on all levels of the game.
It combines a free lance passing attack with a few basic rotation rules.
It can be successfully used against Person-to-Person defenses as well as zones.
The "Clock" is a very simple, but powerful zone offense. Because of its simplicity, it is very easy to teach, learn and execute. It incorporates a basic 1-3-1 free lance passing attack with a few basic rotation rules. Like all zone offenses sharp, crisp ball movement is a key element to its success. The Clock Zone Offense will produce wide open out side shots along with basket cuts and post rolls.
| Corner Pass | Ball Reversal | Dribble Clear | Continuity | vs 1-3-1 Zone | vs 1-2-2 Zone | vs Trap | Specials |
Attacking Zone Defense Principles
The Clock offense gets its name from the outside players clockwise and counter clockwise rotations.
Anytime the wing passes the ball to the corner, the wing cuts to the basket for possible return pass and shot. Outside players rotate over a spot.
When wing O2 passes to the corner, O2 cuts to the basket anticipating a return pass from O4. |
If/When defender X5 drops down to help out against wing O2's basket cut, corner looks to feed open post O5. |
Once the defense matches up against the overload alignment preventing any open shots, swing the ball quickly and attack the weakside of the zone.
Corner O4 passes out to O1 and cuts to opposite side of court. O1 in turns makes a quick reversal pass to O3. O3 looks to feed open cutter O2 on wing. |
Anytime the baseline defender X4 steps out to guard O2, O2 looks to pass to O4 on baseline. |
If/When defender X5 drops down to help out against O4's baseline cut, O2 looks to feed open O5 flashing into the middle.
Clock continuity continues. When wing O2 passes to the corner, O2 cuts to the basket looking for a return pass from O4. O4 looks to pass to O2 on basket cut, post O5 in middle, or passes back out to O3 rotating up a spot. |
If/When the ball is passed back out to O3 and O3 makes a reversal pass out to O1, intiating the weakside attack. |
The wing has the option of dribble clearing the corner. Anytime the wing dribbles towards the corner, the corner back cuts to the basket exchanging roles with the wing. Wing then becomes baseline cutter.
Rather the pass to the corner, the wing can dribble to the corner. Corner O4 back cuts to the basket while O1 and O3 move up a position. |
Wing O2 looks to feed O4 on back cut. |
As O4 clears out on back cut to basket, post O5, if open, can slide down the lane looking for a pass from O2. |
When O2 cannot feed the post, O2 makes pass out to O1 initiating ball reversal and weakside attack. |
Anytime the baseline defender X4 steps out to guard O4, O4 looks to pass to O2 on baseline. |
If/When defender X5 drops down to help out against O2's baseline cut, O4 looks to feed open O5 flashing into the middle. |
The clock continuity continues with the wing either passing to or dribble clearing the corner or making a reversal pass out to the point.
Anytime the wing passes to the corner, they make a basket cut to opposite wing. |
Anytime the wing dribbles toward the corner, the corner becomes the cutter, backcutting to the basket. |
Anytime the wing makes a reversal pass back to the point, the shooter on the baseline has the option of cutting to the opposite corner.
The clock offense is a great offense to exploit the vulnerablility of an 1-3-1 zone weakness along the baseline.
When wing O2 passes to the corner, O2 cuts to the basket anticipating a return pass from O4. |
If/When defender X5 drops down to help out against wing O2's basketcut, corner looks to feed open post O5. |
When corner O4 cannot feed the cutter or post, O4 makes pass out to O1 initiating ball reversal and weakside attack. |
Anytime the defender X5 steps out to guard O2, O2 looks to pass to O5 flashing into the middle. |
Clock continuity continues. When wing O2 passes to the corner, O2 cuts to the basket looking for a return pass from O4. O4 looks to pass to O2 on basket cut, post O5 in middle, or passes back out to O3 rotating up a spot.
Zone Offense - Reads & Counters
Although the 1-2-2 can be strong against outside shooting, it is vulnerable in the middle and corners.
When wing O2 passes to the corner, O2 cuts to the basket. When defender X5 defends against o2's basket cut, it opens up the middle for a pass from O4 to O5. |
O1 and O2 also have the options of feeding post O5 direct. |
When O4 cannot feed the cutter or post, O4 makes pass out to O1 initiating ball reversal and weakside attack. |
Anytime the defender X5 steps out to guard O2, O2 looks to pass to O5 flashing into the middle or to O4 on baseline. |
Clock continuity continues. When wing O2 passes to the corner, O2 cuts to the basket looking for a return pass from O4. O4 looks to pass to O2 on basket cut, post O5 in middle, or passes back out to O3 rotating up a spot.
Zone Offense - Reads & Counters
Immediately, rotate into a 2-1-2 alignment and move the ball with sharp, accurate passes (no dribbling). The "Cat" or 2-1-2 alignment is a simple, but very successful offense to deploy when the defense traps or double teams. When defenders X3 and X1 double team O3 in corner, O5 pops out and O4 flashes into the middle.
O3 looks first to feed O4 flashing into the middle and then to make a kick out pass to O5 or O1.
When the defense locks up O3 in a "Hard" double team and denies the passing lanes to O2, O4 and O5, O1 should look immediately to make a strong pass out to open O1 in opposite corner of the floor.
Post Roll OptionRule: Anytime the ball is passed to a baseline corner, the post rolls to the basket. |
Back Cut OptionRule: When the ball is entered into the middle, the baseline corners back cut to the basket. |
These "Crunch Time" specials can be ran as the shot or game clock runs down or after a time out or verbal call.
Point O1 passes to O4 breaking out to wing on weakside. O1 then goes opposite off double screen for shot off return skip pass from O4. O2 and O3 set a double screen at weakside elbow for O1. O5 posts up hard. When O4 skip passes to O1, O4 and O5 establish inside rebounding positions.
If open O1 shoots the ball; however, when defender X3 rushes out to challenge the shot, O1 has option of feeding O3 on post roll or "X" pass to O5 when X5 defends against O3's roll. When defender X1 takes O1, O1 looks to pass to O2 stepping out for shot. O4 and O5 anticipate a miss shot and rebound.
Note: a missed shot should end up as a good pass.
O4 and O5 interchange positions on lob. O1 passes to O4 breaking out to wing on weakside. O1 then creates lead for a return pass from O4. O4 looks to feed O5 posting up.
O4 makes a reversal pass back to O1, and cuts off O3's back screen. O1 passes to O2 or lobs directly to O4 off dribble. When O2 receives pass from O, O2 can feed O4 on lob or pass to O5 flashing into the middle who in turn lobs to O4. O3 must set a strong back screen for O4 on weakside. If the lob pass is not available go directly into basic Clock action.
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