1-4 Slice Zone Offense
The 1-4 "Slice" zone offense's high player alignment possesses severe match up problems for all zone defenses. The 1-4 high alignment also allows for entry passes or quick pressure releases to be made to any of the four receivers. It is comprised of a very strong inside post attack with spot up outside shooters. It has great ball movement with quick ball reversals and rotations capabilities, which forces zones to constantly be in motion shifting. The Slice zone offense is easy to teach and learn, but very tough to defend.
| Slice Cut | Post Ups | Skip Pass | Ball Reversal | Wing Entry | Overplay Counters |
Offensive Fundamentals Required
Attacking Zone Defense Principles
Basic Slice Cut
When point O1 enters the ball to a post popping out, the opposite post makes a hard "Slice" cut to the basket looking for a feed. Point O1 spots up with opposite wing.
Slice Cut Reads& Counters
If O5's defender plays off or straight up, O5 cuts to the basket over the top of the defender. When O5's defender plays to the inside, O5 curls to the basket behind the defender.
Post Up Isolation
When post O5 does not receive a pass on the Slice cut, O5 posts up strong. If O5's defender plays behind, O4 can feed O5 directly on basic High/Low action. If open, O4 also has the option of shooting the ball or even driving to the basket if guarded by a post defender.
Low Post Feeds
When the post's defender plays on the high side of the post, O4 can pass to wing O3 for a baseline feed. If the post's defender fronts the post, the post O5 can seal off the defender for a cross court, skip pass from O1 or O2.
Low Post Passes
Weakside Skip Pass Option
When the weakside defender closes out, the spot up shooter makes the "extra" pass for an open three point shot. The weakside wing can also set a screen on the weakside defender to create an open shot.
Ball Reversal
Weakside "Give & Go" Rotation
O4 passes to either O1 or O2 spotting up on weakside and cuts to the basket anticipating a return pass.
Low post flashes to middle for shot or HIGH/LOW feed to O4 posting up strong.
Continuity
Any time a good shot or post feed is not available, wing O1 makes a cross court skip pass to weakside wing or passes to the high post, who in turn makes a "Give & Go" pass to the weakside wing initiating ball reversal action.
Wing Entry
Point O1 has option of making an entry pass to either wing. When O1 passes to wing O3, weakside post O5 makes a “Slice” cut to the basket looking for O3’s feed. If O5 does not receive the ball on the basket cut, O5 posts up strong looking for a feed from O3 or a High/Low feed from O4. O1 and O2 spot up on the weakside.
Wing Reversal
When a good shot is not available on the post up, wing O3 can initiate ball reversal by making a cross court skip pass to O1 or O2 or pass to the ball to O4 stepping out who in turn executes a “Give & Go” pass to O1 or O2. If O4 does not receive the ball on the basket cut, O4 then posts up strong. Post O5 then breaks high for a shot or high/low action. O2 and O3 spot up on the weakside.
Defensive Overplays
Post overplay
When either post is overplayed, point O1 pump fakes a pass which keys the post to release for an over the top lob pass. O1 can also pass to wing O3 for feed. If O4 does not receive the ball on back cut, O4 posts up strong. Weakside post O5 assumes a high post position while O1 and O2 spot up on the weakside.
Wing Overplay
Whenever the entry pass to a wing is overplayed, point O1 pump fakes initiating a back cut to the basket. O1 has option of feeding wing 03 directly on back cut or passing to post O4, who in turn passes to the wing on back cut to the basket. If the wing does not receive a pass on the back cut, the Slice continuity is achieved by the wing continuing out to the weakside and spotting up with the opposite wing 02. Point O1 assumes the ballside wing and weakside post O5 slices to the basket.
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