BYU Cougars Basketball Plays

By Dr. James Gels, From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook
"Helping coaches coach better..."

Submitted by Coach Lason Perkins, recognized globally as one of basketball's brightest coaching minds. He has coached at every level of basketball from elementary school to the professional ranks, and is the creator of many instructional basketball videos. He is a great student of the game with an expert understanding of Xs and Os, and maintains contact with coaches from around the world. Coach Perkins at this writing resides in Cary, NC and coaches basketball at Cary Academy.

The BYU Cougars program has been an exciting team to watch over the past few years because of their offensive efficiency and the creative play actions they run.

Last season, the Cougars finished:

• #1 in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (42.2%)
• #2 in assist/turnover ratio
• #3 in field goal percentage
• #4 in 3-point field goals per game
• #5 in assists per game

Coach Mark Pope and his staff have put together some creative actions for the team to utilize by spreading the floor and mixing in ball screen actions, pinch post actions, and screening actions. Many of these actions and sets have been complied in The BYU Cougars Offensive Playbook.

Here are a few of our favorite actions from the playbook.

Pistol Action

Pistol Action, or DHO Continuity (dribble hand-off), has been popular starting with former BYU coach Dave Rose and continues with Coach Pope.

4 perimeter players look to use dribble handoffs to create movement while the post player (5) looks to set ball screens for the guards to attack off of. On the weak side, the two perimeter players can spot up or can cut backdoor if overplayed.

Ricky Action

A "Ricky" action is a screen and rescreen action. It looks similar to Blocker Mover action in some manner.

In the diagram below, 1 and 2 run a dribble handoff.

2 brings the ball to the opposite side of the floor and reverses to 5 stepping out. On the pass to 5, 3 cuts off 4.



As 5 and 1 run a dribble hand off, 4 sets a flare screen for 2.

As 1 centers the ball in the middle of the floor, 5 pins down for 3 and 4 rescreens for 2.

STS Action

Screen the screener action (STS) is difficult to defend, especially on a baseline out of bounds situation. Here is a set that can be used against man to man or zone defense.

From a box alignment, 5 and 4 pop to the corners as 3 screens for 2. 1 hits 5 and 5 reverses the ball to 3.

2 will now screen down for 1, then receive a pin down screen from 5. 1 will clear the lane to open up space.



Big Thanks to Men's Basketball HoopScoop for these breakdowns. To get a copy of 110 pages of basketball X's and O's.

Keep growing the game!!
Coach Lason Perkins

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