4 Out 1 In Penetration Rules: Drive, Fill and Kick

4 out 1 in penetration rules: straight-line drives, baseline drift, post dives, weak-side fill and kick-out corners when the defense collapses.

4 out 1 in penetration rules tell perimeter players where to drift and fill on every drive, how the post adjusts and where kick-out passes go, without adding new sets.

Four-out spacing only works if penetration comes with disciplined reactions. This guide is the drive-and-fill chapter for teams that already use the base 4 out 1 in offense. It does not repeat the six spacing rules. It names what each player does the moment the ball enters the paint.

General motion drive reads are on motion offense basketball. Naked-post finishes when the weak side is open are on naked post basketball. Adjustments when helpers sag deep are on motion offense vs sagging defense.

Drive in a straight line, post reads the helper, three players relocate on a clock and the ball comes out to the highest open corner or slot before the defense resets.

Straight-Line Penetration

The driver attacks just outside the defender's hip in one line. Extra east-west dribbles invite doubles. The driver keeps two live options: finish at the rim or jump stop into a kick when the help commits.

4 out 1 in penetration rules diagram of a slot drive with the wing drifting to the corner, the weak-side slot filling the top of the key and the post diving to the rim

Slot drive. 1 drives from the left slot toward the nail. 2 drifts from the left wing to the corner below the drive, 3 fills behind the ball to the top of the key, 4 lifts from the right wing toward the right slot and the post (5) dives to the front of the rim.

Coaches often teach a two-count rule: two dribbles maximum unless the lane stays open. Youth teams can shorten that to one live dribble and a pass.

Slot Drives

When the ball-handler drives from the top slot toward the nail or the elbow:

Ball-side wing drifts to the corner below the drive.
Weak-side wing lifts to the slot above the drive or holds the weak slot if the defense stunts early.
Weak-side slot fills behind the ball to the top for the safety pass.
Post dives toward the front of the rim if his man shows on the driver, or short rolls to the dunker spot if the lane is sealed.

Wing and Baseline Drives

When the wing attacks middle, the post moves away from the drive to create the dunker window or sets a quick re-screen. When the wing attacks baseline, the post goes to the front of the rim, the weak-side slot drops to the ball-side corner and the opposite corner fills up to the slot.

Those baseline reactions match the baseline diagram section on the main 4-out guide. Drill them 4-on-0 with a coach standing as the help defender so players learn the catch order before live 5-on-5.

Post Rules on a Drive

The post never chases the ball to the same side as a drive unless he is the screener who just set a ball screen. On a guard drive he either dives, short rolls or relocates weak. On a double team he is the bail-out target at the elbows, not on the block where help already lives.

If the weak side is truly empty because help rotated late, the post can stay for a naked seal. That read is its own page because it happens more in staggered screening teams than in strict four-out motion.

Kick-Out Order

When the help collapses, pass to the highest open shooter in this order:

Corner on the drive side if the low helper left early.
Weak-side slot if both corners are covered.
Opposite wing on a skip only when two defenders are still in the paint.

The passer jump stops on two feet so the kick is a pass, not a falling stumble. Shooting work on three-point shooting drills and decision drills on basketball IQ make the kick count.

When Defense Switches on the Drive

If the switch creates a small on a big, the post ducks in or re-screens. If it creates a big on a small, clear and let the guard reject into space. Switch-heavy game plans are on motion vs switching and on how to attack switching defense.

Questions Coaches Ask

What does fill behind the drive mean?

As the ball enters the paint, a teammate relocates behind it to become the next pass, usually weak-side slot to top.

Where should the post be on a baseline drive?

Front of the rim for a lob window, or short roll if the defense tags him early.

Is this the same as dribble drive motion?

No. Dribble drive clears the middle for constant attacks. Four-out keeps motion rules and limits dribbles unless the lane is open.

Spacing drills are on basketball spacing drills. Compare five-out spacing on 5 out motion offense. All offense guides sit under Offense.

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