Belmont Basketball Plays: Backdoor, Chicago, Chin and Nail Sets

Belmont basketball plays from its backdoor, Chicago, Chin, Nail and 4 out families, drawn frame by frame with where every player goes.

Belmont basketball plays in this collection are fifteen half-court sets from five families, led by a backdoor series, and this guide draws every frame of every one.

Belmont basketball plays in this playbook are grouped into families, and the first family is a full series of backdoor sets. Most names pair a start, such as Chicago, Horns, Stack or Delay, with a second word, such as Keep or Hold, and many end in Backdoor. The playbook is diagrams only, with no written coaching, so the text here describes what each diagram shows and nothing more. This page draws 15 sets across 28 frames. Every frame of each play shown is redrawn from the original, and the text under it names where all five players go.

A backdoor cut finishes five of the fifteen sets on this page, and in every one of them the pass to the cutter comes off a dribble.

Belmont Basketball Plays at a Glance

The playbook holds 106 plays. This page draws fifteen of them from five families: five backdoor sets, two Chicago hand-off sets, two Chin sets, four sets from the Nail and Horns looks, and two Punch sets from the 4 out motion. The playbook names no coach and no season, so none is named here. It also holds a Stack series, more Nail and half-court sets, zone offense and baseline out-of-bounds plays that are not drawn here.

Play	Family	Frames	What it does
Chicago Keep Backdoor	The Backdoor Series	2	The Chicago start, but 1 keeps the ball and dribbles at 2, and the screener, 4, cuts backdoor for the pass.
Delay Hold Backdoor	The Backdoor Series	2	A guard passes to 5 at the top of the key and fills the right wing, then 5 dribbles at him and he cuts backdoor.
Horns Hold Backdoor	The Backdoor Series	1	From horns, the guard dribbles toward the basket and back out, and the big at the left elbow cuts backdoor for the pass.
Stack Backdoor	The Backdoor Series	1	Two players stand in a stack at the top of the key, the guard dribbles past them to the left wing and the corner cuts backdoor.
Panic Backdoor	The Backdoor Series	2	A ball screen moves the ball to the right side, then a dribble at the wing clears him out and the corner cuts backdoor.
Chicago	Chicago Action	2	A down screen frees 2 for a hand-off from 1, and 2 turns the corner and drives the lane.
Horns Chicago	Chicago Action	1	The Chicago hand-off run from horns: 5 catches at the elbow, 4 screens down for 3, and 5 hands off to 3 for the drive.
Chin	The Chin Series	2	A hand-off and a down screen swing the ball to 3, then 5 back screens for 2 and follows with a ball screen and roll.
Chin Slip	The Chin Series	3	The Chin start and back screen, but 2 runs all the way to the left corner and 5 slips the ball screen to the rim.
Nail Rip	Nail and Horns Actions	1	From the nail set, 5 screens for 2, and 2 cuts around the screen to the rim as the guard dribbles to the right slot.
Nail 2 Chase	Nail and Horns Actions	2	2 pops to the left wing for the catch, then comes back off two ball screens, one from 5 and a second from 4.
Nail Spain	Nail and Horns Actions	2	2 pops to the left wing for the catch, then 5 ball-screens for him and 3 back-screens 5's defender on the roll.
Horns One Flare Chase	Nail and Horns Actions	2	From horns, 5 sets a flare screen for the passer, then chases him with a ball screen and rolls.
Punch	Punch From the 4 Out Set	2	From the 4 out set the ball swings to the right wing, then 1 and 4 set a stagger for 2 to come to the right slot while 3 feeds the post.
Punch (Empty vs Front)	Punch From the 4 Out Set	3	The Punch stagger against a defender fronting 5. The help defender on 2 has to choose, and the diagram marks it as a decision.

How to Read These Diagrams

Every play is drawn frame by frame, one diagram for each frame of the original, and the text under each diagram says where every player starts and where he goes. The basket is at the bottom of each diagram. Sides are named as a player sees them facing the basket, so the left wing is on the right side of the picture. A solid arrow is a cut, a dashed arrow is a pass, a wavy line is a dribble and a line ending in a short bar is a screen. The diagram guide covers the symbols in full. No offensive player starts a frame standing in the lane. Where a source frame had someone there, he is drawn on the nearest lane line or block.

The Backdoor Series

Chicago Keep Backdoor

The Chicago start, but 1 keeps the ball and dribbles at 2, and the screener, 4, cuts backdoor for the pass.

Chicago Keep Backdoor, frame 1: the down screen and the dribble over.

Frame 1. 1 has the ball in the right slot, 4 is in the left slot, 2 low on the left wing, 5 on the right wing and 3 in the right corner. 4 sets a down screen for 2, 2 comes up off it toward the left slot, and 1 dribbles over toward him.

Chicago Keep Backdoor, frame 2: the keep dribble and the backdoor cut by 4.

Frame 2. 1 is at the top of the key, 2 on the left wing, 4 inside the arc on the left side where he set the screen, 5 on the right wing and 3 in the right corner. 1 keeps the ball and dribbles at 2, and 2 swings away to the left slot. 4 steps out toward the left corner, then cuts backdoor to the left side of the rim, and 1 passes to him.

Delay Hold Backdoor

A guard passes to 5 at the top of the key and fills the right wing, then 5 dribbles at him and he cuts backdoor.

Delay Hold Backdoor, frame 1: the pass to 5 up top.

Frame 1. 1 has the ball high on the right side, 5 is at the top of the key, 4 on the left wing, 3 in the left corner and 2 in the right corner. 1 passes to 5 and cuts down to the right wing. 2 runs the baseline from the right corner to the left short corner.

Delay Hold Backdoor, frame 2: the dribble at 1 and the backdoor cut.

Frame 2. 5 has the ball at the top of the key, 1 is on the right wing, 2 in the left short corner, 3 in the left corner and 4 on the left wing. 5 dribbles toward 1, 1 cuts backdoor from the right wing to the right side of the rim, and 5 passes to him.

Horns Hold Backdoor

From horns, the guard dribbles toward the basket and back out, and the big at the left elbow cuts backdoor for the pass.

Horns Hold Backdoor, frame 1: the dribble and the backdoor cut by 4.

Frame 1. Horns. 1 has the ball deep in the right slot, 4 is at the left elbow, 5 just above the right elbow, 2 in the left corner and 3 in the right corner. 1 dribbles toward the basket on the right side, then turns back toward the top of the key. 4 cuts backdoor from the left elbow, curving to the left side of the rim, and 1 passes to him. 2 and 3 lift from the corners toward the wings.

Stack Backdoor

Two players stand in a stack at the top of the key, the guard dribbles past them to the left wing and the corner cuts backdoor.

Stack Backdoor, frame 1: the dribble past the stack and the backdoor cut.

Frame 1. Stack. 1 has the ball deep in the right slot. 3 and 5 stand in a stack in the middle of the floor, 3 just inside the arc and 5 just outside it, and both are drawn as screeners. 2 is in the left corner and 4 in the right corner. 1 dribbles across the floor, past the stack, to the left wing. 2 steps up from the left corner, then cuts backdoor to the left side of the rim, and 1 passes to him.

Panic Backdoor

A ball screen moves the ball to the right side, then a dribble at the wing clears him out and the corner cuts backdoor.

Panic Backdoor, frame 1: the ball screen and the baseline run.

Frame 1. 1 has the ball in the left slot, 4 is at the top of the key, 5 just outside the right block, 3 in the right corner and 2 in the left corner. 4 steps over and sets a ball screen, and 1 dribbles off it to the right slot. 5 comes up the right side of the lane to above the right elbow, 3 lifts from the right corner to the right wing, and 2 runs the baseline from the left corner to the right short corner.

Panic Backdoor, frame 2: the dribble at 3 and the backdoor cut by 2.

Frame 2. 1 has the ball in the right slot, 3 is on the right wing, 5 near the right elbow, 4 at the top of the key and 2 in the right short corner. 1 dribbles at 3, then turns toward the basket, and 3 clears out behind him, back toward the right slot. 5 steps up toward the top of the key. 2 steps out of the right short corner, then cuts backdoor to the right side of the rim, and 1 passes to him. 4 stays at the top of the key.

Chicago Action

Chicago

A down screen frees 2 for a hand-off from 1, and 2 turns the corner and drives the lane.

Chicago, frame 1: the down screen and the hand-off.

Frame 1. 1 has the ball in the right slot, 4 is in the left slot, 2 in the left corner, 5 on the right block and 3 in the right corner. 4 sets a down screen for 2 toward the left wing. 2 comes up off it toward the left slot, and 1 dribbles over to meet him and hands him the ball.

Chicago, frame 2: 2 drives the lane after the hand-off.

Frame 2. After the hand-off, 2 has the ball in the left slot. 1 is inside the arc between the left elbow and the left wing, 4 inside the arc lower on the left side where he set the screen, 5 on the right block and 3 in the right corner. 2 dribbles toward the top of the key and turns down the lane toward the rim. 1 fades out to the left wing and 4 drops to the left corner.

Horns Chicago

The Chicago hand-off run from horns: 5 catches at the elbow, 4 screens down for 3, and 5 hands off to 3 for the drive.

Horns Chicago, frame 1: the elbow catch, the down screen and the hand-off.

Frame 1. Horns. 1 has the ball at the top of the key, 4 is just above the left elbow, 5 just above the right elbow, 3 in the left corner and 2 in the right corner. 1 passes to 5 and cuts to the right wing. 4 sets a down screen for 3, and 3 comes up off it to the left wing. 5 dribbles across, behind 4, and hands the ball to 3, and 3 drives back toward the middle and down the lane to the rim.

The Chin Series

Chin

A hand-off and a down screen swing the ball to 3, then 5 back screens for 2 and follows with a ball screen and roll.

Chin, frame 1: the hand-off on the right and the down screen on the left.

Frame 1. 1 has the ball in the right slot, 2 is on the right wing, 5 just outside the right elbow, 3 on the left wing and 4 in the left slot. 1 dribbles at 2 and hands him the ball, and 2 dribbles back toward the top of the key. On the left side 4 sets a down screen for 3, 3 comes up off it to the left slot, and 2 passes to him.

Chin, frame 2: the back screen, then the ball screen and roll.

Frame 2. 3 has the ball in the left slot, 5 is just outside the right elbow, 2 in the right slot, 4 on the left wing and 1 low on the right wing (he dropped there after the hand-off, a move the diagram does not draw). 5 steps up and sets a back screen for 2, and 2 cuts past him toward the rim, then out to the right corner. 5 then sets a ball screen for 3 at the top of the key. 3 dribbles off it toward the middle of the floor and 5 rolls to the rim.

Chin Slip

The Chin start and back screen, but 2 runs all the way to the left corner and 5 slips the ball screen to the rim.

Chin Slip, frame 1: the hand-off on the right and the down screen on the left.

Frame 1. The same start as Chin. 1 has the ball in the right slot, 2 is on the right wing, 5 just outside the right elbow, 3 on the left wing and 4 in the left slot. 1 dribbles at 2 and hands him the ball, and 2 dribbles back toward the top of the key. On the left side 4 sets a down screen for 3, 3 comes up off it to the left slot, and 2 passes to him.

Chin Slip, frame 2: the back screen and the long cut.

Frame 2. 3 has the ball in the left slot, 5 is just outside the right elbow, 2 in the right slot, 4 on the left wing and 1 low on the right wing (he dropped there after the hand-off, a move the diagram does not draw). 5 steps up and sets a back screen for 2. 2 cuts off it to the rim and keeps going along the baseline to the left corner.

Chin Slip, frame 3: 5 slips the ball screen.

Frame 3. 3 has the ball in the left slot, 5 is above the right elbow, where he set the back screen, 2 in the left corner, 4 on the left wing and 1 on the right wing. 5 comes toward 3 as if to set the ball screen, then slips it and dives to the rim, and 3 passes to him.

Nail and Horns Actions

Nail Rip

From the nail set, 5 screens for 2, and 2 cuts around the screen to the rim as the guard dribbles to the right slot.

Nail Rip, frame 1: the screen for 2 and his cut to the rim.

Frame 1. 1 has the ball at the top of the key, 2 is at the nail, 5 at the left elbow, 4 at the right elbow and 3 on the right block. 1 dribbles toward the right slot. 5 screens for 2, and 2 curls around the outside of 5 and cuts down the left side of the lane to the rim, where 1 passes to him. 3 clears from the right block to the right corner and 4 holds at the right elbow.

Nail 2 Chase

2 pops to the left wing for the catch, then comes back off two ball screens, one from 5 and a second from 4.

Nail 2 Chase, frame 1: 2 pops to the left wing for the catch.

Frame 1. 1 has the ball at the top of the key, 2 is at the nail, 5 at the left elbow, 4 at the right elbow and 3 on the right block. 2 cuts out from the nail and curls around the outside of 5, the side away from the basket, to the left wing, and 1 passes to him. 1 then cuts to the right wing.

Nail 2 Chase, frame 2: two ball screens in a row.

Frame 2. 2 has the ball on the left wing, 5 is at the left elbow, 4 at the right elbow, 3 on the right block and 1 on the right wing. 5 sets a ball screen for 2 and rolls to the rim. 4 comes across and follows with a second ball screen, then pops back out, on the basket side of 5, to the left wing. 2 dribbles off both screens to the nail and can pass to 5 on the roll or to 4 as he pops. 3 clears from the right block to the right corner and 1 stays on the right wing.

Nail Spain

2 pops to the left wing for the catch, then 5 ball-screens for him and 3 back-screens 5's defender on the roll.

Nail Spain, frame 1: 2 pops to the left wing for the catch.

Frame 1. The same start as Nail 2 Chase. 1 has the ball at the top of the key, 2 is at the nail, 5 at the left elbow, 4 at the right elbow and 3 on the right block. 2 cuts out from the nail and curls around the outside of 5, the side away from the basket, to the left wing, and 1 passes to him. 1 then cuts to the right wing.

Nail Spain, frame 2: the ball screen, the roll and the back screen by 3.

Frame 2. 2 has the ball on the left wing, 5 is at the left elbow, 3 on the right block, 4 at the right elbow and 1 on the right wing. 5 sets a ball screen for 2, 2 dribbles off it toward the top of the key, and 5 rolls to the rim. 3 comes up from the right block and sets a back screen behind the roll, then pops out to the left wing. 4 drops back toward the right slot and 1 cuts to the right corner.

Horns One Flare Chase

From horns, 5 sets a flare screen for the passer, then chases him with a ball screen and rolls.

Horns One Flare Chase, frame 1: the flare screen for 1.

Frame 1. Horns. 1 has the ball at the top of the key, 5 is just above the left elbow, 4 just above the right elbow, 2 in the left corner and 3 in the right corner. 1 passes to 4. 5 steps out and sets a flare screen for 1, and 1 fades off it to the left wing, where 4 passes to him. 2 runs the baseline from the left corner to the right corner.

Horns One Flare Chase, frame 2: 5 chases with a ball screen and rolls.

Frame 2. Between frames 3 has lifted from the right corner to the right wing, a move with no arrow. 1 has the ball on the left wing, 5 is at the top of the key where he set the flare, 4 in the right slot, 3 on the right wing and 2 in the right corner. 5 chases 1 and sets a ball screen, 1 dribbles off it toward the middle, 5 rolls to the rim, and 1 passes to him.

Punch From the 4 Out Set

Punch

From the 4 out set the ball swings to the right wing, then 1 and 4 set a stagger for 2 to come to the right slot while 3 feeds the post.

Punch, frame 1: the swing to the wing and the two cuts.

Frame 1. The 4 out set. 1 has the ball in the left slot, 4 is in the right slot, 2 in the left corner, 3 in the right corner and 5 in the right short corner. 1 passes to 4 and 3 lifts from the right corner to the right wing, where 4 passes to him. 1 cuts down to a spot between the left block and the left wing, 4 cuts in toward the left elbow, and 5 steps toward the lane, then comes back out a little higher on the right side.

Punch, frame 2: the stagger for 2 and the post feed.

Frame 2. 3 has the ball on the right wing, 5 is on the right block, 1 between the left block and the left wing, 2 in the left corner and 4 near the nail. 1 and 4 set a staggered screen, and 2 runs off it from the left corner across to the right slot. 3 feeds the post to 5.

Punch (Empty vs Front)

The Punch stagger against a defender fronting 5. The help defender on 2 has to choose, and the diagram marks it as a decision.

Punch (Empty vs Front), frame 1: the swing to the wing and the two cuts.

Frame 1. The same start as Punch. The 4 out set. 1 has the ball in the left slot, 4 is in the right slot, 2 in the left corner, 3 in the right corner and 5 in the right short corner. 1 passes to 4 and 3 lifts from the right corner to the right wing, where 4 passes to him. 1 cuts down to a spot between the left block and the left wing, 4 cuts in toward the left elbow, and 5 steps toward the lane, then comes back out a little higher on the right side.

Punch (Empty vs Front), frame 2: the front on 5 and the help decision.

Frame 2. 3 has the ball on the right wing, 5 is on the right block with his defender in front of him, 1 between the left block and the left wing, 2 in the left corner and 4 near the nail. 1 and 4 set the stagger and 2 runs off it to the right slot. 2's defender is sitting in the lane, and the diagram marks his decision: stay to help behind the front on 5, or chase 2.

Punch (Empty vs Front), frame 3: the lob to 5 when the help leaves.

Frame 3. The same start, with 3 on the right wing, 5 fronted on the right block, 1 between the left block and the left wing, 2 in the left corner and 4 near the nail. 2 runs off the stagger to the right slot, and his defender leaves the lane to chase him. 3 throws the lob over the front to 5 on the right block.

Ideas That Repeat

A backdoor cut finishes Chicago Keep Backdoor, Delay Hold Backdoor, Horns Hold Backdoor, Stack Backdoor and Panic Backdoor.
In Delay Hold Backdoor and Panic Backdoor the ball handler dribbles toward a wing, and the backdoor cut comes off that dribble.
Chicago starts with a down screen and a hand-off. Chicago Keep Backdoor uses the same start, but the ball is kept and the screener cuts backdoor.
A screener rarely stops after one screen. In Chin he back-screens and then ball-screens, in Chin Slip he slips, and in Horns One Flare Chase he flares and then chases with a ball screen.
Pairs of sets share a first frame: Chin and Chin Slip, Nail 2 Chase and Nail Spain, Punch and Punch (Empty vs Front). The defense sees the same start with two different finishes.
Punch (Empty vs Front) is the only set here that draws defenders. It marks the help defender's choice when the post is fronted.

The backdoor reads tie into backdoor triggers and cut or backdoor: reading the denial. The hand-off sets are covered in Chicago action, down screen basketball and dribble hand-off, the Chin sets in the Princeton Chin series and back screen basketball, and the ball screen finishes in pick and roll, Spain pick and roll and flare screen basketball. Punch runs from the 4 out 1 in offense with a staggered screen for the corner. For calling sets from the bench, see how to run quick hitters. Belmont is one of the programs on the college basketball plays page under the Offense hub. Install the base start of a family first, then add its backdoor version.

Questions Coaches Ask About Belmont Basketball Plays

How many Belmont sets are on this page?

Fifteen: Chicago Keep Backdoor, Delay Hold Backdoor, Horns Hold Backdoor, Stack Backdoor, Panic Backdoor, Chicago, Horns Chicago, Chin, Chin Slip, Nail Rip, Nail 2 Chase, Nail Spain, Horns One Flare Chase, Punch and Punch (Empty vs Front). The full playbook has 106.

What do Keep, Hold and Panic mean in the play names?

The playbook does not define them. The diagrams show what happens: in Chicago Keep Backdoor the guard keeps the ball instead of handing it off, and in the two Hold sets the cutter goes backdoor as the ball handler dribbles.

What is Chicago in these sets?

A down screen for a player in the corner, who comes up and takes a hand-off from the guard. In Chicago he then drives the lane, and in Horns Chicago the big at the elbow makes the hand-off.

What is the Chin set here?

A hand-off on one side and a down screen on the other swing the ball to 3 in the left slot. 5 then back-screens for 2 and follows with a ball screen for 3. In Chin Slip he slips that ball screen to the rim.

What is the Nail set?

1 at the top of the key, 2 at the nail, the two bigs at the elbows and 3 on the right block. 2 either cuts to the rim off a screen, as in Nail Rip, or pops to the wing for the catch and comes back off ball screens, as in Nail 2 Chase and Nail Spain.

School profile: Belmont Bruins on College Basketball Recruit.

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