Davidson basketball plays in this playbook are less a list of set plays than a motion offense with names for each piece. The early offense flows straight into the half court. Once there, the offense runs on three rules and a small group of actions that every reversal calls. This page draws 16 of those pieces across 32 frames. Every frame of each play shown is redrawn from the original, and the text under it names where all five players go.
Davidson Basketball Plays at a Glance
The playbook opens with the early offense, then Motion Basic, which shows how the break becomes the half-court offense. The Strong series covers the three ways to use the staggered screen. The three rules keep a possession moving when the first look is covered, and the four reversal actions are the options after each swing of the ball. The playbook also holds half-court sets, out-of-bounds plays and specials that are not drawn here.
| Play | Family | Frames | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transition Attack | Early Offense Off the Break | 1 | How the five lanes fill on the break: wide runners to the corners, a rim runner, a trailer and the ball pushed up one side. |
| Early Go | Early Offense Off the Break | 1 | The trailer sets a ball screen at the top of the key and the point guard turns the corner straight to the rim. |
| Early Drag | Early Offense Off the Break | 1 | A drag screen by the trailer at the top of the key, then a pass back to him as he pops toward the right wing. |
| Early Kick | Early Offense Off the Break | 1 | The point guard drives the right side of the lane and kicks the ball out to a shooter in either corner. |
| Trail Man | Early Offense Off the Break | 1 | The point guard attacks the right elbow, backs out a step and hits the trailer arriving at the top of the key. |
| Motion Basic | Motion Basic | 8 | The half-court motion out of the break: 1 rides the wave off the trailer, drives or bounces out, then every reversal brings a staggered screen for the dead corner. |
| Strong Curl | The Strong Series | 3 | The dead-corner cutter curls the whole stagger into the lane, then the screener gets a screen of his own. |
| Strong First Curl | The Strong Series | 2 | The same stagger, but the cutter curls the first screen and skips the second. |
| Strong Reject | The Strong Series | 2 | The cutter rejects the stagger and goes straight to the rim under the first screen. |
| Rule: Outlet | The Three Rules | 1 | While the main action runs on one side, a player on the other side always gets one pass away from the ball. |
| Rule: Middle Cross | The Three Rules | 2 | Any player who cuts across the middle triggers screens for him on the other side, so the movement never stops. |
| Rule: Denied | The Three Rules | 4 | A player denied one pass away never stands still: he cuts backdoor, cuts through and back-screens, or screens down. |
| Action: Strong | The Reversal Actions | 1 | Every reversal brings a staggered screen for the player in the dead corner. |
| Action: Split Cuts | The Reversal Actions | 1 | After the reversal, the passer and the wing split: one cuts to the rim and the other pops back out. |
| Action: Slip | The Reversal Actions | 1 | After the reversal, the passer heads to screen and slips to the rim instead. |
| Action: Flare | The Reversal Actions | 2 | After the reversal and the stagger, the passer gets a flare screen and the ball comes back to him on the wing. |
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.
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Early Offense Off the Break
Transition Attack
How the five lanes fill on the break: wide runners to the corners, a rim runner, a trailer and the ball pushed up one side.
Frame 1. The ball is pushed up the floor with all five running a lane. 1 brings the ball across half court with 5 trailing just behind him. 2 sprints the left side to the left corner and 3 the right side to the right corner. 4 runs up the left side of the floor and curls into the lane to the rim. 5 trails up the middle and drifts left, a few steps above the top of the key. 1 dribbles across to the right side and down toward the right elbow.
Early Go
The trailer sets a ball screen at the top of the key and the point guard turns the corner straight to the rim.
Frame 1. 2 waits in the left corner and 3 in the right corner, and 4 has run to the rim. 1 brings the ball across half court. 5 trails and sets a ball screen a few steps above the top of the key, on his right side. 1 dribbles off it and goes straight down the right side of the lane to the rim. 4 steps off the left lane line to the left short corner to open the drive.
Early Drag
A drag screen by the trailer at the top of the key, then a pass back to him as he pops toward the right wing.
Frame 1. 2 waits in the left corner and 3 in the right corner, and 4 has run to the rim. 1 brings the ball across half court. 5 trails and sets a drag screen a few steps above the top of the key. 1 dribbles to the right side of 5, then turns back, dribbles behind him and along the arc to the left slot. 5 pops out to the right slot and 1 passes back across to him. 4 steps off the left lane line to the left short corner.
Early Kick
The point guard drives the right side of the lane and kicks the ball out to a shooter in either corner.
Frame 1. 2 waits in the left corner and 3 in the right corner. 4 has run the floor and is on the left lane line. 1 brings the ball across half court. 5 trails and sets a screen a few steps above the top of the key. 1 dribbles past him and down the right side of the lane, and 4 steps out to the left short corner. 1 kicks the ball out to 2 in the left corner or 3 in the right corner, whichever defender helps on the drive.
Trail Man
The point guard attacks the right elbow, backs out a step and hits the trailer arriving at the top of the key.
Frame 1. 2 waits in the left corner and 3 in the right corner, and 4 has run to the rim. 1 brings the ball across half court and dribbles down the right side past the right elbow, then backs out a step toward the right elbow. 5 trails up the left side of the floor to the top of the key, and 1 passes back to him. 4 steps off the left lane line to the left short corner.
Motion Basic
Motion Basic
The half-court motion out of the break: 1 rides the wave off the trailer, drives or bounces out, then every reversal brings a staggered screen for the dead corner.
Frame 1. The break lands in the motion alignment. 2 is in the left corner and 3 in the right corner, the two dead corners. 5 is the rim runner, drawn on the right block. 4 is the trailer at the top of the key, and 1, the attacker, has the ball in the right slot.
Frame 2. 4 steps down to the top of the key and 1 rides the wave, dribbling off him. 1 can drive across the top of the key and down the left side of the lane, or attack the right side of the lane and dribble back out toward the right wing. 2 and 3 hold the corners and 5 the right block.
Frame 3. When the defense has not set up, 1 keeps going for a layup. From the right slot he drives past 4 at the top of the key and down either side of the lane to the rim. 2 and 3 hold the corners to keep the help away and 5 holds the right block.
Frame 4. If nothing opens, 1 does not force it. He has driven to the left elbow area, and he dribbles back out to the left wing. 4 holds the top of the key, 2 the left corner, 3 the right corner and 5 the right block.
Frame 5. 1 passes from the left wing to 4 at the top of the key. 3 comes up from the right corner to the right wing and 4 reverses the ball to him. 5 slides from the right block to the right short corner. 2 stays in the left corner.
Frame 6. The ball has been reversed, so the offense looks Strong for 2 in the left corner, the dead corner. 1 drops from the left wing and 4 slides from the top of the key to the left elbow, a staggered pair of screens. 2 comes off both up to the top of the key and 3 passes to him from the right wing. 5 moves from the right short corner to the right corner.
Frame 7. 2 has the ball at the top of the key. 4, at the left elbow, screens down for 1 on the left side of the lane, and 1 cuts up to the left wing for the pass from 2. 4 slips to the rim after the screen and keeps going out to the left corner. 3 is on the right wing and 5 in the right corner.
Frame 8. With the ball on the left wing, 5 in the right corner is now in the dead corner, so the offense looks Strong for him. 3 drops from the right wing to screen low on the right side and 2 leaves the top of the key to screen at the right elbow. 5 comes off both screens to the top of the key and 1 passes to him. 4 holds the left corner.
The Strong Series
Strong Curl
The dead-corner cutter curls the whole stagger into the lane, then the screener gets a screen of his own.
Frame 1. 3 has the ball on the right wing. 1 drops from the left wing and 4 slides from the top of the key toward the left elbow, setting a staggered screen for 2 in the left corner. 2 comes off the first screen and curls tight around 4 into the lane toward the rim. 5 clears from the right short corner to the right corner.
Frame 2. 2 has finished his curl by the right block, 5 is in the right corner and 3 has the ball on the right wing. 1 is low on the left side, outside the lane, and 4 is just above him at the left elbow. 4 screens again, this time for 1, and 1 comes up around him to the top of the key, where 3 passes to him. After the screen, 4 pops out to the left wing.
Frame 3. 1 has the ball in the left slot, just off the top of the key, and the offense goes Strong again, now on the right side. 5 has come up a few steps out of the right corner, and 3 is on the right wing. Both step in and set a staggered screen for 2 by the right block. 2 runs off 5 first and then 3, up to the right slot. 4 spaces on the left wing.
Strong First Curl
The same stagger, but the cutter curls the first screen and skips the second.
Frame 1. 3 has the ball on the right wing. 1 drops from the left wing and 4 slides from the top of the key toward the left elbow to stagger for 2 in the left corner. 2 curls around the first screen, 1's, and cuts into the lane to the rim without going on to 4. 5 clears from the right short corner to the right corner.
Frame 2. 2 has finished his cut by the right block, 5 is in the right corner and 3 has the ball on the right wing. 1 is low on the left side, outside the lane, and 4, who was not used, is just above him at the left elbow. 4 screens for 1, and 1 comes up around him to the top of the key, where 3 passes to him. After the screen, 4 pops out to the left wing.
Strong Reject
The cutter rejects the stagger and goes straight to the rim under the first screen.
Frame 1. 3 has the ball on the right wing. 1 drops from the left wing and 4 slides from the top of the key toward the left elbow to stagger for 2 in the left corner. When his defender cheats over the top, 2 rejects the screens. He takes one step up, then cuts straight to the rim under 1's screen. 5 clears from the right short corner to the right corner.
Frame 2. 2 has finished his cut by the right block, 5 is in the right corner and 3 has the ball on the right wing. 1 is low on the left side, outside the lane, and 4 is just above him at the left elbow. 4 screens for 1, and 1 comes up around him to the top of the key, where 3 passes to him. After the screen, 4 pops out to the left wing.
The Three Rules
Rule: Outlet
While the main action runs on one side, a player on the other side always gets one pass away from the ball.
Frame 1. 1 has the ball at the top of the key. 2 starts by the left block and crosses the middle of the lane. 3 comes up from the right corner and 5 down from the right wing to screen for him, and 2 comes off both out to the right wing. Because the main action is on the right side, 4 lifts from the left corner to the left wing, one pass away from 1, so 1 always has a safe pass if the action is covered.
Rule: Middle Cross
Any player who cuts across the middle triggers screens for him on the other side, so the movement never stops.
Frame 1. 1 has the ball at the top of the key, 4 is in the left corner, 3 in the right corner and 5 on the right wing. 2 cuts from the left wing across the middle of the lane, under the basket, to the right side.
Frame 2. Because 2 crossed the middle, the screens on the other side are automatic. 2 starts this picture by the left block and runs across under the basket. 3 comes up from the right corner and 5 down from the right wing, and 2 comes off both out to the right wing. 4 lifts from the left corner to the left wing as the outlet, and 1 holds the ball at the top of the key.
Rule: Denied
A player denied one pass away never stands still: he cuts backdoor, cuts through and back-screens, or screens down.
Frame 1. 1 has the ball at the top of the key. 2 is on the left wing and his defender, X2, denies the pass one pass away. 4 is in the left corner, 3 in the right corner and 5 on the right wing.
Frame 2. The first answer is the backdoor. 2 takes a step out, then cuts behind X2 straight to the rim. 1 has the ball at the top of the key, 4 is in the left corner, 3 in the right corner and 5 on the right wing.
Frame 3. If the backdoor pass is not there, 2 keeps going. He cuts through to the rim, then comes back up the right side and sets a back screen for 5 on the right wing. 5 cuts off it to the rim and 2 steps out to the right wing after the screen. 1 holds the ball at the top of the key, 4 is in the left corner and 3 in the right corner.
Frame 4. The other answer is a screen down. 2 goes down from the left wing and screens for 4 in the left corner, and 4 comes up and curls around the screen toward the rim. No defender is helping behind that screen, so the curl is the likely read. 1 has the ball at the top of the key, 3 is in the right corner and 5 on the right wing.
The Reversal Actions
Action: Strong
Every reversal brings a staggered screen for the player in the dead corner.
Frame 1. 1 reverses the ball from the right side of the top of the key to 5 on the left wing. The ball is now on the left, so the dead corner is the right corner, where 4 waits. 1 goes down to screen just below the right elbow and 2 screens down from the right wing, a staggered pair set for 4. The picture shows only the screens. 4 uses them with the same three reads as the Strong series: curl both, curl the first or reject. 3 stays in the left corner.
Action: Split Cuts
After the reversal, the passer and the wing split: one cuts to the rim and the other pops back out.
Frame 1. 1 passes from the right side of the top of the key to 5 on the left wing. 1 cuts toward 2 on the right wing, and as they meet near the right elbow the two split. 2 cuts to the rim and 5 can pass to him for a layup, while 1 pops back out to the right slot. 3 stays in the left corner and 4 in the right corner.
Action: Slip
After the reversal, the passer heads to screen and slips to the rim instead.
Frame 1. 1 passes from the right side of the top of the key to 5 on the left wing. 1 heads for the right elbow as if to screen, then slips to the rim and 5 passes to him. 2 screens down from the right wing for 4 in the right corner. 3 stays in the left corner.
Action: Flare
After the reversal and the stagger, the passer gets a flare screen and the ball comes back to him on the wing.
Frame 1. 1 passes from the right side of the top of the key to 5 on the left wing. 1 goes down to screen just below the right elbow and 2 screens down from the right wing for 4, who comes up from the right corner and curls into the lane to the rim. 3 stays in the left corner.
Frame 2. 4 has finished his curl and holds the right block. 5 dribbles from the left wing toward the top of the key. 2, low on the right side inside the arc, screens for 1 at the right elbow, and 1 flares off it out to the right wing. 5 passes to him there for the shot. 3 holds the left corner.
Ideas That Repeat
- The reversal is the call. Each swing of the ball brings a staggered screen for the dead corner, with no play called from the bench.
- The corners are filled on the break and stay filled, so a dead corner is always there to screen for.
- The cutter reads the stagger: curl all the way, curl the first screen or reject it and go to the rim.
- A screener is rarely done after one screen. He slips, pops, splits or gets a screen of his own.
- A player crossing the middle triggers screens on the other side, and a player on the far side lifts to stay one pass away.
- A denied player is never stuck. He cuts backdoor, cuts through to back-screen, or screens down.
The motion principles behind these rules are in motion offense basketball, with practice work in drills to teach motion offense. The break that feeds it is in early offense and fast break and transition offense. The screens are covered in basketball screens, down screen basketball, back screen basketball and flare screen basketball, the split in split action, and the denied reads in cut or backdoor: reading the denial and backdoor triggers. Davidson is one of the programs on the college basketball plays page under the Offense hub. Teach the rules first, then add one reversal action at a time.
Questions Coaches Ask About Davidson Basketball Plays
What is the dead corner in the Davidson motion?
The corner on the side away from the ball. When the ball is reversed, the player standing there is the one the staggered screen is set for.
What does Strong mean in this offense?
A staggered screen, two screeners in a row, for the player in the dead corner. He can curl it all the way into the lane, curl only the first screen, or reject it and cut to the rim.
What are the three rules?
Outlet, Middle Cross and Denied. Outlet keeps a player one pass away from the ball. Middle Cross sets automatic screens on the far side for any player who cuts across the middle. Denied gives a denied player three answers: backdoor, cut through and back-screen, or screen down.
What are the reversal actions?
Strong, Split Cuts, Slip and Flare. Each one starts with the same reversal pass to the left wing and gives a different finish.
How does the break turn into the motion?
The wide runners fill the corners, the rim runner goes to the basket and the trailer comes to the top of the key. The point guard rides the wave off the trailer, takes a layup if it is there, and bounces back out if it is not, which puts the team straight into the motion.
School profile: Davidson Wildcats on College Basketball Recruit.
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- College Basketball Plays: Sets and Systems by Program
- Butler Basketball Plays: Brad Stevens Ball Screen Sets
- Gonzaga Basketball Plays: Flex Quick Hitters
- Kansas Basketball Plays: Bill Self 2-3 Zone Offense
- Michigan State Basketball Plays: Tom Izzo Sets
- Xavier Basketball Plays: Chris Mack Man Offense Sets
- Northern Kentucky Basketball Plays: AI, Delay and Strong Sets
- Pitt Basketball Plays: 1-4 High Sets and Ball Screens
- Belmont Basketball Plays: Backdoor, Chicago, Chin and Nail Sets
- UConn Basketball Plays: 2023 Half-Court Sets Frame by Frame
- Duke Basketball Plays: Motion, Early Offense and Zone Ideas
- Michigan Basketball Plays: Beilein Chin and Shuffle Sets
- Florida Basketball Plays: Billy Donovan Spread Pick and Roll
- Wisconsin Basketball Plays: Bo Ryan Swing Offense Sets
- UCLA Basketball Plays: John Wooden High Post Options
- Memphis Basketball Plays: 2006 Dribble Drive Motion Sets
- West Virginia Basketball Plays: George King's Zone Press
- Villanova Basketball Plays: Jay Wright 4-Out, Perretta Motion
- Seattle U Basketball Plays: The Chin Offense, Read by Read
- UConn Women's Basketball Plays: Auriemma's Strong and Elbow Sets
- BYU Basketball Plays: Mark Pope Pistol, Ricky and STS Sets
- Wichita State Basketball Plays: Shocker, 57 WU, 1-3-1 Special
- Virginia Basketball Plays: Blocker-Mover Sets, Frame by Frame
Back to College Basketball Plays and every Offense page.
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