UCLA Basketball Plays: John Wooden High Post Options

UCLA basketball plays from John Wooden's high post offense: nine options drawn frame by frame with where every player goes.

UCLA basketball plays in this collection are nine options from John Wooden's high post and high-low offenses, and this guide draws every frame of every one.

UCLA basketball plays in this collection come from the high post offense John Wooden ran at UCLA, plus the high-low offense he used to get his center the ball near the basket. Both start from a 2-3 high set, a two-guard front with the forwards on the wings and the post at the free-throw line. The UCLA cut and the counters for a denied pass have their own guide, the UCLA offense. This page draws the other options: what the guards do after a pass into the high post, the guard-around outside cut and its three finishes, and the high-low. It holds 9 options across 16 frames. Every frame of the original is redrawn, and the text under it names where all five players go.

The pass into 5 at the high post is the hub. Once he catches, the forwards cut to the blocks and the guards choose a pattern, so the defense sees the same first pass and a different second action.

UCLA Basketball Plays at a Glance

Five options are built on the pass into 5 at the high post, three start with the guard-around outside cut, and one is the high-low offense. The guard patterns off the high post catch, the v-cut, the criss-cross, the scissors, one out and one in, and the curls, exist so the defense cannot sit on one cut.

Play	Family	Frames	What it does
High Post Entry	Options Off the High Post Catch	3	5 flashes to the high post and catches, both forwards back-cut, and the ball goes to a wing who feeds the post and relocates to the corner.
Criss-Cross	Options Off the High Post Catch	1	The same high post catch, but the guards cross to the opposite wings instead of v-cutting to their own.
Scissors and Down Screens	Options Off the High Post Catch	1	The guards scissor around 5 and both screen down, so the two forwards come up for a jump shot.
One Out, One In	Options Off the High Post Catch	1	One guard goes to the wing and the other cuts inside to screen down, so 5 has a shooter on one side and a wing on the other.
Guard Curls	Options Off the High Post Catch	3	Both guards cut inside and curl around the forwards, then 5 screens down and the play finishes with a high-low pass.
Guard-Around, Double Screen	The Guard-Around Outside Cut	2	The passer cuts outside and around the wing, then joins 5 in a double screen for 4 running the baseline.
Guard-Around, Down Screen	The Guard-Around Outside Cut	1	After the guard-around cut, 5 stays at the high post and catches, and the wing screens down for the passer.
Guard-Around, Hand-Off	The Guard-Around Outside Cut	1	After the guard-around cut, the wing passes to 5 and cuts around him for a hand-off and a jump shot.
High-Low Offense	The High-Low Offense	3	The post cuts to the block, a forward flashes to the high post, and the set turns from a 2-3 into a 1-3-1 for a high-low pass.

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.

Options Off the High Post Catch

High Post Entry

5 flashes to the high post and catches, both forwards back-cut, and the ball goes to a wing who feeds the post and relocates to the corner.

High Post Entry, frame 1: the 2-3 high set and the flash.

Frame 1. The 2-3 high set, a two-guard front. 1 has the ball in the left slot, 2 is in the right slot, 4 on the left wing, 3 on the right wing and 5 on the left block. 5 flashes up the lane from the left block to the high post, the middle of the free-throw line.

High Post Entry, frame 2: the guard to guard pass and the back cuts.

Frame 2. 1 has the ball in the left slot, 2 is in the right slot, 4 on the left wing, 3 on the right wing and 5 at the high post. 1 passes to 2, who sits a little deeper than 1 so the pass is not picked off. 2 passes into 5 at the high post. On the catch, 4 and 3 back-cut hard from the wings, 4 to the left block and 3 to the right block, and 5 can hit either one on the cut for a layup. 1 holds the left slot.

High Post Entry, frame 3: the wing feed, the corner and the down screen.

Frame 3. 5 has the ball at the high post, 4 is on the left block and 3 on the right block after their back cuts, 1 in the left slot and 2 in the right slot. The guards v-cut: 1 steps in, then goes out to the left wing, and 2 does the same to the right wing. 5 passes to 2 on the right wing. 2 feeds 3 posting up on the right block, then relocates to the right corner, where 3 can pass back out to him for a three. After his pass, 5 cuts in toward the rim, and 3 can pass to him there. If 5 is covered, 5 screens down for 4, and 4 cuts off the screen from the left block into the lane for a pass from 3 and a shot. Both of 3's inside passes run along one line: the first arrowhead is the pass to 5, the second the pass to 4.

Criss-Cross

The same high post catch, but the guards cross to the opposite wings instead of v-cutting to their own.

Criss-Cross, frame 1: the guards cross to the far wings.

Frame 1. The same start as the High Post Entry, after the back cuts. 5 has the ball at the high post, 4 is on the left block, 3 on the right block, 1 in the left slot and 2 in the right slot. Because a defense learns to expect the v-cut, the guards criss-cross instead. 1 cuts across to the right wing and 2 cuts across to the left wing, both passing above 5, away from the basket. 5 can pass to either guard on the wing. 4 and 3 hold the blocks.

Scissors and Down Screens

The guards scissor around 5 and both screen down, so the two forwards come up for a jump shot.

Scissors and Down Screens, frame 1: the scissor cut into two down screens.

Frame 1. The same start: 5 has the ball at the high post, 4 is on the left block, 3 on the right block, 1 in the left slot and 2 in the right slot. The guards scissor-cut around 5. 1 cuts past the right side of 5 and screens down for 3 on the right block. 2 cuts past the left side of 5 and screens down for 4 on the left block. 4 comes up off 2's screen and out toward the left wing, inside the arc, and 3 comes up off 1's screen and out toward the right wing. 5 can pass to either forward for a jump shot.

One Out, One In

One guard goes to the wing and the other cuts inside to screen down, so 5 has a shooter on one side and a wing on the other.

One Out, One In, frame 1: one guard out, one guard in.

Frame 1. The same start: 5 has the ball at the high post, 4 is on the left block, 3 on the right block, 1 in the left slot and 2 in the right slot. 1 cuts inside down the left side of the lane and screens down for 4, who comes up off it toward the left wing, inside the arc. 2 v-cuts out to the right wing. 5 can pass to 4 coming off the screen or to 2 on the wing. If 2 catches, he feeds 3 posting up on the right block and relocates to the right corner.

Guard Curls

Both guards cut inside and curl around the forwards, then 5 screens down and the play finishes with a high-low pass.

Guard Curls, frame 1: both guards curl to the wings.

Frame 1. The same start: 5 has the ball at the high post, 4 is on the left block, 3 on the right block, 1 in the left slot and 2 in the right slot. Both guards cut inside and curl around the forwards. 1 runs down the left side of the lane, curls behind 4 and comes back out to the left wing. 2 runs down the right side of the lane, curls behind 3 and comes back out to the right wing. 5 can pass to either guard for an outside jump shot.

Guard Curls, frame 2: the post look and 5's down screen.

Frame 2. 5 has passed to 1, who has the ball on the left wing after his curl. 2 is on the right wing, 4 on the left block, 3 on the right block and 5 at the high post. 1 can shoot or pass inside to 4 posting up on the left block. On the pass to 1, 5 goes down the lane and screens for 3, and 3 comes up off the screen to the high post, where 1 can pass to him.

Guard Curls, frame 3: 5 ducks in for the high-low pass.

Frame 3. 3 has the ball at the high post, 1 is on the left wing, 2 on the right wing, 4 on the left block and 5 on the right block after his down screen. 5 ducks in to the middle of the lane and 3 makes the high-low pass to him.

The Guard-Around Outside Cut

Guard-Around, Double Screen

The passer cuts outside and around the wing, then joins 5 in a double screen for 4 running the baseline.

Guard-Around, Double Screen, frame 1: the guard-around outside cut.

Frame 1. The guard-around start from the 2-3 high set. 1 has the ball in the left slot, 2 is in the right slot, 4 on the left wing, 3 on the right wing and 5 at the high post. 1 passes to 2 and slides over to the top of the key. 3 cuts in toward the lane, then back out to the right wing, and 2 passes to him. 2 then cuts outside and around 3, down to the right block. On the far side 4 cuts in from the left wing to the left block, and 5 drops from the high post down the right side of the lane.

Guard-Around, Double Screen, frame 2: the double screen for 4.

Frame 2. Between frames, 1 moves from the top of the key to the right slot and 2 comes up from the right block beside 5, with no arrows drawn. 3 has the ball on the right wing, 1 is in the right slot, 4 on the left block, and 2 and 5 stand one above the other on the right side of the lane. 2 and 5 set a double screen, and 4 cuts along the baseline under the basket, across to the right side just off the block. 3 passes back out to 1, and 1 passes to 4 coming off the double screen for a jump shot.

Guard-Around, Down Screen

After the guard-around cut, 5 stays at the high post and catches, and the wing screens down for the passer.

Guard-Around, Down Screen, frame 1: the wing screens down for 2.

Frame 1. The guard-around start has run: 2 passed to 3 and cut outside and around him to the right block. 3 has the ball on the right wing, 1 is in the right slot, 2 on the right block, 4 on the left block, and this time 5 stays at the high post. 3 passes to 5, then screens down for 2. 2 comes up off the screen to the right wing and 5 passes to him for a jump shot.

Guard-Around, Hand-Off

After the guard-around cut, the wing passes to 5 and cuts around him for a hand-off and a jump shot.

Guard-Around, Hand-Off, frame 1: the wing cuts around 5 for the hand-off.

Frame 1. The guard-around start has run: 2 passed to 3 and cut outside and around him to the right block. 3 has the ball on the right wing, 1 is at the top of the key, 2 on the right block, 4 in the left short corner and 5 at the high post. 3 passes to 5 and cuts around the top of him, on the side away from the basket, and takes a hand-off from 5 as he goes by. 3 then heads down the left side of the lane for a jump shot.

The High-Low Offense

High-Low Offense

The post cuts to the block, a forward flashes to the high post, and the set turns from a 2-3 into a 1-3-1 for a high-low pass.

High-Low Offense, frame 1: the dribble to the wing and the post cuts.

Frame 1. The high-low start from the 2-3 high set. 1 has the ball in the left slot, 2 is in the right slot, 3 on the left wing, 4 on the right wing and 5 at the high post. 1 passes to 2 and follows toward the top of the key. 2 dribbles out to the right wing. 4 cuts in from the right wing toward the right block, then back up to the right elbow. 5 cuts down from the high post to the left block, the opposite block.

High-Low Offense, frame 2: the high-low pass.

Frame 2. Between frames 4 slides from the right elbow to the high post with no arrow drawn. 2 has the ball on the right wing, 1 is at the top of the key, 4 at the high post, 3 on the left wing and 5 on the left block. 2 passes back out to 1 and 1 passes into 4 at the high post. 5 ducks into the lane and 4 makes the high-low pass to him. The set is now a 1-3-1.

High-Low Offense, frame 3: the counter when the low post is fronted.

Frame 3. If X5 fronts 5 in the post, the high-low pass is not there. 4 has the ball at the high post, 1 is at the top of the key, 2 on the right wing, 3 on the left wing and 5 on the left block with X5 in front of him. 4 passes to 3 on the left wing, and 3 passes inside to 5, who holds X5 sealed on the high side.

Ideas That Repeat

5 catches at the high post in seven of the nine options and passes or hands off from there.
A wing who feeds the low post relocates to the corner on the ball side for a pass back out.
A down screen follows the first action in five options, from 5, a guard or a wing.
The guards change their cut after the high post catch, so a defense that learns one pattern meets another.
The guard-around start keeps one shape and offers three finishes: a double screen, a down screen or a hand-off.
The high-low turns a 2-3 set into a 1-3-1 so the post catches near the basket instead of at the free-throw line.

The UCLA cut, the reads off it and the counters for every denied pass are on the UCLA offense. The screening actions are covered in down screen basketball and basketball screens, the hand-off in dribble hand-off, the post feeds in high-low offense and basketball post moves, and the cuts in cutting in basketball. UCLA is one of the programs on the college basketball plays page under the Offense hub. Teach the high post catch first, then add one guard pattern at a time.

Questions Coaches Ask About UCLA Basketball Plays

How many UCLA options are in this collection?

Nine: High Post Entry, Criss-Cross, Scissors and Down Screens, One Out One In, Guard Curls, Guard-Around Double Screen, Guard-Around Down Screen, Guard-Around Hand-Off and the High-Low Offense.

Where is the UCLA cut?

The UCLA cut, the reads off it and the counters when the guard, wing or high post pass is denied are on the UCLA offense guide. This page draws the options that run after the pass into the high post, the guard-around outside cut and the high-low.

What do the forwards do when 5 catches at the high post?

Both back-cut hard from the wings to the blocks for a possible pass and a layup. If nothing comes, they post up, or they come off down screens set by the guards or by 5.

What is the guard-around outside cut?

The guard passes to the wing and cuts outside and around him to the block instead of through the middle. From there the play finishes with a double screen for the far forward, a down screen for the passer or a hand-off from 5.

Why did Wooden use a high-low offense?

With a dominant center he wanted the big man catching near the basket rather than at the high post. The high-low puts a forward at the free-throw line to feed the center ducking in, and goes through the wing when the center is fronted.

School profile: UCLA Bruins on College Basketball Recruit.

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