down in straight lines, and
have them cut in toward the
basket when they have reach-
ed the area near the foul line.
In Diagram 1 the general
“fire-engine” principle of the
Fast Break is shown. No. 5,
recovering the ball from the
opponents’ backboard, whips
a pass out to 3 starting down
the side, as 1, 2 and 4 go at
break-neck speed down the
floor. If necessary 3 dribbles
(wavy line) until one of these
three (1, 2 or 4) has crossed
the center-division line before
passing the ball. The diagram
shows 3, after this brief drib-
ble, passing to 2 who has the
option of passing to 3 or 4.
Broken lines indicate the ball
in flight; solid lines the paths
of the players.

The Slow Break, sometimes
called the set attack, is a more
deliberate, unhurried plan of
advancing the ball into posi-
tion for a shot. Teams de-
pending wholly on the Slow
Break are content to allow
the defense to get set. By the

movement and circulation of
passers and receivers in and
about the defense, the attack
strives to work the ball into

DIAGRAM 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

position for a quick, but not
rushed, shot.

The system we use at Penn
is a combination of Fast Break
and the Slow Break. We fast-
break when we see a possi-