COURT TERMINOLOGY
Baseline: out of bounds line under the basket
Block: painted box at the bottom of the free throw lane
Elbow: corner of the key at the freethrow line (also " pinch", "short 17")
Wing: free throw line extended on the offensive end
Point: 1 guard front at the top of the key
Guard: above the key offset to the strong or weak side
Low post: on the block
High post: at elbow
Corner: where the baseline and sideline meet
Short corner: about halfway between the block and the corner
Strongside: side of the ball
Weakside: side away from the ball
Midpost: between the low and high post
Red zone: 8'-10' semi circle around the basket
Smile: 10'-14' crescent outside the red zone
Safety: above the point prepared to get back on defense
Outlet: free throw line extended on the defensive end of the floor
OFFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY
Pick & Roll: Screen on the ball then roll to the basket
Pick & Pop: Screen on the ball then pop out on the perimeter
Give & Go: Pass then cut to the basket
Backdoor: Set your man up on the perimeter then cut to the basket
Clear out: eliminate any basket help(erase the help)
Post up: establish offensive position in the low post
Sit on his leg: stay low while posting ,make contact with defenders leg
Pin hand: one arm holding the defender away in the post
Target hand: hand showing the passer where he should throw the ball
Spacing: have proper floor balance and passing angles
Penetration-dribble through the defense
Gap- step into seams in zone
One shot - last shot at the end of quarter on half
Game shots- prepare for shots in offense at game speed
Outlet: pass to free throw line extended off rebound to start fast break
Middle: pass to the middle during the fast break
Lanes: wings stay out wide on the fast break
Cut: make a 45° cut to the basket from the lane
Early: outlets at half court(pop)
Push: dribble quickly up the floor
Kick it: pass to open man ahead of you
Trailer- last man down on the fast break
Patience: slow down and look for a good shot["possession"]
Flash: cut from the weakside to the strong side post
Depth: get behind the defense with step toward baseline before cutting
Freeze: dribble at a defender, make him guard you before you pass
Create the lead: get open at the wing to begin the offense
Square up-face the basket(catch/turn & face, CTF)
Triple threat-ready to pass, dribble or shoot
Rocker move-pre dribble pivots to break down the defense
Shooting Foot-foot on the side of your shooting hand
Skip-overhead pass over the defense
Drop-move or slide to the baseline
Dive-cut to the basket down the lane
Downscreen-screen for man below you, usually at the block
Backscreen -blind side screen on the defender above you
Crosscreen -screen from strong side perimeter to the weakside block
Block to block screen-screen from block to block
Reverse-pass ball around perimeter to the other side of floor [swing]
Fill-cut to the vacant spot
Belly cut-cut from the wing to the basket
Go Cut-cut to the basket
Zipper cut-cut from the basket up the lane to the high post or point
Flare-move or slide from the point or guard spot to the wing
Curl-take screen tight and cut to the basket if the defense trails you
Fade-take screen flatter if the defense goes ballside
Peek a Boo- fake around the screen and go the other way
DEFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY
"Ball": I have the man with the ball
"Help": I need help, rotate defensively
"Basket": last man on the weakside, "I'm protecting the basket"
"Check": my man is flashing to the strongside, need a new "basket"
"Clear": last man is clearing the basket area, need a new "basket"
"Post": man in the strong side low post
"Stick": dribble 'dead', pressure ball. deny lanes, try for 5 count
"Shot": shot is going up-block out!
Push line: point of containment of dribbler(cone, beat to a point)
Contain: stop dribble penetration
Cushion: give the dribbler a step
Fan: encourage the dribbler to the sidelines
Funnel: influence the dribbler to the middle
Dictate: force dribbler in one direction
Closedown: Close in on the man with ball, get down in stance
Deny: don't let your man catch the ball
Double: double team the man with the ball
Dig: drop into to the post and discourage any post move
Red: gamble for the steal and get the ball or a foul
Charge: draw an offensive foul
Sag: play off your man. stay close to the basket
Cheat: anticipate the next pass
Back: sprint back to the basket
Strip: cut in front of the breakaway dribbler to strip the ball
Glass: time your attack of the breakaway layup at the backboard
Safety: fast break defenders
Ball-Man Line: imaginary line between the ball and your man
SAMPLE PLAY CALLS
DEFENSE(2 HAND SIGNALS)
CLOSED/CLOSED-
OPEN/OPEN-
OPEN/CLOSED-
CLOSED/CROSSED-
CLENCHED-
BOX/DIAMOND
OPEN+l-
OPEN+2-
OPEN+3-
MAN OFFENSE(1 hand)
FIST-
2 UP-
2 DOWN-
2 IN-
2 OUT-
PINKY-
WINNER(W)-
4 UP-
4 DOWN-
4 IN-
3 UP-
3 IN-
3 DOWN-
4 UP-
4 DOWN-
4 IN-
3 UP-
3 IN-
3 DOWN-
3 OUT-
5 UP-
5 IN-
5 OUT-
ZONE OFFENSE(1 hand)
HANG LOOSE-
HANG LOOSE DOWN-
HANG LOOSE IN-
HANG LOOSE OUT-
0-
C-
N DOWN-
4 OUT-
OUT OF BOUNDS-UNDER(to the face)
MOUTH-
EYE-
NOSE-
EAR-
CHIN-
HEAD-
SIDELINES
REGULAR-
KNUCKLES-
KNUCKLES&THUMBS
FULL COURT SPECIALS(2 ARMS)
FOLD ARMS-
UP&TOGETHER-
BEHIND HEAD-
ARMS OUT-
TOUCHDOWN-
"WIDE RIGHT/LEFT"-
THROAT-
PRESSBREAK
HIPS-
EARS-
FREE THROWS
SNAP-
POP-
