Developing a Transition Offense

A good Transition Offense can be a very tool for a team to possess. As one of the vital Phases in a team’s offensive strategy, it is a need rather than a want. In basketball if a team does not have an effective primary transition then they are doomed to always be playing catch-up to the shot clock. Forever trying  to control their rhythm in an attempt to speed up their half-court offense. Because of this, a primary transition rather than being an option is a must in delivering a flow to a team’s offensive strategy.

There are a number of aspects that need to be considered however for a successful primary transition to be put into place and bring success to the team.

Fundamental Skills

The first aspect that will need to be addressed when thinking about primary transition is actually the individual skill of the players within the team. Many players are not placed within the various situations which they will need to be in order to achieve success. For example, a vital skill within a good primary transition is for players to be able to pass with accuracy over the length of the half court. Many players simply do not perform this skill enough to be able to provide to realistic competence needed to be able to perform the skill under pressure and at speed.

Another commonly needed skill is the ability to catch a pass from over the shoulder. This is a vital skill for lane runners within any primary transition. Players need to first be exposed to this situation in a no defence, but high intensity environment. This means game pace. Nevertheless, as players progress with their development they then need to move onto situations that have “live” defence as soon as possible.

Utilise the Width of the Court

Many teams fail to use the full width of the court when participating in primary transition situations. Working down one sideline in an express like mindset is great, but this hardly provides opportunity for variation or adaption to the variations situations many teams face.

All three lanes need to be filled to help make the primary transition as effective and flexible as possible.

Waves in Offense

A primary transition is not about the first player in the team reaching the basket, which is often the focus of the Fast Break Phase of a team’s offense. Instead, a primary transition is about all the players on the team focused and with a role for every player on the court. In a well-executed and planned offense, all players involved in the offense will have an opportunity when the offense is fulfilled properly in the primary transition to score or create a scoring opportunity.

Focus on Scoring

There is a mindset that needs to be instilled in players to attack the basket. This is a simple statement, but there is a real problem for player not to be aware of when to push a scoring opportunity and when not to. The vital reads which need to be made on the fly will need to be drilled in breakdowns within a training session.

Coaches should look to again start by building players up with pace and then move onto situations that incorporate defence.

Untimely players need to be introduced to the mindset that when there is an open driving lane then the basket that they need to be aggressive and deliberate in their actions within the primary transition in attacking the basket within the half court.

A primary transition is a vital phase of every team to master and in certain situations, it will not be favourable to utilise this option within a games strategy. However, to have the option of using this phase is one that can only be made once implemented within the team’s offensive system. Taking the time to implement an primary transition phase will pay dividends in the long run.

Related articles

• Sideline Push Passing Drill
• Father Judge Passing Drill
• Controlling the Tempo of a Game: Principles of Play
• Two Solutions for What to do When a Team Offense Breaks Down
• Primary Transition: 1st Big Flare