Run Flex…………..

Run flex is another basketball half-court offense I hearcoaches yell out when I am officiaitng basketball games at many levels.

Flex is really just a squared version of the “Old Auburn Shuffle”. There is a weak side and a strong side.

Right now we need some defintions.

Strong side 3 payers on a side of the court divided by the basketline and weaskside is the other side with 2 players on it

Elbow” The place where the foul line meets the free throw lane line extended.

It is a screen the screener offense.

Usually teams will go 1-4 low with 4 players spread out evenly apart across the court in line with the blocks on the foul lane to start the offense..

The point guard will dribble to one elbow and the man on the block on the opposite side of where the point guard dribbles comes up to the elbow. So if the point guard dribbles to the left elbow the player on the opposite block moves up to the right elbow.

Now you have a strongside with the left side having 2 playewrs lineup on the line with the block, one on the block and the other outside the block. Thids strong side also includes the player with the ball at the left elbow.

The weak side is the side with only 2 players the post player who has moved up to the right elbow and the outside player in line with the block on the right side.

The point guard will pass the ball to the weakside to the player at the right elbow who looks for the wide left player coming off a screen set by the post player on the right block. The cutter usually goes below the screen.

The player with the ball looks for the cutter who should stop and post at no further thren the edge of the backboard on the passers side.

Meanwhile the left elbow player goes down and screens the svcreener on the left block. If the baseline cutter is not open then the player with the ball at the right elbow looks for the post man now coming up to the left elbow.

If he is open then he receives the pass from the right elbow passer and looks for his shot. If he is not open then hre looks for the right corner player cutting off the baseline screen by the new post player who was the original baseline cutter,who in turn is screened by the new right elbow player.

This is repeated continually as a continuity offense until a player gets an open shot at the block or an open shot at the elbow.

If the player with the ball at the left elbow is on the strong sidde of the set up with the post player and the outside player who is lined up even with the post player on the baseline, the player with the ball at the left elbow if he cannot pass to the player at the right elbow now can pass strong side to the player on the outside of the post man. Whwen this happens the postplayer on the aside of the ball comes up a sets a rear screen on the player at the left elbow.

The player with the ball looks for the elbow player coming off the rear screen by the post player. If the left elbpow cutter is not open then he can pass the ball to the post player who is now at the left elbow and then he can restart the offense.

The secret to this offense is having the players setting the screens to go find the defensive man guarding the man that they need to screen for their teammate. This cannot just be a change position offense….you have to go headhunting on the screens to find the defender to screen.

The flex offense and motion offense are the two most commonly run offenses in the 80 plus games I have reffed so far this year since September 30 when I started working MAC weekend games and now into travel games and board 111 assignments.