BLOB Play Taxonomy

What it is

• Play 1 — "Elevator" or "Double High": Creates a Screen at the Free Throw Line The box formation is used.

Why it matters

• This creates a quick dribble-attack rather than relying on a catch-and-shoot.

How it works

• The cutter catches at the free throw line with space for a shot.
• If the shot is not available, the cutter can pass to one of the screeners as they re-open to the basket.
• Play 2 — "Zipper": Cut Through the Lane A stack formation is used with all four players lined up vertically on one side (typically near the strong-side block).
• The inbound is made to the top player of the stack (at the free throw line).
• As the pass is made, the bottom player of the stack cuts across the lane (executing a "zip" cut), running perpendicular to the stack.

Reads and counters

• On Elevator, read the gap: if it stays open the cutter shoots; if a defender slides through, hit the screener slipping to the rim.
• On Zipper, read the bottom cutter's man: if he trails, throw the layup; if he jumps it, the cutter clears and a screener flashes open.
• On Sidekick, read the backdoor cutter's man first: if he turns his head to find the ball, throw it over the top for the rim.
• Read whether the defense denies the catch or sags into the paint, then pick the play that punishes that coverage before the five-second count.
• After the first option dies, the inbounder steps in as a live fifth attacker and reads the trailing rotation for the skip to the weak side.

Teaching cues

• Close the gates
• Slip it
• Zip across his face
• Read his eyes, throw it over the top
• Step in and skip it

Bilingual terms

Learn before and after

These graph neighbors help place BLOB Play Taxonomy in the larger basketball map.

Related concepts