inbounds

Press-entry: three short plus one deep

One player inbounds. Three teammates can receive in the backcourt, and one waits farther upcourt to finish. Aim for a first catch away from likely traps.

How it runs

Three short receivers and one finisher

Brian Williams’ Press Offense keeps the inbounder and three receivers in the backcourt, with a finisher near the attacking basket. Here two denied receivers go long while the third stays available. The added finish or frontcourt continuation is an original CoachAssist teaching choice, not a source-prescribed next play.

1–5 are players on offense. X1–X5 are defenders. Each number stays with the same player in every step; it does not lock that player into a position.

Diagram 1 of 9

Keep three nearby receivers available

1 stays outside the far baseline. 2 and 4 have been denied, so they leave on opposite sides while 3 comes closer.

Diagram key

Offense
Defense
Coach
Neutral
Ball
Cone
Cut
Dribble
Pass
Screen
Hand-off
Shot
Def. slide

Source: Brian Williams — Press Offense (2012)

Use Previous and Next beside the court, or choose a numbered step. Arrows on the court show where players or the ball move. CoachAssist drew this example; it does not show every way to run the scheme.

A selected throw-in example, not every play from this formation. Source mechanics are separated from original CoachAssist teaching tasks. Check the actual throw-in location and competition rules before practice.

In this guide · jump to a topic

Understand the starting jobs

Which version the court shows

Williams keeps three nearby receivers plus the inbounder available and a finisher farther ahead. His pressure offense continues beyond the first catch.

Source-backed summary; versions may differ.

Brian Williams · Press Offense

Before putting defenders on the court

Agree on a primary inbounder and a backup who both practice under pressure. Start with the nearby receivers’ passing distances, then place the finisher. If the ball handler cannot reach any teammate without a difficult throw, fix the spacing instead of demanding greater confidence.

CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.

Brian Williams · Press Offense

Play through the catch

Know the job after the throw-in

Use the diagram to identify the first secure catch, then stop before advancing. Ask the receiver to locate the basket being attacked, the nearest defender, and a safe teammate. Ask the inbounder where to enter after releasing. A completed throw-in is not the same as an available shot.

Walk the selected branch once, with each player naming the next job.
Replay it with the first option covered.
Continue after the catch into the team’s agreed offense; do not invent a forced final pass just to finish the drawing.

CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.

Brian Williams · Press Offense

Read the defender

When the preferred option is unavailable

When: Two nearby receivers are denied and move farther ahead.

Do this: Preserve the remaining short receiver and a way for the inbounder to enter as support.

Then: After the catch, identify useful receivers ahead and behind before deciding whether to advance or reverse.

CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.

Brian Williams · Press Offense

What to emphasize

CoachAssist practice idea: walk through the inbound pass and player movements. Add defenders who block the first pass. Then play live, keeping another receiver available to get the ball in safely.

Correct the cause

A problem to watch for

Problem: The receiver catches with the dribble gone and no visible pass.

Try this correction: Replay the catching angle with one defender. Have teammates show separate reachable windows instead of running automatically to fixed marks.

Check: The first catch creates a next decision rather than an immediate trap.

CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.

Brian Williams · Press Offense

Compare versions without mixing them

What changes—and what does not

Changes: entry, read.

Three-short/one-deep describes this entry’s support structure. The exact deeper player and subsequent middle receiver can change by team. A successful entry does not by itself prove the entire press has been beaten.

When to use it: Name the formation, intended first catch, and next action when comparing another play. New player numbers or a mirrored court alone do not establish a new tactic. Variations mentioned only in text are not additional selectable diagrams.

Written variant · this option does not have its own walkthrough here.

CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.

Brian Williams · Press Offense

How to teach it

Choose the level that matches what your players can do now. These steps work for boys and girls. Start simpler if players need more practice.

Select level to learn

Learn it at your group’s level

Stay available to the player with the ball

Set it up: Adult-led three-player keep-away with one guided defender and short passes.

Show two separate targets.
Pass and face the open space.
Move only enough to become visible again.

Add more when: Receivers notice when a defender blocks the passing lane.

Check it in play

Reachable passes.
No crowding.

CoachAssist suggestion—not the source’s exact practice.

Brian Williams · Press Offense

CoachAssist wrote these teaching steps. They are not an exact copy of any coach’s practice plan.

What can go wrong and how to adjust

This is Williams's stated preference. Adapt to the opponent's press and competition rules.

Coaches and teams that use it

We have not confirmed a specific coach or team using this version. Teams may use the same name for different plays.

Drills for this scheme · steps and diagrams

The level selector changes the teaching steps above. It does not change these drills. Check the number of players, equipment and difficulty before using a drill.

Corner Trap Escape (Pullback Dribble)

Court diagram · view the drill first

Watch & learn (1)

Clips may use a different version. Check each match note; links open in a new tab.

Breaking traps and limiting turnovers
By By Any Means Basketball
Related technique analysis for handling traps and protecting possession. This is not a demonstration of your exact press-break alignment or custom drill.
The player loads only after you choose play.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)If playback is unavailable or embedding is disabled, use the source link.
Source: By Any Means Basketball: How to Break Traps & Limit Turnovers
Link reviewed 2026-09-08

Builds a skill used in this scheme: Develops passing options toward the middle, ahead or back across the court after pressure arrives. It does not teach the starting formation with three nearby receivers and one farther away, or require passing into a trap.

A ball handler reads retreat, pivot and outlet options against controlled sideline pressure.

6–10 players · 6–12 minutes · basketballs

Purpose

A ball handler reads retreat, pivot and outlet options against controlled sideline pressure.

Set it up

Six players: ball handler, two guided trappers and three outlet receivers behind, middle and ahead, one ball. Leave enough space for safe retreat and pivoting. Spare balls and waiting players stay outside the active routes.

Run the drill

Agree on a short timed interval and begin at walkthrough pace. Use one active ball and one group in the playing area; add controlled opposition only when players understand the routes and can stop safely.
As pressure approaches, use a controlled retreat dribble if the dribble and clear retreat space remain available.
If the dribble ends, retain a legal pivot and protect the ball with controlled elbows; do not restart the dribble or swing at defenders.
Read the available middle, reverse or ahead outlet and pass through a clear window rather than forcing the middle.
The receiver faces the next option, then advances only through clear space. Stop and reset when no safe continuation is available.
End the repetition on a controlled finish, dead ball or coach stop. Clear the ball and landing area before restarting; rotate roles and rest within the planned interval, without extending it to reach a target.

Scoring

Optional: within a short coach-chosen timed interval, count sound decisions, controlled catches or completed defensive possessions. Stop at the planned time or sooner; no required makes, winning streak or exercise penalty. Rotate roles and allow rest regardless of the score.

Coach the details

A picked-up dribble is not an automatic failure; a controlled pivot and pass can be the correct choice.
Two passes do not guarantee a broken trap. Trappers use legal spacing, not body pressure or reaching.
Use comfortable passing and shooting distances and an appropriate ball. Progress by demonstrated control, not speed: keep eyes on the play, leave stopping/landing space, and stop if a route or loose ball creates a collision risk.

Ways to adapt the drill

Original CoachAssist display adaptation: these edited steps, workload limits and optional scoring are coaching adaptations, not a claim that the cited author prescribed this exact version.
The teaching-level selector does not automatically adapt these drills for age or ability. A coach must choose suitable roles, equipment, contact, space and progressions; simplify or defer anything the group is not ready to perform.

2-on-2 Wing Entry

Court diagram · view the drill first

Builds a skill used in this scheme: Develops getting open against a defender denying the catch and choosing the inbound pass before adding all receivers. It is not a full backcourt entry and has no runner far down the court.

A pressured passer and denied receiver work to enter the ball, then play a controlled two-on-two continuation.

4–12 players · 8–12 minutes · basketballs

Purpose

A pressured passer and denied receiver work to enter the ball, then play a controlled two-on-two continuation.

Set it up

Four players: top handler, wing receiver and their defenders, one ball. One group uses the basket; waiting groups remain outside the cutting and landing routes. Spare balls and waiting players stay outside the active routes.

Run the drill

Agree on a short timed interval and begin at walkthrough pace. Use one active ball and one group in the playing area; add controlled opposition only when players understand the routes and can stop safely.
The receiver uses an available setup cut while the passer protects the ball and reads the entry window.
Deliver to a visible target away from denial; if the window is closed, reposition or reset rather than forcing the pass.
After an entry, the pair may cut, use a legally set screen or attack clear space within the coach’s declared limits.
End the possession and rotate roles on schedule regardless of the result.
End the repetition on a controlled finish, dead ball or coach stop. Clear the ball and landing area before restarting; rotate roles and rest within the planned interval, without extending it to reach a target.

Scoring

Coach the details

A denied wing does not guarantee a backdoor opening; read help and available space.
The optional entry count must be identified as a drill constraint or the actual applicable game rule.
Use comfortable passing and shooting distances and an appropriate ball. Progress by demonstrated control, not speed: keep eyes on the play, leave stopping/landing space, and stop if a route or loose ball creates a collision risk.

Ways to adapt the drill

Original CoachAssist display adaptation: these edited steps, workload limits and optional scoring are coaching adaptations, not a claim that the cited author prescribed this exact version.
The teaching-level selector does not automatically adapt these drills for age or ability. A coach must choose suitable roles, equipment, contact, space and progressions; simplify or defer anything the group is not ready to perform.

Sources and what we could confirm

The sources support the system guide. CoachAssist created the practice steps and checks; they are suggestions, not tested programs or a coach’s full playbook. The linked drills practice parts of the system.

Coaches run this in different ways. The sources below describe the versions covered here. These sources do not cover every possible version.

Press Offense
Brian Williams · Coaching Toolbox · 2012-02-08
Author's preferred press-entry structure, not a universal press break.