A Coaches Guide to Secondary Transition

Across the globe, the game of basketball is becoming faster and faster. The three-point shooting revolution ushered in the era of pace and space. Pace refers to offenses playing at breakneck speed to beat defenses before they can set up in the half-court. Space is a side effect of teams being able to play more shooters, forcing the defense to expand to the three-point line, which allows more space to operate.

Yet, an offense built around pace can have its shortcomings. Poor decision-making in transition can lead to sloppy possessions, with the defense easily capitalizing on a bad shot or turnover. Methodical offenses can stall the best transition attacks by consistently making the offense take the ball out of the net. These concerns lead to the importance of secondary transition.

Secondary Transition refers to the period of time that offenses shift their momentum from a primary transition into the half court. This time starts when the balls momentum slows and the offense must commence their attack without a numerical advantage. Though, good transition teams will be able to manufacture matchup or position advantages with the defense scrambling to form their defensive shell.

This guide will explore the best actions to use in your secondary transition offense, including how to decide which actions will best complement your roster, how to counter different defenses, and quick sets to generate easy offense for your team.

Transition Actions

• Primary Ball Handler (Drag, Double Drag)

• Elite Movement Shooters (Away, Pin Downs)

• Flexible Roster (Stagger, Ram Motion)

• Post Oriented (High-Low, Post-Ups)

• Methodical Motion (Colorado State Motion)

Ball Screen Offense

Setting a ball screen is an effective way to transition from offense in the open court to half-court play. This style of ball screen is a drag screen; a common variation includes a second drag screen, sometimes referred to as a 77 action (double drag screen). The drag screen is best suited for a high-level playmaker who can handle the ball in these situations. The screener (or screeners) can be very flexible, and the execution is reliant on how the defense tries to guard the action.

Drag Offense

The most basic form of ball screen offense is a great place to start when teaching secondary transition. The core tenets are relatively simple to start, but they become progressively complex based on coverages and reads. 

1. The screener must make the on-ball defender go over the screen.

2. The ball handler must draw a second defender, typically the screen defender.

3. Understand and react to the coverage and how to overcome it. (drop, hedge, trap, ice, switch)

This offense relies on the ball handler either scoring or drawing to defenders to them and moving the ball to the right spot. Teaching screeners to read the defensive coverage is key to creating advantages consistently. Adding further resilience to the drag offense is mixing who the screener is to attack the weakest link in the defense.

In a typical guard to big drag screen, the screener is aiming at the guard defenders back pocket to make the defender go over the top of the screen. The first option for the guard is to reject the screen and get into the paint. The second option is using the screen looking to score or engage the big defender. If the screen is used, the decisions now rely on the screener understanding the defensive coverage.

For a prototypical big, the read is to roll but varying the speed and position of the roll. To quicken the roll, the screener can use their hands to slightly push off of the defender after contact to help the screener change his momentum into the roll. Against a trap or hard hedge, the big should shorten his roll to give the guard a quick pocket pass or jump pass to the free throw line area. If the screener isn't a skilled passer, the next option is to rescreen after the guard defender navigates the screen with the offensive guard stringing the big defender towards the sideline.

Their read changes against conservative coverages like drop or ice. These involve the guard defender navigating the screen to force the ball inside the three point line (drop) or towards the sideline (ice), the screen defender is below the responsibility of protecting the rim. Versus conservative coverage, the screener has to force the perimeter defender over their screen before quickly rolling to the rim with force. The offensive guard can pullup for a jumper if it is open, but most likely the guard will have to drive to engage the big before making a decision.

With bigger ball handlers who can keep their defender behind them, the screener should seek contact with their defender after the screen to seal them off for the offensive guard to drive to the rim, this is called a Gortat screen.

If the guard is consistently engaging the screen defender, teams will adjust by late switching with the guard taking the roller. My favorite counter to this coverage is for the guard to by time and wait for the screener to seal a mismatch in the post for a deep post catch with an advantage. Another option is the guard retreating with the big switched onto them before getting into boomerang action, guard passes it and immediately gets the ball back to catch and shoot or rip and drive.

For teams that switch screens, the ball screens look different but obey the same concepts as before. The screener has to make sure they get behind the ball handler defender, this allows for an advantage given the defense switches. The main difference is every screen should be slipped, meaning the screener doesn't set the screen but instead pops to the three point line (ghost) or leaves early to get to their roll (slip).

The reason is because switching defenses will always have a brief moment where two defenders are guarding one player. The key for beating the switch is for the offense to take advantage of that moment by being unpredictable in the screening actions (ghost, slip, reject, etc).

The next level of this drag offense involves adding a third man to the action. Often, a shooter can pop behind the roller to the three-point line. This action is Spain action. Against aggressive coverages (hedging, switching), the shooter will slip behind for a pitchback three. If the defense is playing drop or hedging at the level, the shooter will set the back screen on the screen defender to throw a wrench into a teams normal defensive coverage. If the shooter gets the ball but doesn't have a shot, the first look would be throwing it into the screener posting.

Double Drag Offense (77)

Using two drag screens in the secondary transition is more complex, but it can add another layer of resilience to the secondary transition against strong defenses. This action adds a third player, similar to the Spain action, but this time, both screeners are screening for the ball. This action is effective for hunting poor defenders, creating separation for the ball handler, or attacking a zone defense.

The reads are very similar to a normal drag screen with an additional layer of reads involving the first screener. Just like the drag offense, the goal for the screeners is to make the on-ball defender go over the screen. The first option for the ball handler is to reject the screen to get to the rim or draw help.

Actions For Shooters

Without a reliable playmaker to run pick-and-rolls, using pin-downs or away (wide) screens can simplify more complex pick-and-roll plays while generating more team offensive movement. A team like Alabama, under Nate Oats, uses away screens to create separation for its shooters off the ball, making it easier for them to read defenses with the ball.

These types of screens have less flexibility than ball screens, but they are a great way to utilize less skilled big men or non-shooting wings. Where ball screens often rely on forcing the defender to go over the screen, away or pins focus more on the position of the screen. The screens need to point the player using the screen to open space, while the player using the screen has to gain a step on their defender.

The first option is curling into the paint when the defense is trailing. On the curl, the first option is to catch and score with either a wide open jumper or a quick drive. If the screener defender steps to the curl, the screener is rolling for a potential lob. If the lob is covered, the read will be the opposite corner for a three or cut.

If the defender chooses to go under the screen, the natural read is to flip the pin down into a flare screen for a potential shot. If the ball goes to the guard but they cannot shoot, the big can turn and flow right into a ball screen on the wing. If the guard doesn't receive the pass, the big can pop to receive the ball and go right into a dribble handoff.

Defenses may adjust to "top-lock" these single screens. Many guards choose to go under the pin down to avoid the defender denying them going over. This option allows the guard to get a catch but doesn't give the offense an advantage. The better option is rejecting the pin down to sprint to the other side to set a screen for the opposite guard.

After setting the corner screen, this will create space for the guard to come off a pin down or it will create an advantage for a teammate. Overall, if a defense top-locks the pin down, the natural counter is flowing into a single iteration of the flex offense with the flex screen into a pin down.

Another style of screen is called an away or wide screen. This action is perfect for a five out offense to create a quick advantage in transition. It is very similar to a pin down but happens in the slot area instead of the corner. Away screens have the advantage of being easier to flow into a lot of different actions in the middle third of the floor.

Transition Stagger Screens

Using stagger screens in secondary transition is the slowest action, but it proves valuable due to the flexibility it provides. These actions can be adjusted based on player positioning, allowing each player to make informed reads.

The framework of this offense has two screens being set for a shooter to come off to make a play. The player receiving the screen has three options when using the first screen. First, if the defender is slow and the screener's defender doesn't switch, both screens should be used. Second, reject the screen if the defender will beat them through the first screen. Third, curl around the first screen for a cut or turn to set a screen for the first screener (this is called twirl action).

Next, the second screener needs to understand how the defense wants to guard the screens, which will serve as the starting point for their decision-making. If the defense is switching, the first screener should look to sprint into the screen and slip in the moment that their defender switches. Against non-switching defenses, the screener must secure their screening assignment to create separation, then read the actions of the first offensive player after the screen.

I want to emphasize the importance of the first screening in getting their assignment. The screener wants to get close enough to set the screen without giving the defender enough space to avoid the screen. A common mistake is for the offensive player to use the stagger too quickly. Both players work together to create space by running away from their defender (slipping, rejecting) or picking off the defender through a good screen.

The second screener is following the action and looking to widen any space that the first two offensive players created. Where the second screener's job becomes complicated is the role they play in connecting additional actions with the stagger. They can set a ball screen, pop for a perimeter catch, veer to set another screen, and many other actions.

Post Oriented Bigs

Suppose you're under the impression that you can't play fast and play big. In that case, you don't remember the dominant transition offenses from Gonzaga, Arizona, and Roy Williams' North Carolina teams. These teams leveraged their dominant paint presence to create early advantages.

The most critical and challenging aspect of this offense is convincing front-court players of the value of racing their matchup down the floor on every possession. The offense runs from the inside out, with the bigs either creating their offense or creating space for their teammates to attack.

This transition offense utilizes post-ups, screens, or trailing catches to create opportunities for front-court players to get to the rim with minimal help defense. This style is best used in conjunction with another secondary action, such as a drag screen motion, which provides another opportunity for the bigs to attack in space as a roller.

With one big player running to the rim to establish positioning and the other trailing the play, this naturally sets up for high-to-low action with the bigs passing to each other. This again relies on the bigs racing their matchup every time so they can initiate contact to claim the positioning that they want. The trailing big (usually the rebounder or inbound passer) can follow the play and look for a top-of-the-key catch or go right into a pick-and-roll motion.

The motion is very similar to the drag screen offense discussed earlier; however, this offense operates under the assumption that the screener is the best player in the action. This means that the pick-and-roll is more focused on creating good offense for the roller, while the ball handler can capitalize on the screener's gravity. The pick-and-roll also offers a seamless way for the bigs to interchange in the post to maintain a four-around-one spacing.

However, this high-to-low offense, paired with drag screens (pick-and-roll), isn't the only option for running a big-centered transition attack. Under Roy Williams, North Carolina used the perimeter player in the strong side wing as a screener to get the trailing big down to the block. I love this action for teams that have surrounded their bigs with perimeter shooters.

This offense forces opposing bigs to navigate screens, either creating a quality post touch for the diving big or generating a catch for the guard to play in a ball screen situation, dribble drive, or reverse the ball to get the offense flowing into a half-court set or action.

A few key players have guards who are willing to set hard screens to free up their bigs. Smaller guards have more grace in setting screens while also usually having a bigger target to hit. The perimeter players have to balance being physical as a screener while being smart enough to read when it would be better to slip if their defender is helping or if the defense is switching.

Secondary Motion

The game's flow, opponent, and game clock are all important factors for how a team should operate in transition. In instances where the offense needs to be more controlled, this is a great secondary offense for Niko Medved to play fast without being hectic. Medved's motion moves all five players while setting up triggers into almost any action.

I've done a detailed breakdown on my Twitter for those who want more information on how to run Medved's secondary motion. You can find a link below or follow me on Twitter (@sambourne04) to view my feed or send a direct message to view the thread.

Twitter link: https://x.com/sambourne04/status/1910772731118747705