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Sideline Back Screen Lob

A sideline out of bounds play against man-to-man or switching defense: 2 steps with diagrams and coaching points.

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Half-court diagram of Sideline Back Screen Lob, step 1 of 2: 5 offensive players; player 1 has the ball; lines: 2 cuts, 1 screen, 2 passes.
Decoys first. 3 cuts to the near corner, running off the screen from 5. 4 curls around 5 toward the ball. 1 can pass to either one.Credit: Ball Coach

How it works

A sideline out-of-bounds play for a last-second catch and finish. Three players stack on the left lane line. Two decoys, a cut to the near corner and a curl toward the ball, pull the defense away from the rim. Then the low player back screens for the screener, who cuts to the rim for a lob off the glass.

When to use it

A sideline out of bounds under your own basket with a second or two left, tied or down one, when you need a catch-and-finish and have a player who can catch a high lob.

Personnel

1 inbounds and must throw a high, accurate lob. 5 is a high-flying finisher who can catch above the rim. 2 is a strong screener who holds the back screen. 3 is a shooter who can catch in the corner. 4 is a ball handler who can catch off the curl.

Step by step

  1. F112453

    Step 1. Decoys first. 3 cuts to the near corner, running off the screen from 5. 4 curls around 5 toward the ball. 1 can pass to either one.

  2. F212534

    Step 2. The read is the back screen. 2 back screens 5's defender and 5 cuts to the rim. If 5's defender trails or switches late, 1 throws the lob high off the glass.

Reads

  1. First read. 3 in the near corner. The cut is a decoy, but if the corner defender helps, a quick pass there is a good shot.
  2. Second read. 4 curling toward the ball. If the defense turns to follow the curl, the ball can go there for a quick shot.
  3. Main read. 5 cutting to the rim off 2's back screen. If 5's defender trails or switches late, throw the lob high off the glass.

Counter

If the defender on 5 fights over the back screen, 2 slips to the rim behind the screen as a second lob target.

Teaching cues

  • Sell the decoys at full speed so the help leaves the rim.
  • 2: hold the back screen until 5 has cut.
  • 5: wait for the screen, then cut straight to the ball and catch above the rim.
  • 1: lob high off the glass, not at the rim; count to five.

Use this play

Version
1 (current), approved October 1, 2026
Published by
Ball Coach
Source
Published by Ball Coach under its first-party license, credited to Ball Coach. Released as a fixed version; any later edit gets a new version number.
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Free to view, print and add unchanged to your playbook.

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