Creating a Pick and Roll on the Basketball Court

Based in Woodstock, ON, Isaiah Belleth is an active presence in the local Christian community and is studying toward a certification at Calvary Chapel Bible College. Among Isaiah Belleth’s passions is basketball, and he achieved the Rock Award while attending Woodstock Collegiate Institute for his efforts on the junior boys’ basketball team.

One of the critical offensive plays that successful teams learn to execute is the pick and roll, or ball-screen. This starts with a teammate without the ball stepping in front of the ball handler and setting a screen that momentarily blocks out the primary defender.

At this point, the ball handler reads how defenders are reacting and attacks on the dribble, either looking to penetrate and score in the paint, or execute a quick pass. The screener fades back to the rim after the pick and roll is executed, looking to take a pass or find a rebound off the backboard.

One of the challenges of this maneuver is creating initial separation between the dribbler and the defender. A sweep through, or jab step, can accomplish this if the dribble has not yet started. This type of quick move, or feint, causes the defender to step back to guard against a potentially explosive attack to the basket. When mid-dribble, try a crossover, quick jab, or inside-out dribble that breaks the rhythm and indicates a potential drive to the hoop.