Don’t worry, this book doesn’t require a graphic calculator. What The Trig Approach does include are details of an offensive system designed around commonly used 3-man actions without positional constraints.
“Simplicity makes learning the offense easy for players, which is essential. Where they should be challenged is how to grow within the offense and take ownership . . . make the offense you design theirs.” (17)
Offensive Design
- Fast: “Stress the Defense”
- Fluid: “Seamless Transitions”
- Instinctive: “Playing to Player Strengths”
- Smart: “Based on Past Offensive Systems & Current Trends In The Game”
This #BookClub will span 3 editions covering: Principles & Break, “Collinear” Offense vs. Man Defense, and “Flo” Zone Concepts plus Special Situations. The author, Andrew Dodd has been a basketball coach for over 30 years between the United States and internationally, currently at the high school level in Qatar. After having only one conversation with Coach Dodd, you can tell that he has been a student of the game studying the evolution of styles of play from all over the world at various levels. Before covering the initial chapters of the book, here’s a little promo that has already been put together to give you a better idea of what you could expect from The Trig Approach:
Principles of The Trig Approach
3>5
Trig (onometry) is the study of triangles, or that’s what Learner.com tells me. The Trig Approach is not a re-invention of the triangle offense, but yes, it is centered around the principle of establishing a triangle to initiate often uninstructed 3-man actions.
Typical 3-Man Actions Included In The Offense:
- Pick & Roll (Loaded)
- Spain (Stacked Ballscreen)
- Philly
- Double Drag
- Scissors
This is what you’ll come to find out as the “Collinear” Man-2-Man Offense, which will be discussed in the next edition. Basically, the offense revolves around continuous 3-man actions initiated through a strong-side low post or pinch post, or what Coach Dodd refers to as “Pinch & Play.”
The 3>5 principle breaks down the complexities of a 5-man offense to simple 3-man actions with the remaining 2 players taught the value of choreographed spacing.
build triangles
“Build with the ball” is the instruction for ballhandlers to get in the shape of a triangle. Triangles are easy to comprehend and conceptualize, therefore can be a visual way to learn/teach the offense. It also minimizes broken plays or stalled offenses because at any point in a possession, the ballhandler can build a triangle with teammates to activate a new scoring opportunity.
stress & stretch
What are the other 2 players doing during the 3-man actions? Stretch the floor.
The 3 players directly involved are looking to put stress on the defense. So the other 2 offensive players have to keep proper spacing to expand the distance of long closesouts or rotations. Again to keep things simple it basically incorporates child’s play of monkey in the middle. The 3-man action stays distant from the stretching teammates to keep the opposing defense in conflict for how much distance between the ball and their matchup.
Starts With A Strike
Everything begins with the break and the idea is, “once we gain possession of the ball to start transition, we strike . . . “
The strike zone is the immediate push onto the transition defense, and contrast to traditional teaching this can be initiated by the dribble from nearly everyone. As talked about in a previous post about the decline of point guards, this is the trending example where Coach Dodd’s Jokers run the breaks.
Jokers are acknowledged by the coaching staff to self-start the break after any rebound or defensive stop. The objective isn’t initially concentrated on the horizontal spacing of the transition defense compared to stretching them vertically – pretty much to a 1-4 low alignment. The inspiration came from an off-the-court strategy: verticals in football.
The strategy is simple and is taught to players in this order of operation:
- Strike (In 2-3 Seconds)
- Win (Your Lane)
- Stretch (1-4 Finish)
At the end of the break, you crack or hook:
- Crack (Attack Shell of Defense)
- Hook (No Advantage – Lift To Build 1st Triangle)
As the book dives deeper there are drills included and particular play designs with added details. In our next edition, we will start to flow into the “Collinear” halfcourt offense vs. a man-2-man defense and all the different 3-man actions incorporated.
Coach's Climb 
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