Princeton offense: high post entry and backdoor cut
Princeton offense step by step
- 1
Two guards up top, two forwards on the wings, and O5 on the left block. O1 passes to O2 while O5 flashes to the high post, and X3 overplays O3 on the wing.
- 2
X3 is denying the pass to the wing, so O2 passes to O5 at the high post.
- 3
When X3 turns to look at the ball, O3 plants and cuts backdoor behind them to the rim.
- 4
O5 hits O3 with a bounce pass for the layup. X3 is a step behind.
- 5
O3 finishes at the rim. When the backdoor pass isn't there, O5 faces up, looks for a hand-off with O2, and the team keeps passing until someone overplays again.
When to use the Princeton offense
The Princeton offense fits a team that passes well, is patient, and doesn't have a size or speed edge. It works best against aggressive man-to-man defense, because every time a defender denies a pass, the offense has a backdoor cut ready. It can also shorten the game, which helps an underdog.
It needs players who can read their own defender and pass on time, so it usually fits 12U and older. Younger teams can learn the core pieces, like the backdoor cut and the high post pass, inside a simpler motion offense.
Princeton offense roles and actions
Guards (O1, O2)
Start the offense up top and keep the ball moving. After a pass, cut or screen away. Guards are the ones who see an overplay first and call the backdoor.
Forwards (O3, O4)
Stay wide on the wings. If your defender denies the pass, take a step toward the ball, then plant and cut backdoor. If you catch it, face up and look inside first.
Post (O5)
Flash to the high post, catch, and face the basket. The post player is the main passer in the Princeton offense. Look for backdoor cutters first, then a hand-off, then your own shot.
Backdoor cut
When a defender gets between you and the ball, step out one or two steps to draw them higher, then plant your outside foot and cut hard behind them to the rim with your hand up.
Chin action
After a guard passes to a wing, the post player at the elbow sets a back screen for a guard at the top, who cuts to the rim. If the cutter is covered, the screener pops out to the top for the next pass.
How to teach the Princeton offense to youth players
Teach the backdoor cut first, 2-on-1 with a passer and a defender who always overplays. Then add the high post passer so the cutter learns the timing: the cut starts as the ball is caught at the high post.
Add the rest in small groups. Run 3-on-3 with a guard, a wing, and a post, and let the defense choose whether to deny or play off. The offense reads it and either backdoors or catches and faces up.
Keep the spacing wide. Wings who drift toward the ball make the backdoor cut short and easy to guard. Tell players to keep a full 15 feet from the next teammate.
See also: 5 out motion offense
Princeton offense drill: high post backdoor
- Put a guard at the right slot, a post player on the left block, and a wing on the right wing. Add one defender on the wing who always denies the pass.
- The guard can't pass to the wing, so the post flashes to the high post for the pass. On the catch, the wing plants and cuts backdoor for a bounce pass and a layup.
- Rotate spots after every rep and run it on both sides of the floor.
- Let the defender choose to deny or sag. If they sag, the guard passes straight to the wing and the offense keeps going.
Coaching point The backdoor cut starts when the high post catches the ball. If the wing cuts before the catch, the post can't make the pass. If the wing waits too long, the defender has already recovered.
Common princeton offense mistakes
- Wings standing close to the ball, which leaves no room behind the defender for a backdoor cut.
- Cutting backdoor when the defender is playing off, which only clogs the lane.
- The post player catching at the high post and turning their back to the basket, so they can't see cutters.
- Throwing a lob or chest pass to the backdoor cutter. A bounce pass is harder to deflect.
- Getting impatient and taking the first shot, which skips the reads that make the offense work.
Princeton offense vs. flex offense
Both are patient, pass-first offenses. The flex runs the same two screens over and over in a set pattern. The Princeton reads the defense and uses backdoor cuts, high post passing, and hand-offs, so players need to make more decisions. Many coaches teach the flex to younger teams and move to Princeton concepts as players get better at reading defenders.
Princeton offense FAQ
What is the Princeton offense in basketball?
A read-based offense made famous by Pete Carril at Princeton University. It spreads four players out with a post player who passes from the high post, and it uses constant backdoor cuts against defenders who overplay.
What is a backdoor cut?
A cut behind your defender toward the basket. When a defender overplays the passing lane, the offensive player steps toward the ball, then plants and cuts to the rim behind them.
Is the Princeton offense good for youth basketball?
Its pieces are. The backdoor cut and the high post pass are great skills for any youth player. Running the full offense takes patience and good passing, so it usually fits teams 12U and older.
What is chin action in the Princeton offense?
After a guard passes to the wing, the post player at the elbow sets a back screen for a guard up top, who cuts to the basket. The screener then pops out to the top for the next pass.