About playing with crossWhen crossing 2 or more
players will cross each other's running paths and during that receive
the ball. The purpose is to force the defenders to stand close or take
over another attacker. When the defenders are standing close it creates
room on the outside, which creates shooting solutions. In order to make
a cross effective is that the attackers show the defenders, that they
will shot at goal. That means that the player, who starts the cross
must run slantwise against the defense with a shown intention to shoot
- at best getting physical contact with the defense - in order to pull
the defender along to the side. The crossing player must then arrive
close behind the 1st player, receive the ball and break through close
to the moving defender.
One of the most common errors performing a cross is, that the 1st
crossing player clearly show the defense, that she is the first part
of a cross and has no intention to shoot (she looks at her teammate,
turns her body against her teammate, her shooting arm indicates a pass
to the teammate, does not seek contact with the defense)
Another error is that the cross is made parallel to the defense (unless
part of a system) or in too great a distance of the defense.
Main rules:
1. |
The first player must act as one who intents to shot at
goal. |
2. |
The cross must be made close to the defense. If a cross
is performed on the other side of the free-throw line it is
more a change of positions between the attackers than an actual
attack cross and the defense has a lot of time to prepare itself. |
3. |
The cross must be made against the defense. Many times the
crosses are made more sideways than direct, which means that
the defense gets time to readjust. |
4. |
The 2nd crossing player must always be in full speed behind
the 1st crossing player and receive the ball with a sideway
pass or backward pass. |
All positions can participate in a cross and the crossing players
do not have to be neighbors (outer backcourt and center backcourt)
If the crossing is a part of an attack system, where the crosses
are used to move the defense or create attention the above mentioned
can be disregarded.
Using crosses are especially effective against opponents, who are
slow in their sideway movements.