Loop Action
Wing runs through three screens to catch on the opposite side.
Loop action moves a shooter across the entire floor — corner to opposite wing — running through one or two screens along the way. The catch happens with the shooter already in scoring position and the defender a step behind.
The action is common in Princeton and motion-based offenses because the long cut creates multiple decision points for the defense. If the defense top-locks the screen, the shooter back-cuts to the rim. If the defense chases, the shooter pops out for an open three. If the defense switches, a mismatch is created somewhere in the chain.
Coaches install loop as part of a continuity offense — the shooter loops once, the offense resets, and the loop runs again on the opposite side. Done as a single-possession action, loop is high-effort for one catch. Done as part of a continuous offense, the cumulative effort wears down chasing defenders over a game.
Key principles
- Wing starts in the strong-side corner
- Cuts through the lane, around a screen at the elbow, up to the opposite wing
- The defender must navigate the screen and a baseline-to-wing chase
- Catch sets up a pick-and-roll, DHO, or quick shot off the catch