Terms R-S

Rain Maker.  A high, arcing shot. Aka Rainbow or Rainbow Jumper.

Reaching in.  A lazy grab at a penetrating dribble that often ends up with a foul. Often, the reach is in by the defender into the side and through the bar arm of the player with the ball. 
Ready Position. The position assumed by a player who has just received a pass or a rebound. Aka. Triple Threat Position (Thank you Steve Nash).
Rebound.   Where a player retrieves the ball on a missed shot as it comes down. It can be the other teams shot (defensive), one of your team-mates shots (offensive), or your own shot. Also a recorded statistic.

Recovery Angle. The path of a defender’s retreat to a point of coincidence or collision with an offensive player who is attacking with the ball.

Recovery Foot. The rearmost foot of a defender who is on-ball.

Red Zone.  An 8 to 10-foot imaginary diameter centered under the basket. When the ball is in this zone all defenders usually go into high alert.

Rejected Shot. A shot blocked by a defender. See Block, Stuff, Dinner is Served.
Relative Motion. The cadence or tempo at which the game is being played by both teams. A Spark Plug player will find a way to break this rhythm and work within it.

Represent.  When it’s said that “You got to represent ! “ it means that you are an ambassador for your team/school.
Reset. When a set offensive play (as opposed to a continuity offense) fails or breaks down the five offensive players position themselves to the begin the play again. A coach or point guard will yell "reset !" when they see the breakdown.

Reverse Dribble.   A way to change direction, usually backwards, when you’re dribbling. Aka. Retreat Dribble.

Reversing the Ball. When the ball has been passed from point to wing, then back to point. Term is usually reserved for the rotation of the ball around the perimeter.

Reverse Lay-Up. A shot where on a baseline drive the player with the ball goes under the backboard for a backward lay-up or lay-in.
Reverse Pivot. Where a player turns/rotates around their planted foot, away from the direction they are attacking.

Rimming the Ball. When the ball hits the rim on a shot and does not go in.
Rimout. Where a shot will enter the cynlinder, rattle around, and bounce out.

Rim Running. A series of fast breaks by both teams that result in dunks at either end.

Rock.   Slang for ball. A.k.a “Pill” or “Pumpkin”.

Run.   Where a team achieves a quick succession of points they are on a "run."

Runner.  A type of shot where a fast breaking player takes it to the hoop against defenders and finishes with a short jumper.

Sag or Sag Off.   Where a defender will back away from the player they are defending usually because the defender is two passes away from the ball.
Shooter's Bounce. Where an imperfect shot gets a lucky bounce and goes into the basket. See Getting the Roll.
Shot Selection. Where, when, and how a player makes a shot. It is often said of a player who takes good, well considered shots that they have "good shot selection".
Shut Down. Where a player or a team defends so well that they prevent opposing players or teams from scoring. 

School.   When a player is beaten decisively on a drive or shot they are said to have been “schooled”.
Screen. See Pick.
Screen-and-Roll. See Pick-and-Roll.
Scrimmage. An unofficial practice game.

Scissor Cut.  Where an offensive player will move from the low post up the lane (that with the hash markets looks like a zipper) for a pass.

Scoop Shot.  Underhanded shot while driving to the basket.

Sealing.  Where a defender positions their self between the one they are guarding and the basket or estabishes position to keep their defender in a weakened position. Eg, Setting up for a backdoor pass.

Seam (Gap).  A space between two defenders that might allow a penetration dribble. Note well; If you try to squeeze through less than three feet a ref might call an offensive foul against you.
Second Shot. A shot immediately following a missed shot. Aka Second Effort, Put-Back, or Stick-back.
Second Effort. See Second Shot, Stick-back, and Put-back.
See Ball ! Yelled advice to players who don't appear to know where the ball is on the court. See Turn and Face.
Seeing the Floor. The ability by some players to quickly comprehend players positions on the court to help them attack or defend. See Court Vision.

Set.   The arrangement of players- either on offense or defense-at the beginning of a play.

Set Shot.  A shot taken from a stationary position usually without jumping.

Screen.  Where you stand in the way of someone from the other team so that your team-mate, who is dribbling the ball, get by and get a shot at the basket. You can’t move your feet, lean toward the opponent, and must keep your elbows in. Also called a “pick”. To get around a screen you “fight over”, “slide through”, or “switch”. Types of screens include:

                  Away Screen.
                  Back Screen
                  Blind Screen.
                  Brush Screen
                  Down Screen.

                 Jump Screen.
                 Offset Screen (Staggered Screen)

                 Weave Screen.

 Shadowing.  Where a defending will chase their opponent everywhere when in man-to-man defense. See related Puppy Dogging.

Shake and Bake. A hesitation move while dribbling used to "freeze" a defender.
Shirts-and-Skins. A method used to divide teams whereby one team wears shirts while other does not. (Thanks to Ken Huen -San Diego State 1965-68 player and school game scoring record setter)
Shooter! Yelled by defenders to identify an attacking player who is making a lot of shots or just likes to shoot alot or is about to shoot.

Shooting a “J”. Taking a jump shot.

Short Corner.  The area about half the distance between the far corner and the paint.

Shot Pocket.  The area of a player’s body where the ball is poised just prior to shooting.

Shoulder.  An area that is half the distance from the top of the key to the corner along the 3-point line. It’s usually where the wing position sets up on offense.

Show-and-Go. When a player with the ball upfakes the ball abruptly in one direction to freeze the defender and then drives in another.
Shuffle. A type of defensive footwork. Aka. Slide, Step-Slide, and Big-to-Bigger footwork.
Shuffle Offense. A form of continuity offense and a predecessor of the Flex Offense.
Sikma Move. A low post move made famous by Jack Sikma (Sonics) and is characterized by a posting up, a catch, a reverse pivot, and a jumpshot.
Six-Man Rotation. A substitution strategy where coaches will use only the first six players on his bench.

Sixth Man (Girl). The first player off the bench as a substitute.

Skip Pass.  A pass that skips a return pass from wing to point and rather goes from wing to wing.
Sky-Hook. A shot characterized by a step into the paint, after receiving the ball with back to the basket at low post, a rotation around that foot, and an extended arm and hand that arcs the ball over the defenders. Made famous by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Slip Pick.  Where an off-ball offensive player sets a screen on a wing defender and then "slips" or fades off the screen and heads to the hoop looking for a pass from the ball-side wing.
Smart Foul. The purposeful foul used to get get a poor foul shooter to the foul line, set a tone for a game, or to prompt a change in posession.

S.O.B.   Sideline Out-of-Bounds inbound play.
Soft Roll. Where the ball, for reasons of ball rotation, angle, trajectory, will roll into the basket when it appeared that it could have gone either way. See Getting the Roll, or a Shooter's Roll.
Spacial Awareness. Knowing where you are relative to your position on the court, the ball, and other players. Aka. Kinesthetics.

Spark Plug. A player who energizes their team into a tempo they might need to pull them out of cadence that is detrimental to the team.
Speed Dribble. A fast, high dribble used to move the ball up the court quickly usually in transition.

Spin Dribble.  A kind of dribble used to change your direction of attack where you spin and dribble the ball in one fluid motion.

Speed Dribble. A type of dibble where a player sprints as fast as they can down the court while dribbling. This usually requires a high dribble.
Split Line. Imaginary line that divides the forecourt in the long (North-South) direction, used to teach Helside defense (Thank you Coach Haynes-Basketball Australia).

Splitting Defenders. Dribbling hard through a trap. Beware trying to get through defenders who are too close to each other as an offensive foul may be called.
Splitting the Post. An organized attack often where a pass will go to a post player positioned on the free throw line. Then the two wings will curl around the high side of the post player one after the other. The post player has the option of handing off the ball to either or to turn around and shoot.
Spot-up Jumper. A jump shot made from a specific spot on the floor usually because it's often a favorite spot for a particular player or team.

Squaring Up.  Getting one’s shoulders set at right angles to the basket.

Stack Inbound. Where the inbounding team sets up in a single file. A "stack" sometimes is defined as two offensive players in a file (not necessarily on an inbound play) and a "double stack" refers to four players in a file.  
Staggered Screen. A double screen set up for drive to the basket. The attacker has the option of using one or both screens. Sometimes called an Offset Screen.

Stay Home!  Advice given by a team mate or coach where they think chasing the player you are defending will leave the basket vulnerable.

Step-Around Bounce Pass. If you have the ball you up-fake (pretend to pass the ball over the defender) then quickly step out to one side or the other and bounce pass the ball to a team-mate.

Step-off Dribble. A kind of dribble used when you as the dribbler need to take a step or two back from the defense to set up a play or to study the defense. It’s the same as a Reverse Dribble or a Pull-back Dribble.

Step Hop.  A drive to the basket accomplished by a short power dribble and step followed by a long two-footed hop to the basket for a lay-up. Two feet MUST land together after the hop or it’s a travel.

Steps.   Slang for traveling. “She took steps…”
Stop. When used in the expression "Getting a stop" it means that a team was able to defensively prevent their opponents from getting a basket. Normally used when there is a need to break the offensive team's tempo or run of baskets, often at the end of a game or in an intense game situation.

String Music.  Swish. Where a made shot does not touch the rim. See Nothing but Net.
Stride Stop (or 1-2 Stop). As the ball is caught and the receiving player has jumped to the ball in-flight, their feet land in a quick one-two cadence as they square to the basket.

Stripped.  Where the ball is stolen from someone dribbling it.

Strong side.   The side of the court where the ball is at a given time.

Stuff.   A blocked shot. Aka a Rejected Shot.

Stutter Step.  A quick change in a player’s footstep cadence used to freeze a defender.
Subbing In. Bringing in new players to replace tired ones or ones in foul trouble.

Swarm.  When your coach or point guard yells this it means that he wants every one on your team who is near the player from the other team and who has the ball to trap them because they’ve used their dribble. We use this against opponents who are really good. Remember; if we trap them for just five seconds and they can’t dribble, pass, or shoot, then we get the ball.

Sweep and Go. When a player just receiving a pass, swings the ball in a pendulum motion to get the defender to move in a direction and the drives suddenly in the opposite direction. It's converse is a Whip.

Swim Move.  Used when crashing the offensive boards where a crashing offensive player fakes one way to freeze the defender, make contact with the outside hand and pushing the defender in the direction of the initial fake and the swinging the inside arm up and over the defender thereby establishing good rebounding position. Also an expression used for when player with the ball drives to the basket and uses his bar arm and hand to make contact with defenders hip, using it as leverage to get around defender. Considered illegal as it causes displacement of the defender.

Swing Man.  A player that can play guard or post. Aka. Tweener.

Swing It.   This is something you’ll hear your coach or your point guard yell. It means that you should pass the ball usually between the perimeter players (around the three point line).

Swish.   A made shot that does not hit the backboard or the rim. See String Music or Nothing but Net.

Switch.  Yelled where two players who’ve been effectively screened, pick up each others man.
Switch the Wings. Where wing or shoulder positions swap sides.