set play
set play — noun
1. In sports like football or hockey, a planned move that starts from a stoppage in
In sports like football or hockey, a planned move that starts from a stoppage in play, such as a free kick near the goal or a corner kick, where the attacking team uses a pre-arranged pattern.
Sofia scored directly from a set play after the referee awarded a free kick just outside the box.
set play from a free kick
The coach designed a new set play for corner kicks after the team missed three chances in the last match.
designed a set play for corner kicks
Japan's hockey team practiced their set plays every morning before the championship tournament.
The defender rose above everyone to head the ball into the net from a well-rehearsed set play.
A quick set play from a throw-in caught the opposing defence completely off guard.
- set piece
More common in British football commentary for the same concept; 'set piece' is slightly broader, covering any dead-ball situation
- dead-ball routine
Emphasises the rehearsed nature of the move; used more in tactical analysis
- open play
Refers to normal flowing action where the ball is live
文法句型
set play + [prepositional phrase] + [verb]
用法筆記
Often used interchangeably with 'set piece' in football (soccer) and rugby contexts. The move is typically rehearsed during training sessions.
常見錯誤
2. In sports like basketball or American football, a practiced sequence of movement
In sports like basketball or American football, a practiced sequence of movements designed to create good scoring chances for the team, such as a pick-and-roll pattern or a pass route combination.
The basketball team ran a set play that freed up the point guard for an easy layup.
ran a set play for an easy scoring chance
Coach Park called a timeout to explain a new set play for the final seconds of the quarter.
called a timeout to explain a set play
Without a set play to follow, the offensive players looked confused and the attack broke down.
The quarterback checked the defence at the line before calling a different set play from the sideline.
Tokyo University's basketball team practiced three different set plays so they could adapt to any defence.
- pattern
Common in basketball for a repeated offensive movement; less specific than 'set play'
- designed play
Emphasises that the play was planned in advance rather than improvised
- scripted play
Often used in American football for the first series of plays planned before the game
- improvisation
Spontaneous play without pre-planning
- broken play
A play that has gone wrong and deviates from the planned pattern
文法句型
set play + [prepositional phrase] + [verb]
用法筆記
In American football, often refers to a specific formation and route combination called in the huddle. In basketball, it usually involves screens, cuts, and passes aimed at creating an open shot.