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Basketball Scouting Report Template
A basketball scouting report is a one-page summary of how your next opponent plays: their pace, offense, defense, key players and special situations, plus the three things you will do about it. Use the template below, fill it in from film or a live game, and give your team the three keys before game day.
Updated 2026-10-12.
The scouting report template (one page)
Copy this table, print this page, or get the editable pack by email.
| Section | What to write | Questions to answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Team snapshot | Opponent, level, record, date, location, pace (fast, medium or slow) | Do they push the ball or walk it up? |
| 2. Offense | Base look (set plays, motion, ball screens), how they start, their go-to action, offensive rebounding, transition | What do they run when they need a bucket? Who starts the offense? |
| 3. Defense | Base defense (man or zone, and which zone), press after made or missed shots, ball screen coverage, closeouts and help | Do they press? Do they switch, drop or hedge on ball screens? |
| 4. Key players (top 3) | Number, position, strong hand, how they score, what they do under pressure | Who do we stop first? Who do we make shoot? |
| 5. Special situations | Baseline and sideline out of bounds plays, last-possession plays, free throw shooting, what they run out of a timeout | What do they run when the game is tight? |
| 6. Our plan | 3 keys, 3 plays to run, 1 thing to avoid | If it is tied with two minutes left, what do we run? |
How to scout an opponent in 5 steps
To scout an AAU or school opponent, get a look at them (film, a live game or another coach), chart their pace and base defense, name their top three players, find what they do late in the clock and after made baskets, then boil it down to three keys and three plays.
- Get a look. Film is best. If there is none, send an assistant to watch their earlier game, or watch the first quarter of your own game before you adjust. In a tournament, watch their pool-play game. A coach who has played them is a good source too.
- Chart the team. Write down their pace, base defense, whether they press, and what they run out of timeouts and out of bounds.
- Pick your top three players. For each one, write the number, position, strong hand, how he scores (shoots, drives or passes) and how he reacts to pressure.
- Find the pattern. What does their offense do when the first option is taken away? What do they run late in the clock? Does their defense change after a made basket?
- Turn it into a plan. Write three keys and three plays. Share the full report with your staff. Give your players the three keys and their own matchup, not the whole report.
What to look for on offense
- Pace. Do they score early in the clock or run a set every time?
- Who starts it. Who brings the ball up, and which hand does he prefer?
- First action. Pass and cut, ball screen, dribble handoff or a post entry?
- Late-clock play. What do they run when the first option is gone?
- Ball screens. Does the screener roll, pop or slip? That tells you which coverage to use.
- Offensive rebounding. How many players crash the glass? Who runs back?
- Against pressure and zone. Do they get the ball to the middle of the floor, or do they stall on the sideline?
What to look for on defense
- Base defense. Man to man, zone (2-3, 3-2, 1-3-1) or a matchup zone.
- Press. After made baskets, after missed ones, all game, or only late?
- Ball screen coverage. Switch, drop or show and recover.
- Gambling. Do they jump passing lanes? If they do, back cuts will be open.
- Closeouts. Do they run shooters off the line, or do they stay home and let the shot go up?
- Transition defense. Do all five go to the glass, or does someone stay back?
What to write about each key player
- Number, position and rough size.
- Strong hand, and which way he goes.
- How he scores: catch and shoot, off the dribble, at the rim or in the post.
- What he does when he is pressured: turns it over, forces a shot, or makes the pass.
- Free throw shooting and foul trouble.
- Where he likes to catch the ball.
A filled-in example
This is an example written for this page. It is not a real team.
| Section | Example: Central Eagles |
|---|---|
| How they play | Up-tempo. Full-court press after makes. 2-3 zone in the half court. |
| Who to stop | #3, the point guard, goes left and attacks closeouts. #21, the center, blocks shots and is slow to the arc. |
| How to attack | Flash a player to the middle to beat the press. Skip the ball against the zone. |
| Plays to run | Stagger screen against the 2-3. A 1-4 flat press break against the press. A late-game play for a three on a short clock. |
| Our three keys | 1. Beat the press with a middle flash. 2. Skip passes against the zone. 3. Make #3 go right. |
Let the AI scout fill it in
GOATED can write the first draft for you.
- Type the school. High school, AAU, prep, college or club.
- Read the report. You get how they play, who to stop and the plays to beat them, with plays pulled from your playbook.
- Review it, then share it. You review the report before you share it with your staff or your players.
The report is a starting point. You know your league better than any tool does, so edit it before it goes out.
Then put the plan on one card. The game plan to game day card puts the keys, the plays and the late-game calls in one place for the bench. You can send plays to every phone and see who opened them.
AI scouting reports and the game day card are part of Coach Premium: $19.99 a month, with a 7-day free trial.
Share it with your team
- Keep it to one page. Players remember three things, not thirty.
- Give each defender the page for the player he guards.
- Review it in a short meeting before warm-ups, not on the bus.
- After the game, write what was right and what was wrong. Your next scouting report gets better.
Basketball Scouting Report Template: questions
What should be in a basketball scouting report?
A basketball scouting report should cover the opponent's pace, offense, defense, top three players and special situations, then end with your plan: three keys, three plays and one thing to avoid. Keep it to one page so players and staff can use it on game day.
How do you scout an AAU opponent when you have little time?
Focus on three things: their pace, their base defense and whether they press, and their top two players. Watch their earlier game if you can, or ask a coach who has played them. If you only have the first quarter, write down what you see and adjust at the first timeout.
How long should a scouting report be?
One page. Staff can carry more detail, but players need the three keys, their own matchup and the plays you will run. Long reports do not get read on the bus, and a report nobody reads cannot help you win.
Should I share the whole scouting report with my players?
Share the three keys, the player each of them guards and the plays you will run. Keep the full report for your staff. If your players can say the three keys back to you without looking, the report did its job.
Does GOATED write the scouting report for me?
Yes. Type the opponent's name and the AI scout builds a report with how they play, who to stop and plays from your playbook. You review it before you share it. AI scouting reports are part of Coach Premium, $19.99 a month with a 7-day free trial.