Basketball Offense - 1-4 Stack Offense - Coaching Youth Basketball

From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook, @ www.coachesclipboard.net

1-4 High Plays

Go
1-4 Cross
1-4 Stack Post-Point Pick & Roll - 41
1-4 High-Post Pick-and-Roll - 45
93
1-4 Double-Cross

1-4 Low Plays

Pinball
Spurs

Simple 1-4 High Stack Offense

The 1-4 high stack offense tends to "flatten" the defense, and with the empty space under the basket, is ideal for back-cuts to the hoop, especially from the wing. In fact, when we are on defense and see this set, we expect underneath cuts. This offense also is effective against teams that over-play (deny) the pass to the wing (which makes them more vulnerable to the back-cut).

You can do some simple things with the 1-4 offense. For example, O1 passes to a high post player, and then the wings O3 and O2 can back-cut to the hoop for the pass from the high post. Or, use one of the several simple plays presented here such as "Go", "Cross", and the pick and rolls plays.

1-4 offense Go

1-4 "Go"

O1 passes to either post player (O5 in this diagram). The other post (O4) back-screens the wing (O2), who then cuts to the hoop for the pass from the post (O5).

1-4 offense Go

1-4 "Cross"

O1 passes to a wing (O2 here), and the near post (O4) screens away for the opposite post (O5), who then cuts to the hoop for the pass from the wing (O2). You could run this to each side, depending on which way the first pass goes.

1-4 offense Cross

1-4 Stack, Post-Point Pick ‘n Roll, "41"

This play uses a simple high post screen for the point guard, and then the seal and roll by the screener (see Setting Screens). The same side wing (O2) slides deep into the corner to clear his/her defender out. This makes the wing O2 available for a "kick-out" pass to the corner for the outside shot (3-point shot).

1-4 offense pick and roll play

1-4 High-Post Pick-and-Roll, "45"

This is a simple high post pick and roll play where the pass goes to the player rolling off the screen. O1 is at the point, O2, O3,O4 and O5 stack across, at the free-throw line extended (diagram A).

O1 calls the play and starts to dribble to the right to clear a passing lane. A jab step to the right or a pass fake to the right might work as well. Or O1 could pass to O2, and O2 to can make the pass inside. O4 sets a pick for O5 and seals the X5 defender (diagram B). O5 cuts around the pick.

O4's defender (X4) will probably switch and go with O5 on the cut. O5 takes the X4 defender with him to the baseline (out of the way and out of the paint). O4 now has inside position on the X5 defender and cuts to the hoop, for the lob pass from O1.

1-4 high post-post screen basketball play

1-4 high post-post screen basketball play

1-4 "93 Low"

Here's another play off the 1-4 set. O1 dribbles left. O4 drops down to the left block area. And O5 slides down next to O4, to set a double screen. O2 moves a little toward the top to receive the pass from O1. O3 cuts baseline around the double screen. O1 passes sharply back to O2.

O2 passes to the cutting O3 for the lay-up. If O3 does not get the pass, O3 moves out to the corner-wing, and O5 down-screens for O4. O4 then curls around O5 for the possible pass and lay-up. After O4 moves over the screen, O5 flashes to the high post for a possible pass and shot.

You could also run this play to the opposite side and call it "92-Low". Now O2 is the low cutter.

1-4 offense play 93-Low

1-4 "Double-Cross"

This play could get you a corner 3-point shot, or a hi-lo feed into the low post. Start with the 1-4 low stack as seen in the diagrams below. O2 and O3 will both run the baseline and cross to the opposite corner-wing. O1 looks to pass to either O2 or O3, for the 3-point shot.

If the pass to the corner is not made, O1 then dribbles off to the right side, as O5 flashes up to the free-throw line. O5 receives the pass, and O4 cuts into the paint for a post-up and the hi-lo pass from O5. If the pass to O5 is denied, O1 might be able to make the pass directly to O4. Of course, if O5 is a stronger post player than O4, you could switch the roles of O4 and O5.

1-4 basketball play - double-cross

1-4 "Pinball"

This play works well if you have an outstanding point guard and the defense is in man-to-man.

Setup: O1 is at the point.
Set the stack down low, with your best three point shooters at the O2 and O3 spots, and your best post players at the O4 and O5 positions.

Running the play:
Your outstanding point guard (O1), will try to drive on his/her defender. O1 may create his/her own shot, or as the defense collapses, dishes off to an open teammate. This could be an open post player, or an open corner 3-point shot. O2 flares to the three-point line after the screen. O3 moves out to the top and is the prevent man on defense.

1-4 low stack offense play

"Spurs"

Here's a play (below) that I saw the San Antonio Spurs run in the NBA playoffs. This play was designed to get the ball into the big guy (Tim Duncan) on the low post. It just a simple low-post screen-away play.

Start with a low stack with the post players inside (see Diagram A). O2 will split out to the three-point arc and receive the pass from O1. Meanwhile, O4 sets a screen for O5. O5 cuts around the screen to the ball-side low post looking for the pass from O2, and the shot.