Horns Elbow Cut Handoff
A play against man-to-man: 2 steps with diagrams and coaching points.
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How it works
From a horns alignment, the point enters to the elbow and clears while the opposite elbow makes a 45 cut to the rim. The elbow then flows into a handoff with the lifting corner, reading the rim cut first before turning the corner.
When to use it
Half-court set against man-to-man out of a horns look. Use it to get an early rim cut and a handoff action at the same time.
Personnel
1 starts with the ball and passes to 5 at the elbow. 5 is the passer and the handoff player. 4 at the other elbow makes the cut to the rim, then loops back for the handoff. 2 and 3 stay in the corners for spacing. 1 clears to the wing.
Step by step
Step 1. Diagram only.
Step 2. Diagram only.
Reads
- First read. 4 cutting to the rim after the entry to 5. 5 passes right away if 4's defender is behind.
- Second read. 4 looping back to take the handoff from 5. 4 then turns the corner and dribbles with 5's screen behind him.
Counter
If 4's cut is denied and the handoff is overplayed, 5 can keep the ball and the team can reverse to 1 on the wing.
Teaching cues
- 1: pass to 5, then clear to the wing.
- 4: cut to the rim hard, then come back to the handoff.
- 5: look at the cut first, then dribble at 4 for the handoff.
- 2 and 3: stay in the corners, do not crowd the action.
Use this play
- Version
- 1 (current), approved October 2, 2026
- Published by
- Ball Coach
- Source
- Published by Ball Coach under its first-party license, credited to Ball Coach. Released as a fixed version; any later edit gets a new version number.
- Use
- Free to view, print and add unchanged to your playbook.
Topics
- Horns
- Man-to-man
- Dribble handoff
- Loop
- Slice cut