Half-court basketball plays

Half-court sets grouped by formation (horns, 4-out-1-in, 4-high, box and more) with every step drawn, coaching points and a version you can add to your playbook.

See the plays

A half-court set is what you run once the defense is back and set: your players fill the spots of a formation, then a planned order of passes, screens and cuts works toward the shot you want. It's your offense after the fast break is gone, and the plays here are grouped by the formation they start from, because the alignment decides your spacing and who can screen for whom.

Most teams carry a few: a set that scores against man-to-man, one against a zone, one that gets the ball to their best player late in the clock, and one that feeds the post.

How to choose a half-court offense play

Against man-to-man: Actions that make a defender choose: a ball screen with shooters spaced, a stagger for your shooter, or a screen-the-screener for a second cutter.
Against a zone: Overload one side, put a player in the high post or short corner, and screen the back of the zone so a shooter gets a clean look.
To feed the post: A cross screen to free the post, high-low passing from a 4-high or box set, or an entry from the wing after the ball is reversed.
Late in the shot clock or a quarter: A simple set your players trust: a high ball screen with the corners filled, or a clear-out for your best scorer with a pass-out option.
Against a team that switches: Slips and re-screens, and sets that leave your guard with a big defender or your post with a small one.

What every good one has

Spacing first: every player has a spot, and no defender can guard two players at once.
Screens are set at an angle that sends the cutter where the play needs to go, and the screener is often the second option.
Every set has a counter for when the defense takes the first look away.
Someone stays back to protect against the fast break when the shot goes up.

Under high school rules in states without a shot clock, a player closely guarded for five seconds while holding or dribbling the ball in the frontcourt commits a violation. The count starts once the player with the ball crosses half court toward their basket. In states that use a shot clock, this rule doesn't apply. No offensive player may stay in the lane for more than three seconds while your team has the ball in the frontcourt. Check your state association's rules for your level.

About half-court offense

Also called half-court set.

81 plays

4-out-1-in (24)

Chin Cut Back Screen Exit
A 4-out-1-in chin-cut sequence that flows through a perimeter reversal before 2 makes the chin cut off 5's back screen.
Cross Screen Post Entry Screen-the-Screener
From a 4-out-1-in alignment, 1 uses 4's ball screen while 2 cross-screens for 5.
Down Screen Handoff Turn
A 4-out-1-in set that reverses the ball, then uses down-screen action to bring a guard into a handoff with 5 near the elbow.
Dribble Handoff Double Entry
A 4-out-1-in handoff series with two entries: a 4-to-3 dribble handoff or a double-screen setup into a handoff with 5.
Early Down Screen Ball Screen Slip
In early offense, 1 advances on the right while 4 down-screens for 3 to come toward the top.
Entry Back Screen Wing Ball Screen
From a 4-out-1-in alignment, 1 enters to 3 and cuts off 5 at the elbow, looking first for the cutter at the rim.
Flare Screen Skip (vs Zone)
A 4-out-1-in zone set that shifts the defense with a reversal before screening the top defender for a flare to the wing.
Four-Out Weave Handoffs
A four-out weave that moves the ball across the perimeter while guards cut through and exchange spots.
Handoff Ball Screen Duck-In
The ballhandler flows into a dribble handoff with 2, followed immediately by 4's ball screen as 1 clears the side.
Handoff Pindown Back Screen Continuity
A Chin-series continuity that opens with a DHO and pindown, then flows into a down screen for 1 and a back screen for 2.
High Post Flash Handoff
The 5 flashes to the high post for the entry as 2 clears through and 1 replaces.
High Post Screener Cuts
From a 4-out-1-in alignment, enter to the wing and send the opposite guard and wing through consecutive high or low cuts off the high-post…
Pistol Wide Screen Curl
From a 4-out-1-in pistol alignment, 1 dribbles to the wing while 5 widens to screen for 2.
Pop Reversal Post Punch
From a 4-out-1-in alignment, 1 uses 4's high ball screen and hits the pop before clearing through.
Reversal Double Chase Ball Screen
Reverse the ball as the point guard cuts through and exits to the opposite side, then use a dribble transfer to set up a double chase ball…
Short Corner Backdoor (vs Zone)
A 4-out-1-in zone set that places the wings in the gaps between the top and bottom defenders.
Slice Cut Stagger Catch
From a 4-out-1-in alignment, 3 slices through the lane off 4's screen to clear the right side.
Slice Cut Wing Ball Screen
Out of transition, perimeter exchanges and a slice cut shift the defense while clearing the right side.
Slice Reversal Middle Ball Screen
The weak-side wing slices across the lane off 5's screen and clears to the opposite side.
Stagger Slip Empty Side
From a 4-out alignment on the empty side, 2 runs across a stagger from 4 and 5 while 1 dribbles right and delivers to the corner.
UCLA Double
Enter to the wing and send the point guard off a back screen to the block.
Upscreen Lob Ball Screen
The ball advances on the right as 5 sets an upscreen for 2 to cut to the rim for the lob.
Wing Entry Post Dive or Flare
A 4-out-1-in Punch series that establishes a wing entry and works through the post.
Wing ISO
The point guard advances the ball to 2 on the wing while 5 and 1 clear the strong side.

4-high (12)

4-High Cut and Middle Ball Screen
From a 4-high alignment, enter to the wing and send 1 on a cut off the high post into a screened baseline exit, then reverse the action to…
AI Fist Double
From a 4-high alignment, 3 cuts over the top of the 5 and 4 screens to receive from 1.
AI Slip
From a 4-high look, 3 runs a cut over both elbow screens to receive the ball on the right wing.
Cross Screen Wing Ball Screen
From a 4-high alignment, 1 enters to 2 and cuts through as 5 cross-screens for 4 to sprint into a wing ball screen.
Dribble Loop Baseline Flare
From a 4-high alignment, 1 dribbles at the wing as 3 loops over 5 to replace at the top.
Four-High Cut Screen-the-Screener
A 4-high set that opens with a cut off the high-post screener, then flows into screen-the-screener action.
Four-High Entry Ball Screen
From a 4-high alignment, the entry to the wing sends the point guard through the lane and out to the weak-side corner while the posts…
Four-High Reverse Pindown Curl
Start in a four-high line, reverse the ball as the perimeter players exchange through staggered screening action.
Four-High Screen and Dive
From a 4-high alignment, the point guard enters to the wing and cuts through while the opposite elbow clears to the corner.
Four-High Side Ball Screen Motion
4-high continuity that flows through repeated side pick-and-rolls, ball reversals, and coordinated cuts.
Four-High Wing Backdoor Cut
4-high set with an initial wing exchange that sets up 3 for a backdoor cut and a pass from 1.
High Post Back Screen Counter
From a 4-high alignment, the point enters to the high post as the weak-side big back-screens the wing toward the rim.

Horns (12)

Horns Back Screen Reversal Seal
From a horns alignment, 2 sets a back screen for 4's cut to the rim while 1 shifts the ball to the right side.
Horns Ball Screen Overload (vs Zone)
A horns entry that uses a ball screen and baseline exchange to shift and overload the zone.
Horns Big Ball Screen Roll
From horns, 1 hits 4 on the pop and clears to the wing.
Horns Cut and Handoff Return
From horns, 1 enters to 5, cuts off 4 toward the rim, then comes back around 5 to regain the ball.
Horns Double Ball Screen Shake
From a horns alignment, the point guard enters to the wing and clears as both bigs form a double high ball screen.
Horns Double Screen Weak Cut
From a horns alignment, 1 enters to 5 and joins 4 to screen for 2 lifting out of the corner.
Horns Elbow Cut Handoff
From a horns alignment, the point enters to the elbow and clears while the opposite elbow makes a 45 cut to the rim.
Horns Elbow Isolation
From a horns alignment, enter the ball to 4 at the elbow and clear the other four players to the opposite side.
Horns Handoff Stagger Backdoor
From horns, the corners lift as the elbow players clear, and 1 enters to 3.
Horns Pin Down Handoff Ball Screen
Enter to the elbow and clear the point guard as the weak-side guard uses a pin-down into a dribble handoff.
Horns Pindown Handoff
From a horns alignment, 1 enters to 5 at the elbow and clears to the wing.
Horns Slice Reversal Three
From a horns alignment, 1 enters to 4 and slices off 5's back screen before using 2's screen to reach the corner.

Against a zone (7)

Baseline Runner Seal (vs Zone)
A zone set that sends 3 along the baseline while the ball reverses from 1 to 2.
Fly Baseline Run (vs Zone)
Reverse the ball across the perimeter while the wing flies along the baseline behind the zone.
Handoff Dive Overload (vs Zone)
Against a 2-3 zone, 1 initiates a handoff with 2 as 4 dives behind the defense and 3 settles on the weak-side perimeter.
Hook Cut Double Screen (vs Zone)
Zone offense that reverses the ball to 2, then sends 1 on a hook cut around a double screen from 5 and 3.
Reversal Dive and Flash (vs Zone)
A quick hitter against a 1-3-1 zone that shifts the zone with a wing entry and reversal before attacking the top gap.
Reverse and Cut Lob (vs Zone)
Reverse the ball against a 2-3 zone, then screen the weak-side low defender as the wing cuts hard to the rim.
Reverse Pin and Loop (vs Zone)
A zone set against a 2-3 zone that reverses the ball before 5 pins the middle defender and 2 loops through the lane.

Box (7)

Box Back Screen Slot Curl
From a box set, 1 uses the right-elbow ball screen while 3 back screens for 5, sending 5 toward the rim.
Box Cross Screen Post Entry
From a box alignment, 2 exits to the wing for the entry while 3 clears to the corner.
Box Entry Cut and Reverse
From a box set, 1 moves the ball to 5 on the wing and cuts off 4 to the rim as the weak side clears.
Box Post Seal Screen-the-Screener
From a box alignment, the guard dribbles to the wing while the weak side clears.
Box Side Ball Screen Exchange
From a box alignment, 1 attacks off the side ball screen while the other three players cut and exchange to occupy help defenders.
Box Zipper Flare
From a box alignment, 3 zipper cuts up the lane and uses 5's flare screen for the primary three-point look.
Box Zipper Side
From a box set, 3 zipper cuts for the entry while 4 screens 2 out to the corner.

5-out (3)

Five-Out Reversal Pindown Curl
A 5-out reversal sends 4 along the baseline and brings 1 across to the weak wing.
Five-Out Rip Screen Post Punch
From a 5-out alignment, 2 sets the rip screen to send 4 into the post, then receives the reversal from 1 and punches the ball inside.
Handoff Ball Screen Swing Punch
Run a wing handoff directly into a ball screen, then swing the ball across the floor.

Stack (2)

Double Elbow Wing Iso
1 exits the lane off a double elbow screen to receive the pass on the wing, with a single-screen variation using 5.
Stack Rip Screen Dive
From a set with 4 and 5 stacked on the ball side, the point guard hits the wing and clears opposite while 5 sets a rip screen for 4 to…

4-low (1)

Floppy Wing Entry Exit
A 4-low floppy set with 2 and 3 exiting to the left off the interior screening action while 4 releases to receive the entry on the right…

Spread (1)

Pindown Spread
From a spread alignment, 4 pins down for 2 to receive on the wing while 1 clears to the weak side.

Other sets (12)

Angle Fill Overload (vs Zone)
A 2-out-3-in zone action that sends the weak-side baseline players across to overload the opposite side while the high-post player dives…
Baseline Screen Backdoor Cut
A 3-out-2-in backdoor set that sends the wing along the baseline off interior screening while the posts dive toward the rim.
Baseline Triple Screen Curl Back
From a 2-out-3-in alignment, the point guard enters to the wing, cuts through, and 4 flashes high for the reversal.
Corner Pop High Post Flash (vs Zone)
A 3-out-2-in zone set that enters to the wing and feeds the shooter popping to the corner as the opposite post flashes to the ball-side…
Double Baseline Screen High-Low
A 3-out-2-in set that sends the wing through a double baseline screen before replacing the top.
Double Handoff Ball Screen
From a 3-out-2-in alignment, 1 initiates a dribble handoff with 2, who continues into a second handoff with 3.
Double Stagger Follow Ball Screen
4 and 5 set a double stagger to free 2 for a catch at the top.
Down Screen Entry Ball Screen Roll
From a 3-out-2-in alignment, 4 down-screens for 3 while 5 back-screens 1 to the block.
Elbow Flash Flare Screen High-Low
Against denial pressure, both posts flash to the elbows while one wing cuts to the block and the other back-cuts through to the corner.
Slice Reversal Double Stagger
The guard enters to the wing as 2 slices along the baseline to the opposite corner, then the ball is reversed back to 1.
Stagger Loop Curl and Shoot
A 3-out-2-in blocker-mover set that sends perimeter players on looping cuts around staggered screens from 4 and 5.
Weave Flare
A dribble handoff initiates the action as 3 cuts to the block, then uses 4's pin-down to receive on the wing.