Half-Court 1-4 High Quick Hitters

Quick Hitters are designed plays to get quick shots through the offense. These plays can be designed to get a certain player a shoot. Or they can be designed with several options throughout the play and each player has a chance to shoot during the play depending on how the defense guards the offense. I personally like to design plays with multiple options because it makes it more difficult on the defense. However there are certain times and plays in which you want a certain player to shoot no matter what. Having a condition of both gives the offense the best chance to score. The following plays are a series of plays out of a 1-4 high set that have similar movements. The similar movements are trying to disguise what the play actually is to make it harder on the defense. I will break down each possible shot in all 3 plays.

Play #1

This series of plays start in the same setup. The players are in a 1-4 high formation. I always have the 2 man on the right and 3 man on the left. The 4 is on the right elbow and the 5 is on the left elbow. It is the same setup every time unless we make an adjustment for a game. Also all 3 of these plays can be ran to both sides of the floor. The movements would stay the same but the opposite players would be doing the movement.

In the first play, the 4 and 5 man steps out to set a ball screen for the 1 man. The 1 man uses 1 of the screens and the other 4 players adjust based on which side the 1 man goes towards. In the diagrams the 1 man uses the 4 man screen. As the 1 man starts towards the 2 man he cuts straight to the basket and clears out that whole side.

Scoring Option 1– The 1 man uses the screen and is able to turn the corner and get to the basket.

After cutting to the basket, the 2 man comes up and across the lane to set a back screen for the 5 man. The 5 man cuts to the basket.

Scoring Option 2– The 5 man cuts open off the up screen and gets a pass from the 1 man.

If the 5 man does not come open then the last two pictures give 2 separate options to finish the play.

Scoring Option 3-The 2 man and 4 man go away from the ball and sets a double staggered screen for the 3 man. The 3 man should have started to walk down towards the baseline during the up screen by the 2 to set up the double stagger screen at a better angle. The 1 man passes to the 3 coming off the double screen.

Scoring Option 4– In the last picture, you can keep the 3 man on the sideline and have the 4 man set an away screen for the 2 man to come right back to the ball. This option gives a screen the screener motion which can be hard for defenses to guard especially if the 2 defender helps on the up screen.

This is a simple play and can utilize multiple players. I used this play one year with a very fast point guard and he was able to get 2 or 3 layups a game coming hard off the initial ball screen. I used it to isolate a post player during another season. And I used this play a bunch another year when I have a very good 3 point shooter to get him coming off either a double screen or a screen the screener. I have personally used this play in 3 different seasons for 3 totally different reasons and had it be very successful each season.

Play #2

This is the 2nd play in the series. The start has changed but very similar to the previous play. Instead of the ball screen, the 2 man cuts across the high post. The 3 man drops to the short corner or the block. The 1 man passes the ball to the 2 man cutting across the high post.

Scoring Option 1-The 2 man catches and rips through straight to the basket. This works best if his defender is chasing him across on the high side.

Scoring Option 2-If the 2 man does not rip through then the 3 man sets a cross up screen for the 4 man. The 2 man looks for either the cut or the post up with the 4 man.

Scoring Option 3-The 1 and 5 set a double screen for the 3 man. This movement creates a double screen off a screen the screener concept. Hopefully the 3 defender steps down the lane to help on the up screen. If the 3 defender steps down at all then the double screen should create enough bodies to leave the 3 man wide open coming off the double screen.

Play #3

The last play in the series is a little different movement then the previous two plays. This was used in a year where I did not have great 3 point shooters. This was my adjustment. The start of the play is just like the first play with the ball screen and the wing cutting to the basket if the 1 man comes to their side.

Scoring Option 1-The 1 man turns the corner off the ball screen and gets a layup at the basket.

Scoring Option 2-The 3 man sets an up screen after cutting to the basket. Again the 1 man is looking for either the 5 man coming open off the up screen or the post up after the cut.

If the up screen does not create any shots for the 5 man, the 3 man pops up after the screen. The 1 man passes to the 3 man.

Scoring Option 3-The 4 man sets a ball screen for the 3. The 3 man comes off the screen and gets to the basket for a shot.

Scoring Option 4-The 3 man attacks off the screen and is able to pass to the 5 man on the block for a layup.

Scoring Option 5-The 3 man hits the 2 man in the corner if the 2 defender steps down to help with the ball screen.

Scoring Option 6-The 3 man passes back to the 4 man using the pick and pop concept.

If running this play then the best playmaker and decision maker should be in the 3 position because that is where the ball is going to end up and you should be happy as a coach to get your best decision maker with the ball in their hands and attacking the defense. This also gives 6 different cases to get a scoring opportunity. And each player has a chance to score the ball all within the same play. If each player could get the shot then that means each defender has to do their job correctly. We are looking for 1 defender to break down or move to the wrong place and this creates the open shot.

Each one of these plays are not too complex but they also give multiple players and multiple chances to score the ball by the offense. I personally like for plays to have some simple movement with a lot of different scoring chances but also let my players go and be basketball players. They can still create and play the game and not just be robots running to and from their different spots. Hopefully this series of plays can help you or your team get some easy baskets.