Basketball Plays

This drill puts players in live 3-on-3 situations using only Horns-based actions. It reinforces spacing, timing, and offensive execution while challenging defenders to communicate, switch, and contain within the Horns framework. It also encourages players to apply multiple variations of Horns—not just run a script.

This drill trains both offensive decision-making and defensive pressure within the Horns setup. Offensive players work on making live reads out of an elbow entry, while defenders focus on denying entry passes, applying tight ball pressure, and disrupting timing—exactly the kind of resistance they'll face in a real game.

Horns Elbow Get is a variation of Horns High-Low Action

Horns Stagger is a stagger action out of the Horns alignment. Blast is another term for a backdoor cut. Combining the two creates a Horns Stagger variation.

Horns Flex: perhaps the most well-known and oldest offensive action out of the Horns setup

A high-low pass out of the Horns alignment is effective when you have a big who can pass from the high post and another who can establish strong position inside.

The split action is when the ball is passed from the point guard to one of the bigs at the elbow, and the point guard they immediately screens for the other big at the elbow or for the player in the strongside corner. This creates a quick two-man screening action on the perimeter, commonly referred to as a "split."

Zoom Action is an action where the player receives an off-ball screen and handoff to initiate the offense. Horns Zoom is Zoom Action in Horns alignment.

The ball handler can initiate the offense by passing to one of the bigs at the elbow, then immediately following the pass to receive a simple handoff. As soon as the pass is made, the opposite big cuts hard toward the basket, looking to draw help or slip behind the defense.

In Horns Flare, after the ball handler uses the first screen, the initial screener receives a flare screen from the big on the opposite elbow. This action allows the first screener to cut out to the three-point line, creating a clean look for a catch-and-shoot opportunity. Meanwhile, the second screener—who set the ball screen last—rolls hard to the basket, occupying help defenders and forcing the defense to choose between protecting the rim or chasing the shooter.

In the Horns Twist, the ball handler uses both screens sequentially to throw off the defender and disrupt the coverage. The ball handler attacks one direction off the first screen, forcing the on-ball defender to commit—then quickly changes direction to use the second screen, shifting the action to the opposite side. It’s similar to a twist screen or Varejao action, but executed with two screeners from the start.

Horns screen action can turn a simple 2-man game into a 3-man action. The big who sets the screen has two options: they can dive to the basket, looking to capitalize on any gaps created by the defensive coverage, or they can pop out to the perimeter for a potential catch-and-shoot opportunity. If the screener rolls, the big on the opposite elbow will pop out to the perimeter. If the screener pops, the opposite big will dive toward the basket instead. This preserves spacing and maintains pressure on the interior defense. Either way, this basic action already creates a three-man read: the roller, the popper, and the ball handler. It gives the offense multiple layers of decision-making right out of the gate.

In the Horns setup, the ball handler (typically the point guard) starts at the top of the key. Two bigs—usually the power forward and center—position themselves at each elbow (the high post areas), while the remaining two players space out in the corners. This 1–2–2 shape resembles the horns of a bull, which gives the offense its name.

This play starts with the ball handler drawing their defender into an initial ball screen, then quickly pivoting to receive a second screen from the opposite side. It’s tough to defend because the defense must navigate two screens in rapid succession.

The Horns "Flex" play elevates the standard Horns set by introducing more dynamic and engaging actions. This variation of Horns, gets the wings involved and uses the zoom motion to create scoring chances.

The foundational concept of the horns offense emphasizes floor spacing, creating an ideal setup for a traditional pick-and-roll action with a backdoor cutting option toward the basket. Corner wings play a critical role by maintaining proper spacing to stretch the defense. If the wing defenders collapse to help, the wings must be prepared to capitalize on a kick-out for a high-percentage three-point opportunity.