Horns Base

Horns Base

Horns Base is a simple, pressure-producing Horns concept that’s designed to guarantee a downhill touch for 1 by layering two screens on the same side of the floor. Instead of asking the ball handler to beat the first defender clean, the action forces the defense to negotiate a quick “screen-into-screen” sequence. That creates a natural advantage window: either the on-ball defender trails, a second defender steps up early, or the defense is forced into a late switch. In all three cases, the offense is playing off the defensive decision rather than improvising.

The real value of the action is how clean the roles are. 4 and 5 don’t both roll to the same spot—one becomes the perimeter release, the other becomes the interior release. Meanwhile 2 and 3 stay spaced and patient so the defense pays a real price for helping. When taught well, Horns Base feels less like a “set play” and more like a structured way to start an advantage and flow immediately into a finish, a pocket pass, or a kick-out.

Objective

The goal is to create a paint touch for 1 with immediate outlets that punish the defense’s first help decision.

Key outcomes you’re hunting:

• 1 gets downhill off the two-screen stack and threatens the rim.
• 5 becomes the primary “inside” release (short roll or roll window).
• 4 becomes the primary “outside” release (pop window).
• 2 and 3 punish help with ready catch-and-shoot spacing.

Alignment

Start in a Horns look with 4 and 5 stacked on the strong side so they can act as a stagger. 1 begins on the strong-side wing with the ball. 2 and 3 are your weak-side spacers—one low (corner) and one higher (wing/slot) so help has to travel and shows clearly.

Spacing priorities:

• Keep the weak side wide (don’t drift toward the ball).
• Keep the two screeners close enough to create a true stagger, but not so tight that the second screen arrives early or causes a moving-screen angle.
• Make sure 4 has room to pop with depth (outside the arc, not inside it).

Sequence

The action starts with 1 initiating toward the stacked side and using 4 as the first ball screen. 1 should enter the screen under control, then accelerate off the contact—this is where separation is created. If 1 is casual into the first screen, the defense recovers and the second screen becomes a band-aid instead of a weapon.

As soon as 1 clears 4, 5 becomes the second screener—presenting a second barrier that stops the defender from reattaching. The timing is tight: 5 should be set as 1 comes off 4, not still walking into position. The goal is to make the defender chase over two consecutive picks and force either a trail, a switch, or a second defender stepping up.

After the stagger does its job, 4 and 5 immediately “split” into their release jobs. 4 pops out to space as the outside outlet—showing hands and getting depth so the closeout is long. 5 releases as the inside outlet—typically a short roll into the middle window (dotted-line / lane pocket) where the ball handler can hit them on time before the defense fully loads.

From here, the possession is read-based, not scripted. 1 stays aggressive and makes the first pass that the defense gives up. If the defense stays attached and the lane stays open, the expectation is to finish. If help steps up to stop the drive, the outlet should be immediate—no extra dribbles that allow the defense to recover.

Primary Reads

This play works best when you teach the reads in a consistent order and keep them tied to what the defense actually shows.

Common read order:

• Finish: If the defense trails and no one is set early in the lane, 1 turns the corner and finishes.
• Pocket/short-roll to 5: If a defender steps up to stop the ball, 5 is the first outlet in the middle window.
• Pop to 4: If the defense tags the roll or collapses from the pop side, 4 becomes the clean kick-out.
• Weak-side spray/skip: If the weak side loads hard (especially the corner defender), 2/3 are the punish passes—catch ready, shot ready.

A good coaching cue is: “Rim first, middle second, pop third, spray last.” It keeps players from hunting the fancy pass before forcing help.

Teaching Points

Horns Base is mostly timing and angles. If those are right, the reads become obvious.

Emphasis points:

• Screen quality: Wide base, still body, and an angle that forces the defender to fight over/around instead of slipping under cleanly.
• Ball-handler pace: Slow-to-fast. Controlled into the first screen, explosive out of it.
• 4’s pop depth: Pop behind the line and into vision; don’t pop to a spot that’s too shallow to be a real shot threat.
• 5’s short roll timing: Arrive on time, show hands early, and be ready to finish or make a touch pass if the defense collapses.
• Weak-side discipline: 2 and 3 stay spaced and “shot-ready,” not creeping into the paint where they bring extra defenders with them.

Common Breakdowns and Fixes

If the action feels “clogged,” it’s usually because the spacing and timing collapsed, not because the concept is bad.

Typical issues:

• Second screen is late: 5 is still moving as 1 comes off 4. Fix it by teaching 5 to set earlier and tighter to the stagger timing.
• No separation off the first screen: 1 drifts into the screen. Fix it with a pace rule: walk in, sprint out.
• Pop is invisible: 4 pops without depth or pops into traffic. Fix it by naming the pop spot (outside arc, in the ball handler’s vision).
• Weak side shrinks: 2/3 drift in and invite extra help. Fix it by holding them accountable for “paint-touch spacing.”

Success Criteria

A rep is successful when the offense creates a true advantage and converts it into a high-quality shot without overhandling.

Look for:

• 1 creates a downhill lane touch or forces an early help stop.
• The first outlet is on time (pocket to 5, pop to 4, or spray to 2/3) based on the defense’s first commitment.
• Spacing stays intact—weak side remains wide and ready, and the two releases don’t collapse into the same space.
• Decision speed is fast: advantage created → advantage cashed in (finish or pass) without hesitation.