Four-High Set - Man-to-Man Offense

Four-High Set

Offense against a man-to-man defense

The reason I'm calling this a four-high set is because after the initial break, the offense is set up into a four-high set.  The main purpose of this play is to get a good angle for a post entry pass in a position for your post player to have a one-on-one post move with his defender.  So here's how this works:

1. First, set up your offense with your point guard in the middle of the floor and two double-stacks at the blocks, just like the set-up for Shocker if you took a look at that play.  
2. The big men will flash to the elbow, and the guards will trail right behind them.  As soon as the guards reach the elbow, pop straight out free-throw line extended.  This is to release pressure against a tight man-to-man defense.
3. The point guard will make an entry pass to either wing, and as soon as he does, he will cut through to the ball-side corner and sit tight.  While this happens, the ball-side big man will set an off-ball screen at the opposite elbow for the other big man, who will curl around the screen and down to the block.  This is your first option.  If his man is trailing him behind the screen, hit him for the wide open lay-up/dunk.  
4. Simultaneously while the big man is curling, the offensive player setting the screen will pop out above the three-point line at the top of the key.  The first look is into the post, and if nothing is there, swing it to the forward popping out top.  Now, the big man at the block should attempt to seal his man behind him to create an angle for a direct pass from the top of the key into the paint.  This should be a lob pass, but shouldn't hang in the air waiting to be picked off.  This is the best look this offense creates.  This is what you want, an entry pass from the top of the key for a one-on-one right under the basket.  
5. If this pass isn't there, swing the ball to the other guard on the wing, and just as before the big man in the paint should be rotating around asking for the ball.  If he's got his man on his back, hit him and let him go to work.  However, if this pass is being taken away (and even if it's not), the forward who just passed the ball and the guard who initially caught the ball will be setting a double screen for the point guard who should still be hanging out in the corner.  The guard should come off the double screen right about the elbow for a 15-foot free-throw line jumper.  Upon setting the second part of the double screen, there is a good chance that, seeing the point guard's defender caught up on screens, the screening man's defender will switch out to deny the pass to the curl.  If this happens (which it most likely will), the screener "slips" the screen to the basket for a lay-up.

Quick recognition, quick reactions.  That's what basketball is about, and that's how this play becomes effective.  You can't hold onto the ball too long.  As soon as a pass is thrown, the offense should be moving, and nobody should be holding onto to the ball for more than a second or two.  Anything more and you allow the defense more time to assess what's going on.  This play should be effective at the college and high school levels every time, and you should be able to get a look from one of the listed options above.