Horns Set
Run the versatile Horns alignment (two bigs at the elbows, two players in the corners) into a ball-screen read.
What this drill teaches
Reading a ball screen inside a real team structure. Horns (bigs at the elbows, shooters in the corners) gives the guard a roller AND a popper on every rep, so they must read two defenders instead of running a memorised play.
In games: Gives your half-court offence a starting point on game day — instead of five kids standing still, one call creates a screen, a roll and a pop the defence can't cover all at once.
- Guard turning the corner shoulder-to-shoulder off the screen
- Roll and pop happening at the same time, not one after the other
- Guard's eyes up at the rim, checking both options before choosing
U14: expect pre-decided passes and mistimed rolls — walk it 5-on-0 first. U16: demand live reads against real coverage, including attacking a switch.
Equipment
1 ball, half court
Setup
Point guard up top with the ball. Two posts at the elbows, two shooters in the corners.
Steps
- 1Guard picks a side; that elbow player steps up to set a ball screen.
- 2Guard comes off the screen and reads the defence.
- 3Screener rolls to the rim; the other elbow player pops to the top.
- 4Guard scores, hits the roller, or swings to the popper for a shot.
Coaching points
- Set the screen with a wide, still base.
- Guard: come off shoulder-to-shoulder and read two defenders.
- Roll and pop create two options at once — the defence can't take both.
Why kids love it
Horns is used at every level from youth to the pros — a clean framework for teaching ball-screen reads.
Variations
Run it with no defence until the timing is smooth.
Add live defence and let the guard read the coverage.
Have the defence switch every ball screen so the guard must attack the mismatch.
Skip the ball screen and flare-screen the guard's kick-out to the opposite wing instead.