A 1-4 entry set into motion.

An offense unto itself, this set offers six ways to score plus an easy entry into the motion offense

Miles CC has been achieving good results with a 1-4 high-post entry set into its motion offense. It is, in a sense, an offense in itself, since it can produce as many as six different set plays in series.

Like the motion offense itself, it takes what the defense gives it. Its advantages:

1. provides scoring opportunities by setting up screens and pick-and-rolls for the better players.

2. provides good ball movement, from side-to-side, which breaks down the defense.

3. its easy to teach; all its simple, basic plays are run out of the 1-4 set on either side of the floor.

4. enables a coach to design his or her own pressure releases, depending upon the personnel.

5. flows efficiently into our motion offense. If, after the complete set is run with no shot being taken, or any time the plays breaks down, we can go right into our motion offense.

6. is versatile; the series can be run as a read or as a specific play set.

INITIAL SET [ILLUSTRATION FOR DIAGRAM 1 OMITTED]: We set up with our two post players (4 and 5) on the elbows, our two perimeter players (2 and 3) on the wings (free-throw line extended), and our point guard (1) basically in the middle of the floor after crossing the half-court line.

It is important to place the 2 and 3 men on the appropriate side, especially if the point guard tends to bring the ball to one side of the floor more than the other.

Since our point guard tends to bring the ball down the right side, we like to put 2 on the right side and 3 on the left side, mainly because 2 is better coming off screens and 3 is more of a slasher who creates his own shots.

In short, the coach has to know his personnel and adjust to their strengths.

The 1-4 series is predicated on how our personnel reads the point guard. 1 has three options:

1. Pass to the high post popping out from the opposite elbow, in which case we run "Post" - a basically double or staggered screen for the wing player (2 or 3). See Diag. 2.

2. Pass to the ball-side wing, in which case we run "Wing" - basically a screen. See Diag. 4.

3. Make a dribble entry to the wing, in which case we run "Dribble" - basically a double screen. See Diags. 7-8.

The point guard's choice will dictate the play. (Remember, all of these options can be run from either side of the floor.)

The diagrams show how each of these options are run:

POST [ILLUSTRATION FOR DIAGRAM 2 OMITTED]: If 1 elects to bring the basketball to one side of the floor, the opposite high post (5 in this instance) will pop out hard whenever 1 picks up his dribble and is ready to make his pass. On the pass to 5, 4 will slide down to the block and 3 will get open on the wing. As 5 passes to 3, 4 will come down the lane and V-cut to the ball-side block and post up hard.

Diag. 3: 3, upon receiving the pass from 5, will first look at 4 posting and wait for 5 and 1 to double-screen for 2. It is essential for 2 to set up his man for the double screen and then V-cut hard to the block - looking for the pass from 3 and a shot. If we don't get anything, we will go right into motion.

WING [ILLUSTRATION FOR DIAGRAM 4 OMITTED]: The point guard (1) again brings the ball to one side and passes to the wing (2). 5 immediately steps out to set a back-screen for 1, who will go off the screen - looking for the ball first and then for the block.

At the same time, 4 slides to the block and posts hard, looking for the basketball.

Diag. 5: As 2's pass to 5 is in the air, 3 runs at 1's man, but sets a screen for 4. The latter comes over the screen and posts hard on the other side. 5 will then reverse the ball to 1, and down-screen for 3.

Diag. 6: If the defenders guarding 5 and 3 switch (little man on big man), we try to reverse the basketball (1 to 3 to 2) and then feed the ball to 5 in the post.

DRIBBLE [ILLUSTRATION FOR DIAGRAM 7 OMITTED]: 1 will dribble at the wing (2) and clear him out to the baseline, where he will set a screen directly underneath the basket for 3.

Diag. 8: After 3 drives over 2's screen [ILLUSTRATION FOR DIAGRAM 7 OMITTED], 4 and 5 double-team in the center of the lane for 2, who will come off the double-screen, and look for the pass from 1.

We believe that almost every coach will be able to glean an idea or two from this series and incorporate it into his own offensive scheme - with beneficial results.