Setting Up in 1-4
Begin in a 1-4 formation with your best shooter on the wing. The point guard starts the play with a simple pass to that shooter, who immediately gives it right back.
The Deep Cut and Double Screen
As soon as the ball is back with the point guard, the shooter makes a deep cut behind the defense toward the opposite side of the floor. At the same moment, the two post players come together to set a double screen on the low defender guarding that space.
The point guard dribbles across the top of the key while this happens — not to attack, but to open a better passing angle to wherever the shooter comes open.
The Finish
With a double screen taking one defender out of the play entirely, the shooter is reliably open by the time he clears it. The point guard delivers the pass for a clean midrange or three-point shot, depending on the shooter's range and the team's age and skill level.
Coaching Points
This play works equally well run to either side of the floor — mirror it based on where your best shooter is spaced.
The exact timing of the point guard's pass matters more than anything else here; too early and the shooter hasn't cleared the screen, too late and the defense has recovered.