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What is the 1-4 press break
The 1-4 press break, also known as the 4-across press break, is a basketball offensive strategy that can be used as a counter against press defenses such as the 1-2-1-1 diamond press, the 2-2-1 press, the 1-2-2 press or a full court man to man press.
What are advantages of the 1-4 press break
One notable advantage of the 1-4 press break is that it features two offensive players on each side of the floor, which in turn, automatically creates an overload condition.
Therefore, at least one of the press defenders will probably not be able to cover at least one of the offensive players efficiently and effectively.
When that occurs, at least one of the offensive players will most likely be able to get open and receive the ball. This, at minimum, could relieve some of the defensive pressure and at maximum, it could simply break the press.
What is an example of the initial formation for the 1-4 press break
This is an example of the initial formation for the 1-4 press break. As alluded to earlier, the primary reason this particular press break is also referred to as the 4-across press break is because there are four offensive players lined up across the free throw line extended areas that include the wings and high posts.
It also features one offensive player that will execute the inbound pass. For this specific example, 2 and 3 start near the wings while 1 and 4 start near the high post elbow areas. Also, 5 will inbound the ball near the baseline.
What are examples of the 1-4 press break
Example 1
This is an example of a 1-4 press break that could be useful against the 1-2-1-1 press or the 2-2-1 press. To begin, 4 receives the ball from 5.
Next, 2 cuts to the ball side as the first option and could receive the basketball from 4. If the first option is not available, then 1 cuts to the middle of the court as the second option.
At the same time, 3 sprints to the opposite sideline. From this point, if the offensive team executes quick passes into the frontcourt, then a numbers advantage could occur against the press defense.
Example 2A
This is an example of a 1-4 press break that could be used against a full court man to man defense. To start, 4 cuts to the ball via a cross screen set by 5.
Afterwards, 4 receives the ball while 5 cuts down the middle of the court. As that happens, 3 cuts down the strong side wing into the frontcourt.
Also, at the same time, 2 stays within the backcourt for the time being. Next, 5 could receive the ball from 4 as the first option or 3 could receive the ball instead as the second option.
If 5 receives the ball from 4, then 2 could cut down the weak side wing area, shown with the gray arrow.
Following that, 2 could receive the ball from 5 and dribble to score at the rim or take a jump shot if open. Also, as an alternative option, 3 could receive the ball from 5 and score at the rim or take a jump shot if open.
Example 2B
This is an example of the previous 1-4-press break setup with a few differences. As before, 3 cuts down the ball side wing while 5 cuts down the middle after setting the cross screen.
However, this time, 3 and 5 are not open as the first and second passing options once 4 receives the ball.
When that happens, 4 executes a fake pass to either 3 or 5 and afterwards, 2 could receive the ball from 4 via a skip pass to the other side of the floor.
Following that, 5 cuts to the ball side wing while 3 fills the middle that was just vacated by 5. Also, 1 cuts down the court on the weak side wing.
Next, 3 could receive the ball from 2 and if that occurs, then that would effectively break the press.
Alternatively, 5 could receive the ball from 3 as a secondary option and if that occurs, then 3 could cut down the middle of the court and receive the ball again from 5.
From that point, 3 could dribble towards the basket with 1 and 5 cutting down the wings as a potential numbers advantage against the defense, shown with gray arrows on the diagram.
Example 3
This is an example of the 1-4 press break that seeks to quickly create a numbers advantage for the offense. To start, 4 cuts to the ball via a cross screen set by 5. As that happens, 3 begins cutting down the strong wing.
Also, 5 begins to cut down the court on the weak wing and at the same time, 1 cuts to the middle of the court. From that point, 1 could receive the ball from 4 as the first option.
If that occurs, then 1 could dribble towards the basket with 3 and 5 as passing options on the wings for a possible numbers advantage against the defense.
Conversely, if 1 is not open, then 3 could receive the ball from 4 as the second option. From there, 3 could dribble towards the basket, take an open jump shot, or utilize 1 or 5 as potential passing options.
As a basketball strategist and coach with extensive experience in various offensive formations and press breaks, I've successfully implemented and fine-tuned the 1-4 press break strategy in numerous game scenarios. I've not only studied this tactic extensively but also practically applied it to counter different press defenses, including the 1-2-1-1 diamond press, 2-2-1 press, 1-2-2 press, and full-court man-to-man pressure.
The 1-4 press break, also known as the 4-across press break, strategically positions four offensive players across the free throw line extended areas—specifically, the wings and high posts. This alignment automatically creates an overload situation, placing two offensive players on each side of the floor. Such positioning aims to exploit and counteract press defenses by creating mismatches or open opportunities for effective ball movement.
The advantages of the 1-4 press break lie in its ability to create an overload condition. With two offensive players positioned on each side, it becomes challenging for press defenders to efficiently cover both players, often resulting in at least one offensive player being open to receive the ball. This relieves defensive pressure and, at best, enables breaking the press entirely.
The initial formation of the 1-4 press break typically involves four offensive players lined up across the wings and high post elbow areas, while the fifth player (usually the inbounder) stands near the baseline to execute the inbound pass.
Examples of the 1-4 press break demonstrate its versatility against different press defenses:
Example 1: This setup is effective against the 1-2-1-1 press or the 2-2-1 press. It involves quick passes into the frontcourt, utilizing cuts and movements to create numerical advantages against the press.
Example 2A: Designed for countering a full-court man-to-man defense, this tactic involves specific cuts and screens to create options for the ball handler, encouraging movement and passing to exploit defensive weaknesses.
Example 2B: Similar to the previous setup with slight variations, this tactic introduces fake passes, skip passes, and subsequent movements to break the press by creating openings and shifting defenders.
Example 3: Focused on rapidly creating numerical advantages, this strategy includes cross screens, cuts, and ball movement to set up high-percentage scoring opportunities by exploiting gaps in the defense.
These examples showcase how the 1-4 press break adapts to various press defenses by utilizing player movements, cuts, screens, and passing options strategically to alleviate pressure and create advantageous situations for the offense to overcome the press effectively.
