Elevator Screen
Two screeners let a shooter cut between them, then step together to close the gap like elevator doors, sealing off the trailing defender for a clean catch-and-shoot.
Set PlaysAges 13–15, Ages 16+
The breakdown
Reads & options
- 1.The shooter should cut with a change of pace — walk the defender in, then explode through the gap.
- 2.If the defender fights through early, the two screeners should widen the gap and reset rather than let the defender squeeze through.
- 3.This action is most often used to get a designated shooter a three right off an inbounds or after a timeout.
Coaching points
- Timing is everything — the two screeners have to close the gap the instant the cutter clears, not before.
- The cutter needs to sell the defender with a fake before cutting, or the defender can jump the screen entirely.
- Both screeners need a wide, athletic stance to hold their ground against a trailing defender trying to fight through.
Running Elevator Screen?
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Keep going
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