Purpose: To practice and develop decision-making abilities in a full speed game situation. Offensive players will also work on scoring when a basket is needed. Defensive players will work on stopping the offense from scoring when that is needed. Also a great drill to improve conditioning. Drill: Divide your squad into 2 teams, with 5 players from each team on the court (5 offense vs. 5 defense). The teams will play a normal full court game of 5 on 5 with one exception ... each time they gain … [Read more...]
Rapid 3-Shot Partner Shooting Drill
Purpose: To work on shooting and following your own shot. Also works on anticipating the rebound, securing the rebound, and finishing. Drill: 2 lines of players per basket; 1 line of shooters from where you wish to shoot and 1 line of rebounders about 10-15 feet from the basket. First player in shooting line has a basketball. The drill begins with the first player taking his jump shot and then following his shot to the basket. As soon as the shot goes up, the first player in the rebounding … [Read more...]
30 Second Team Post Game
Purpose: To practice getting open in the low and high post areas to receive a pass. The defensive player will practice defending the offensive post player. The passers will work on making good, accurate passes into the post. Drill: 2 teams of 5 per basket (you can use less players if necessary). Each player should be partnered with a player from the opposite team who is of similar size and ability. Two players start in the post, one from each team (O1 and X1). O1 is on offense, therefore his … [Read more...]
Texas 1-4 Play
From the 1-4 high set, this play incorporates a couple of on-ball screens along with some other options to get a score. The players begin in a 1-4 high set as shown in the diagram above. O4 and O5 both step out from their respective high post/elbow position to set an on-ball screen for O1. The point guard, O1 has the option of going either way. Whichever way he goes, the ballside guard on that side will dive down to the low block (in this diagram, O1 goes right and O2 dives low). O2, after … [Read more...]
Trap the Corner Transition Drill
Purpose: To prepare the offensive players against a trapping, pressure defense. Obviously we generally do not want to receive the inbounds pass in the corner against pressing, trapping defense. We realize, however, that it does happen. Therefore, it is imperative to prepare our players for these situations. Drill: 2 offensive players and 3 defensive players. O1 has the basketball and is the inbounder. O2 is in the corner (O2 may also start in his 'normal' press break position before cutting … [Read more...]
Deny the Wing Drill
Purpose: To improve 1-on-1 off-the-ball defense and to learn to deny the wing entry pass. When adding the 1-on-1 scoring option, both the defensive and offensive player will work on scoring or stopping the score in the 1-on-1 situation. Drill: Have the players line up at the top of the key; the first player in line has the basketball. An offensive player starts on the wing (O2) and a defensive player is guarding him (x2). The drill starts with O2 executing a v-cut to get open. X2 … [Read more...]
Dribble Play (1 Finger Down)
This play works great directly out of your secondary break. It's a quick hitter that can be run anytime, but executes quite well out of your transition offense. We will look to run this directly out of our secondary fast break. It can be initiated by either calling it out, pointing to the spot where the point guard wants the screen to be set (1 finger down) or by simply dribbling directly at the 4. 4 will come over and set a pick for 1 equal to where the lane begins. 1 will look to turn the … [Read more...]
Triangle Backpick Play
The Triangle Backpick baseline out-of-bounds play works quite well against a man-to-man defense. From a triangle set, a backpick and roll is utilized to get an easy layup opportunity. The players set up in a triangle set, as shown in the diagram. When the official hands the basketball to O2, O3 cuts to the corner and O5 sets a backpick for O4 and rolls opposite to the basket. O1 slides over to the wing area. Note: O4 can use the backpick and go either way to the basket. O5 will roll opposite … [Read more...]
Pacific
Pacific is a baseline out of bounds play that gets the basketball to the top and then sets up a scoring opportunity with a pick-and-roll play. The players set up as shown in the above diagram. When the official hands the basketball to O2, O3 dives to the weakside low block while O1 performs a v-cut to get open. Obviously the pass can be made to O3, but that defender would have to be completely asleep for that to be open (though it does happen, doesn't it?!). O2 makes the pass to O1 and then … [Read more...]
Fast Break Pass, Flash, and Cut Drill
Purpose: To teach players to move the basketball downcourt quickly, looking for a scoring opportunity from the secondary break. This drill can also be used as a sort of transition or secondary break offense quick hitter by having the players specifically looking to run this set. Drill: Have three lines as shown in the diagram - a line at O1, O2 and O3. The players waiting in line should be off the court. The drill/play starts with O1 dribbling to midcourt and passing ahead to O2. O2 will … [Read more...]