Basketball drills

• Centers + Guards + Forwards
• from U12 - 2 or more players
• 1 ball per pair
• two baskets
• a pawn or pole

Prerequisites:
being able to run a layup from the pass at speed

Objective:

• train runner flyer
• Passing and catching at speed

Organization

• player 1 throws the ball against the board and catches the rebound
• catches the ball as high as possible
• 3 sprints to the outlet position and calls
• pass with an overhead pass to the outlet
• the man with the ball dribbles as fast as possible to the bucket of the other basket.
• defender sprints along the sideline
• receives the pass at full speed
• and makes the lay up without dribbling

Teaching Points:

• sprinting Â- communication
• correct dribble start
• pushing the ball at speed dribble
• The dribbler must see where the flyer is.
• pass in time
• Shooter catches his own ball
• passer sprints around the pawn
• calls
• receives the ball at the outlet position with an overhead pass
• both players run the same 2 teg

Prerequisites:

• Players can defend on their feet
• and be able to pass
  
  

Objective:

• to practice the double team in the arrow press
• and the first rotation
  
  

Organization:

• 1 takes the ball and then does not take part in the game, but counts down the 8 seconds
• the defenders allow the first pass
• (in case of 5 players, one of the attackers starts with a pass to himself or to the other and the weak side defender counts down) Â- defender 5 starts to double team immediately after the first pass Â- the weak side defender passes the pass to the free attacker
• If the attackers get on the offensive half within 8 seconds they have a point Â- if the defenders win the ball they attack the basket. A score is a point. Â- The attacker calls when there is a foul on him. Point for the attack.
• play 5 times in a row with the same teams
• loser must run

Teaching points:

in double team, the attacker is NEVER allowed to pass between the defenders Â- the third defender must use all his energy to make the pass impossible Â- if a defender in double team is beaten by the ball, he must sprint full speed to regain a position between the ball and the half way line

Requirements:
Players must be able to sprint and slide and switch between them Â- Players must be able to dribble

Goal: Press
the dribbler on the press

Organisation:

Have each player sprint fully along the drawn lines and always close off the touchline (set up cones) idem but now with slides idem with alternating slides - sprint - slides Â- attacker without ball. Defender must make slides as long as possible; sprint if necessary Â- defender must close off the sideline in any case Â- same with ball. Defender forces attacker to turn on the sideline Â- keep exercise short and intense

Teaching points:

defender should get as close to attacker as possible, taking into account dexterity and speed of dribbler Â- defender should close off sideline with foot, forcing dribbler to turn Â- defender should accelerate, get in front of dribbler before closing sideline

Form of play:

if the dribbler manages to dribble between the sideline and the defender, then he may score Â- defender then continues to defend Â- if the defender manages to make the attacker turn at the sideline then he may then dribble and the attacker becomes defender

Tips:

start with a weak dribbler and let him start with his weak hand Â- impose restrictions on the attacker in the beginning: he can only change speed, but not direction, except on the touchline Â- reduce the restrictions as the defenders get better

Requirements:

• players must be able to drive and shoot individually from the 3-point line
• be able to screen
  
  

Goal:
keep
perimeter
players moving while making good use of space on the court

Organization:

• the attackers get free with in-out, pass and screen away, back through, cut in etc
• always make sure there is about 3 metres space between the attackers
• the player who receives the pass turns with a front or reverse pivot towards the basket.
• by constant movement and changes of position they try to create space for a shot or drive
• a player in the three-point zone can only be played if he can score immediately
  
  

Dribbling only to:

• restore space between the attackers
• Finish a lay up
• obtain a position to pass
• get out of trouble
  
  

Teaching Points:

• look at your team-mates and react accordingly
• As soon as you have the ball, face the basket
• Dribble only with a clear goal
• always recover 3 metres of space after a running action or a screen.
  
  

Example:

• 2 passes back to 3 and tries to cut in front of his man to the basket
• 3 cannot make the pass due to good defensive work
• 3 dribbles to the forward position to redistribute the space.
• 1 takes the safety guard position

Requirements:
players must master the layup at full speed

Goal:
react
quickly
to a stray ball and be able to finish the next 1 on 1

Organisation:

• the coach stands in the middle of the bucket and has the ball
• Two players on the elbow are only allowed to look straight ahead.
• trainer passes between the players
• they may only move when they see the ball
• the player who captures the ball scores on the opposite basket
• the other player tries to prevent this
• the coach makes his passes so hard that the players have to sprint to keep the ball in.
• n.b. the defender must not make any mistakes due to the risk of injuries
  
  

Teaching points:

• speed of action
• do not let the defender distract you
  
  

Variations:

• have players start sitting or lying down
• Put two players next to each other on the elbow, or with their backs against each other. Then play 2 against 2

Requirements:

• players must be able to drive and shoot from the 3-point line
• forward 3 must be able to apply pass fakes to feed the post
• the centre 5 must master the fundamentals to keep his defender behind him and to be playable with a bounce pass (or with a lob when he is lost)
• the center must master the fundamentals to be able to play 1 on 1 from the block

Goal:
train
split
the low post

Organization:

• 5 stands extremely deep, near the bottom line
• as soon as 3 starts to dribble, 1 starts to screen for 5
• 5 crosses over to the block on the other side.
• 1 fills the guard position
• as soon as 3 has adjusted the post, he cuts across to the ring
• at the same time, 1 sprints to the corner for the shot
  
  

5 has 3 options:

1) adjust 3 for the lay up2
) adjust 1 for the shot3
) play 1 against 1 himself against 6

Teaching points:

• timing: the pass to the center must come at the moment it arrives on the block
• at the split, leave enough space for the (bounce) pass.
• 1 immediately sprints to the corner as soon as the pass is made, so that defender 4 is hindered by in cutting 3 and his defender
  
  

Variations:

• in preparation run 3 against 0 and systematically go through the various options.
• left and right
• Cut below

Prerequisites:
players must master the layup at full speed

Goal:
Dare to finish
the
layup under pressure of a following defender

Organisation:

• defender may only cross the half way line at the first dribble
• attacker may make feints
• if the defender steps in, he/she must put both feet behind the centre line before defending again
• Attacker dribbles as fast as possible to the basket and finishes with a layup.
• Finish with a layup
• winner takes ball and connects behind the attackers on the other half of the court
• loser defends on the same half.
• depending on the skill of the attackers, allow the defender to cover more or less distance

Teaching points:

• dribble at full speed
• do not let the oncoming defender distract you.
  
  

Variations:

• increase the pressure by having the defender start closer to the basket
• Have players start sitting or lying down. The defender can only get up after the attacker.

Prerequisites:

• forward must be able to play mid post (pass fakes, flat bounce pass)
• Forward must be able to make a lay up or lay back directly from a bounce pass in the run

Goal:
To teach the forward to read the defense and to choose the appropriate offensive line

Concepts:
cutter = forward who cuts in

Organisation:

• the centre is allowed only 1 dribble
• forward may only make 1 dribble after a shot fake, otherwise not allowed
• make it - take it
• play up to the 5
  
  

Teaching points cutter:

• cut with sufficient distance from the centre: over the elbow or over the dead ball line
• choose the side that leaves the defender free
• Prepare a front pass in the opposite direction and rebound hard in the desired direction
• keep your hands ready for the bounce pass
• run to the weak side for the three-point shot if you don't get the ball right away
  
  

Continued:

• centre can play 1v1
• or use it to threaten and pass for the three-pointer
• If the defender plays double down
• then the forward looks for a shooting position where the center can see him and adjust: don't stand still!
• after the pass to the outside, take the shot immediately
• or readjust the center
• and find a shot position again
  
  

Teaching points:

• speed of action: one fake and then act immediately
• watch what the defender does and take up the space he does not defend

Requirements:

• players must have the courage to shoot defensively
• master open step and crossover step
• and master a feint followed by a dribble + shot or drive

Objective:
to decide which action to take as a forward in a 1v1 situation

Organisation:

• defender passes the ball with a bounce pass to the attacker
• and starts defending
• Attacker stands within shooting distance

Teaching points:

• foot, knee and shoulder in one line
• Hands ready to shoot
• Knees in an angle of 60 degrees (shot fake) to 90 degrees (drive fake)
• Shot fake: ball not higher than the nose + bend the knees a bit
• Drive fake: short, quick step + forward movement with the shoulders
• Open step: first step is short
• Bringing the ball to the other side with sweep/rip: bring the ball below knee height

Decide:

• defender has his hands low and/or more than an arm's length away: shoot (quick draw)
• Defender has his hand on the ball: driven directly (preferably over the front foot / along the back of the defender)
• make one fake at the most. Read the defender's reaction during your fake.
• If the defender does not react, continue the move (fake shot becomes shot, fake drive becomes drive).
• if the defender reacts, take the other option, i.e.: fake shot becomes drive; fake drive becomes shot; open step becomes rip + crossover step; crossover step becomes rip + open step
• do NOT introduce an element of competition here, to prevent defenders from making hard mistakes to avoid losing

Variations:

• instruct the defender to only defend the drive hard and leave space for the shot
• defend crossover and shot, but leave open step
• defend the shot to the full

Prerequisites:
players must master the layup at full speed

Goal:
daring to finish
the
layup under pressure of an approaching defender

Organisation:

• set up pilons for positioning
• passer (1) plays the attacker (5) with a baseball pass and starts defending
• the attacker dribbles as fast as possible to the basket and finishes with a layup.
• finishes with layup
• loser takes the ball and joins the passers.
• winner connects with the attackers
• depending on the skill of the attackers, move the pylons to allow the defender to cover more or less distance.

Teaching points:

• dribble at full speed
• do not get distracted by the oncoming defender

Variations:

• increase pressure by having the defender start closer to the basket
• Put hoops down and let players start with their back foot in the hoop.
• Have the defender start at the three-point line and instruct him to stand for the charge. The attacker must then change direction at full speed to avoid the charge and still score.

Requirements:

• players must be able to individually defend the man with the ball
• Players must be able to dribble

Goal:
fitness / intensive interval training

Organisation:

• players start with 1 foot on the back line
• start on signal of the coach
• loser takes the ball and has to defend in the next round.
• 1 and 2 place the ball on the middle line so that 3 and 4 can pick it up
• 1 and 4 play 1 against 1 on the basket on the side they came from

Variations:

• left and right
• Place a hoop just beyond the baseline to handicap the defender.

Requirements:
players must be able to drive and shoot from the 3-point line

Goal: forwards
learn to get free by reading the defense

Organization:

Defender is instructed by the trainer how to react when the attacker cuts inside for the first time:

• stay put
• pass
• stick to the attacker
• passer static on the guard position
• passes to the attacker when he gets free
• who then plays 1 against 1
• loser defends on the same side
• winner takes the ball and attacks on the other side
• play until the 4

Teaching points:

• defender stays put: step outside the three-point line for the shot
• Defender overshoots (you can't see the ball well because the defender is in between): go back through (explosive, hard offload on your outside leg)
• defender sticks: pin and spin (after the spin make your line form the letter V, so the defender stays behind you and cannot intercept the pass)
• if the attacker is still not free after 2 times, then the defender has won

Endgame:
Let the defender vary the way he/she defends so that the attacker really has to read and react appropriately.

The trainer instructs the defender to successively:

• follow
• pass
• stick
• Attacker starts against the back line
• moves parallel to the bucket towards the ball
• if the defender follows, accelerate at the elbow by pushing off hard on the inside foot and step out perpendicular to your line of play
• if the defender sticks, then perform a pin and spin on the elbow and step out hard perpendicularly
• if the defender sticks at the elbow: ask for the pass at the three-point line and shoot
• if you cannot see more than the defender's hand between you and the ball, call for the pass with your outside hand at the three-point line
• after catching the ball, rip it and drive directly to the basket
• if you see the defender's shoulders between yourself and the ball, then drop off hard on your outside foot and go back through (ask for bounce pass on your outside hand)

Endgame:
Defender varies the way you defend, so the attacker really has to read and react appropriately

Mtm offense

• Coach instructs defender to consecutively:
• keep position between attacker and basket
• Pass from the extended free throw line.
• Attacker runs outside along the three-point line:
• If the defender stays between man and basket, call for the pass with your outside hand at the three-point line.
• Take your triple threat position and play 1 against 1.
• if you can see the defender's shoulder when looking at the ball, then push hard on your off-side foot and go back through (ask for bounce pass on your off-side hand)
• Same if the defender puts a foot over the three point line

Endgame:

Defender varies the way you defend so the attacker really has to read and react appropriately