Purpose: To improve and develop ball-handling, shooting, conditioning, and overall offensive transition skills. Specifically a good fast break drill if you prefer to attack from the middle. Drill: One offensive player with the basketball in front of the basket. Two more offensive players, one at each elbow. This drill begins with O1 tossing the basketball off the backboard in order to secure the rebound. As the ball is being rebounded, O2 and O3 move to outlet position on the wing. O1 … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Motivate Your Players
by Doug Campbell | Dr. Dish Standing in front of your team, you make a promise to your players. You swear to offer something that videogames and a river of texts from their friends can't give them – athletic skills and a showcase for their talents and a team-based work ethic. You make this promise despite knowing most young people will succumb to the adrenaline rush of online gaming and the comfort of their couches. Easy, right? You can successfully compete for attention spans of your … [Read more...]
Diagonal Up Post Entry Play
From the box set, this basketball quick hitter is designed to get a player open in the low post. Obviously, the idea is getting the ball to a good low post scorer ... whether that's a post player or a player who has a scoring advantage against his defender. O1 can initiate this play to either side, depending on which post player he wants to get open for a scoring attempt. In our diagram, O1 dribbles to the left. By calling the play and then going left, this alerts O2 to set the diagonal … [Read more...]
Cross to Double Low 3 Play
Here is a simple screen-the-screener basketball play that is quite effective. By 'screen-the-screener', one player sets a screen and then immediately uses a screen. The passer has multiple options to create a scoring opportunity. O1 initiates the play by dribbling to his right. The dribble entry clears out O2, who cuts through and sets a cross screen for O3. O4 and O5 step down to set a double downscreen for O2. After setting his screen, O2 uses the double screen and cuts to the … [Read more...]
Box Double Down 3
This basketball play from the box set formation is simple to execute at all levels. With an effective double downscreen, this play can create a 3-point shot or a few other options. O1 dribbles to the wing while O3 steps opposite and cuts to ballside short corner / corner. O4 and O5 step into the lane to set the double downscreen for O2. O2 takes a few steps as though he is going to cut through the lane, and then breaks hard around the double screen. O2 should receive the pass from … [Read more...]
Breakout SLOB Play
This sideline out of bounds play is intended to get a scoring attempt when there are but just a few seconds left on the clock. It will also work quite well against a defense that is up and pressuring/denying. When the official hands the basketball to O3, O4 and O5 flash hard into the backcourt. O2 turns and sets a screen for O1, and then rolls back to the passer. O1 cuts hard to the screener and then goes deep. O3 looks to pass to O1 on the breakout. Coaching Tip: We think of getting a last … [Read more...]
Flare Isolation Pick and Roll Play
This play was originally posted at the Hoops U. Basketball Coaching Academy. Want more plays, more drills, more everything? Join The Academy today! The Flare Iso Pick and Roll Play can be a very useful quick hitter coming out of a timeout or even at the end of a quarter or game. This play can be used when a 3-point shot is needed or when you simply want to isolate a guard on the wing with the option to drive or use the pick and roll. The players set up in a box formation with the point … [Read more...]
Reversal Counter Screen-In Play
Here is an effective quick hitter you can run against a zone defense. It will probably work best against a 2-3 zone defense, but can be used against other zone defenses. This basketball play uses a quick reversal and then counters back the other way to get a good shot attempt. If the potential shooter is defended, he has multiple passing options to create a scoring chance. O1 initiates the play by dribbling toward O2, who clears out to the opposite side. O4 slides out to the short … [Read more...]
Full Court :05 for 3 Last Second Play
A huge thank you to Coach Jeff Osterman for sharing this play with us. Coach Osterman is currently the associate head coach at the University of South Florida (bio) and is also a regular contributor to the Hoops U. Basketball Coaching Academy. Be sure to check out his website at CoachOsterman.com and if you're on Twitter, he is a great follow @CoachOsterman. And don't forget to check out Coach Osterman's archives. As the title of this basketball play suggests, this is a last second play you … [Read more...]
High Ballscreen Dribble Drive Play
The purpose of this quick hitting basketball play is to get the basketball in the hands of a player who can dribble-drive to attack the basket. The main looks are for his own shot, but options abound for creating a shot for a teammate. Players set up in 4-Out, 1-In set. O1 starts on the right side and initiates the play by passing over to O2. O2 receives the pass and reverses it to O3 on the left wing. As O3 is catching the pass, O4 cuts through to the ballside corner. At the … [Read more...]