Purpose: To improve free throw shooting percentage by incorporating a competitive situation into team free throw practice. Drill: Place all of the player's names on a poster or board (or even just use a spreadsheet). To help prepare the poster, the players shall pair off and shoot 25 free throws each. The coach then writes the names in order, with the highest scorer at the top. If there are any ties, they can be broken by having the players shoot one free throw each. Each day following, … [Read more...]
The Daily Dozen
1) Purpose: To work on the basic fundamentals of dribbling, dribble moves, and shooting. This is a great drill to use as a warm-up for practice. Drill: I. Dribbles O = players in equal lines in opposite corners of the court as shown ^ = cones or spots where the moves are performed The first player in line will dribble to the spots and perform a dribbling move, then change direction and dribble to the next spot. Once completed, go to the end of the opposite line. Dribble … [Read more...]
Pass and Score Under Pressure Drill
Purpose: To help the players recognize passing and catching in motion, defensive recovery from the weakside, and scoring while being challenged. This drill covers a lot of areas within a transition setting. It is a great game-simulation drill and also highly competitive. Players will enjoy this drill and get great conditioning besides. Drill: Player 1 begins in the foul lane, with a ball, and facing the basket. Player 2 and Player 3 stand about 15 feet away on each side of the baseline. #1 … [Read more...]
Post Cross Flash Basketball Shooting Drill
Purpose: To develop the skills needed for 2 potential post shots; off the cross screen and off the high post flash. Drill: Players form into groups of 4 at each basket; 2 basketballs at each basket. The drill begins with O4 setting a cross screen for O3. After O3 slips past, O4 flashes to the high post, receives a pass from O1, turns and shoots, and gets own rebound. O3 cuts hard off the screen set by O4, receives the low post pass from O2, turns and shoots, and gets own rebound. The … [Read more...]
Continuous 3-on-3 Drill
Purpose: This drill is a continuous halfcourt 3 on 3 drill with players rotating quickly from offense to defense. It teaches players to react quickly and communicate effectively. Any aspect of basketball can be emphasized such as offense, defense, rebounding, passing, etc. Drill: 12 players get into 3 lines. Alternate jersey colors in each line. The first player in each line steps out to be on defense (3 defenders). The next 3 players will be on offense and attack the basket in a 3 on 3 … [Read more...]
Continuity Basketball Dribbling Drill
Purpose: To develop basketball dribbling and ball handling skills. Drill: Each player should have his or her own basketball (or there should at least be several balls in the line). The players all begin at one end of court as shown. The first player begins by dribbling to the first cone and performing a dribble move. The player continues to the second cone and performs a second move. Finally, at the third cone, the player executes a move, finishes with a layup, rebounds the ball, and performs … [Read more...]
The Rebound Game
Purpose: To help your basketball team become more adept at both offensive and defensive rebounding. This is a very tough and competitive drill that will wonderfully improve your overall team rebounding. Drill: Divide the squad into four teams of three players. (If you have more than twelve players, just add them equally to the four teams so they can rotate after each shot attempt.) Coaches or managers can be perimeter shooters, passing the ball back and forth several times before shooting … [Read more...]
Celtic Drill
Purpose: The Celtic Drill incorporates the outlet pass, layup, baseball pass, and the ability to catch the basketball on a dead run and put it on the floor for a layup without traveling. Also an excellent drill for building up speed and stamina. Drill: The drill begins with player 1 standing on the low block and player 2 standing in the outlet area. Player 1 outlets the basketball to player 2. Player 2 drives wide the full length of the court for a layup. Player 1, after making the outlet … [Read more...]
Bucketball
'Bucketball' is a game I developed as something that could be played with a group or team to work on speed and conditioning without always having to run sprints, line, cone drills, etc. The term derived from some of the kids calling it 'bucketball' because I used a couple of buckets for the goals. Bucketball is really a combination of every sport because it demands the athletic skills most sports require. There really are aspects involved in this game from sports such as basketball, football, … [Read more...]
Break Advantage Drill
Purpose: To work on both transition offense and transition defense. In this drill, the offense will always work with a man advantage and the defense has to work with a man disadvantage. This drill also requires a great deal of communication. Drill: The drill starts with 5 offensive players running your transition offense/secondary break. The 5 offensive players will be attacking 4 defensive players. Depending upon what you want your offensive players to attack, the defense can play … [Read more...]