Basketball drills

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

Goal:
practice different techniques to score from the forward position

Organization:

• Attacker 3 sprints after the pass directly to the forward position.
• gets the ball there
• and attacks the basket with a high speed of action.
• Starts to land in 2TR and shoots.
• while finishing underneath the basket, always picks up the ball
• with a big approach step to the desired position under the hoop
• Pull on the other foot
• and take off with two feet

Rotation:

• the passer takes a step backwards to make room for the next passer.
• the archer catches the ball and passes it to the passer
• who joins the back of the row with the ball
• the shooter takes the position of the passer.
  
  

Catch and go:

• catch the ball and attack directly at the elbow
• sharp change of direction
• high speed
  
  

Mtm offense

Jump back:

• Attack the elbow
• Offset under the elbow on your front foot and jump backward
• pick up the ball and shoot
  
  

Jump back and drive:

• Attack the elbow
• Jump back and drive: attack the elbow, push off under the elbow onto your front foot and jump backwards
• do not pick up the ball, but change hands and attack the basket at the weak side
  
  

1 on 1

• the passer is now slightly deeper
• As soon as he has passed to the forward, he starts defending
• the attacker applies the different techniques he practised before
  
  

Rotation:

the pair that has finished the 1v1 move together to the centre line and swap roles OR the loser defends.

Variations:

• left and right
• place the passer in the corner or on the block
• different techniques of finishing under the board
• adding a help defender to the weak side, so that the attacker also learns what (im)possibilities are there.

Requirements:
players must be able to dribble a layup run

Objective:
to increase attacking ability in 1 against 1

Organization:

• player 1 receives the ball from 3
• 3 moves backwards
• 1 unbalances 3, passes and goes hard to the basket
• the defender's task is to stop the dribble
• loser continues to defend on the same side
• winner attacks on the other side

Teaching Points:

• attacker must aggressively close the distance
• dribble straight at the defender
• throw the defender off balance
• attacker must be unpredictable
• choose which side to pass on at the last moment
• Use feints in the dribble
• After passing, go full speed towards the basket
• play with guts
• If you cannot, regain your balance and try another technique, e.g. backup dribble + jump shot.

Requirements:

players must know what the correct defensive posture is have

Goal:

• reinforce good habits regarding defensive position
• To increase speed and flexibility of footwork

Organisation:

• do as circuit, 1 minute each time
• player 1 jumps sideways with 2 feet left and right of the line
• player 2 does that forwards and backwards.
• players jump with 2 feet forward wide - narrow - wide. With a jump in the air they do a 180 degree jump and start over again.
• player 4 passes the ball through the wall to himself and goes with slides to the position where he catches it again. Makes it more and more difficult for himself by increasing the distance.
• player 5 defends the mid post and chooses every time another position (behind, swim over - full front - swim over low and back again)
• player 7 makes a square with jumps on 1 foot (feather by landing) always 2x with right, then 2x with left. First left, then right etc.

Teaching points:

• knees bent
• head above the

Goal: Defending the forward in triple threat position

Organization:

• attacker makes an agreed number of different feints before shooting or dribbling to the basket
• defender must anticipate with a drop step when the attacker threatens to go over the front foot
• with a two-footed backward hop when the attacker threatens to go over the back foot
• when the attacker brings up the ball, the defender should quickly step towards the attacker, stand against him, feet wider than the attacker,
• Trace the ball with your hands
• When the attacker brings the ball back down, the defender returns to his/her original position with a slide step or a hop backwards (arm's length distance)

Teaching points:

• react quickly on the feet, before the attacker does
• Distance from the attacker: match the threat he poses.
• Shorten the distance to the attacker with mini-slides, so that you can react immediately

Variations:

attacker gives a pass to himself from the bucket edge

Starting exercise:

• defender starts at arm's length
• Square up = feet next to each other, chest perpendicular to the line of the ball-basket when the attacker is standing on the axis of the field.
• Left foot forward when the attacker is standing on the right half of the field and vice versa.
• Attacker fakes the shot
• Defender steps forward, hand on ball
• Attacker brings the ball down
• defender recovers arm-length distance
• attacker makes max 2 dribbles, left or right
• after the stop, the defender steps forward again, hand on the ball

Form of play:

• as above, but with shot + boxing out (= wall and rebound)
• 2 scores in a row (also from the rebound!!) OR 2 stops in a row = loser presses and change

Goal: defend the dribbler after stopping the dribble

Organization:

• man with ball passes to opponent when trainer whistles
• who takes 1 bounce and stops the dribble in 2 Count Rhythm (2TR)
• The trainer counts down 5 seconds and then blows his whistle as end signal
• The aggressive defender steps back to his starting position
• The roles are now reversed
• As soon as the trainer whistles you pass the ball to the other player
• go for it aggressively straight away
• Try to prevent the other player from passing by keeping your hand in front of the ball (trace the ball)
• Try to get your feet to the left and right of the pivot foot of the man with the ball so that he cannot turn

Teaching Points:

• avoid mistakes; do not hit the ball
• Go for the 5 seconds
• Get as close as possible to the attacker (but stay in your own cylinder)
• Move your feet closer to the attacker, but keep your position between the attacker and the basket.

Variations:

• a third man to whom the ball must be passed within 5 seconds. Choose a limited area in which the third man can run free (use lines on the court, or place pawns).
• Pass from under the board to the player on the block. This player must try to pivot past the defender and score. Winner becomes attacker on the block, loser passes from the back line.

Form of play:

• Ten ball on the half court, where the receiver of the ball has to make a dribble start with 1 bounce before he can pass the ball on.
• idem, but defence MUST double team the man with the ball.

Goal: teach defenders how to catch the attacking foul (= penetrate or charge) (and how to handle physical contact)

Principles:

1. when the attacker gets closer, move your feet further apart and lower your butt
2. Hard forearm across your navel for protection.
3. Always land on both buttocks.
4. Land in the direction of penetration.
5. roll to your shoulders and bring your legs up for protection
6. DO NOT catch with your hands to avoid broken wrists.
7. scream while falling

Preparatory exercises:

• players line up in defensive stance
• Trainer walks forward
• players put their feet outward, bring the hard forearm in front of their navel and lower their buttocks
• Trainer shouts "charge".
• players fall and roll on

defend the dribbler

• the trainer makes a zigzag movement
• the players make slide steps and drop steps as if they were defending the dribbler
• as the dribbler approaches, players move their feet outward, bring the hard forearm in front of their belly button and lower their buttocks
• trainer calls 'charge
• players fall on both buttocks in the direction of the penetration and roll through

spin dribble

• the trainer simulates a spin dribble
• players take two quick slide steps around their imaginary attacker, land wide, bring the hard forearm in front of their navel and lower their buttocks
• Trainer calls 'charge'.
• players fall on both buttocks in the direction of penetration and roll through

Goal: learn or improve side slides + condition

Organization:

• all players on the helpline, facing the coach
• when coach bounces the ball all players jump into defensive position
• coach moves to the left or to the right, parallel to the backline
• players must stay with their face right in front of the ball
• increase the level of difficulty by changing direction and/or speed at random

Teaching Points:

• feet at least shoulder width
• knees at about 100 degrees (= sitting down deeply)
• shoulders above the heels (= back straight)
• Head upright (overlook the field)
• Hand closest to the ball is low (to be able to tap the ball away on the dribble)
• Other hand is above the shoulder (to intercept a pass)
• push hard on the push-off leg to gain speed
• Feet stay low to the ground (= slide, shuffle)
• feet do not connect after a slide, but remain at shoulder width

Variations:

• let the defender keep his hands on his back if you want to accentuate the feet and stance.
• 1 slide and back to the sideline, 2 slides and back etc. until you reach the sideline; followed by a short fierce sprint back to the sideline
• first a drop step and then slides backwards to the sideline + sprint back
• idem, but first a little tap (quickly transfer weight from one foot to the other)

Prerequisites:

players must know what the correct defensive stance is

Goal:

• to reinforce good habits regarding defensive position
• To increase speed and flexibility of footwork

Organisation:

• always 3 minutes
• back over the backline with sprint to the basket and then slides to the sideline facing the centre circle.
• facing each other slowly - wax on wax off
• faster - hold both hands
• only the back hand
• follower holds the leader's shirt
• leader tries to get free by changing speed
• follower tries to keep his head in front of the chest of the leader

Teaching points:

• knees bent
• shoulders above the feet
• front foot pointing in the direction
• hands: wax on - wax off

Prerequisites:

players must understand the principles of help side and ball side defense

Goal:

To create automatisms in defence

Organization:

5 against 5 on one basket

Successively:

• pass only
• pass + cut + fill in
• drive left + turn the wheel and the same player does a back up dribble + drive right + turn the wheel
• then he passes and cuts to the weak side
• the same with a skip pass after the two drives
• centre comes in from the weak side = catching and forcing a cut to the back
• both forwards cut in from the weak side in quick succession
  
  

Variation:

• play with 4 out
• allow the first pass to the centre
• Defender of the center takes up his position between man and basket while the ball is in the air with a hop.
• passer cuts past the post
• centre passes out to the head

Teaching points:

• all defenders move to their new position while the ball is in the air
• cutting in after a pass = jump to the ball - catch with the chest and force the ball to be cut in behind you
• cutting in from the weak side catch the player with your forearm and force him to cut behind you
• recover immediately after you have helped and the ball is passed out
• aggressive sprint + mini slides + sitting deep at close out after skip pass
• centre passes to the head = his defender has to be 'up the line and on the line

Requirements:

players must be able to defend the man with the ball individually (slides)

Goal: apply individual defensive technique in a simplified game situation

Organisation:

• attackers use one quarter of the playing field
• is not allowed to cross the baseline
• plays 1 against 1
• the defender may only step over the half-way line once the attacker has put one foot over the half-way line (the attacker may make feints, if the defender steps too early he must first put both his legs back behind the line)
• the defender first has to sprint to get his position between man and basket, then stay with slides between man and basket
• winner will attack on the other half of the court
• Loser keeps on defending in this quarter (turning in at the halfway line).
• the next pair starts when the predecessor takes the rebound.

Teaching Points:

• make sure you overtake the attacker by a large margin and only then take the defensive position.
• then immediately move backwards with slides
• In case of a defensive fault, the attacker is the winner.

Variations:

• let the defender keep his hands behind his back if you want to accentuate his footwork
• You can give good defenders a handicap by having them start 1 or 2 steps behind the attacker
• attackers can be slowed down by having them dribble behind their back in front of the 3-point line, etc.

Goal: high post permanent replay after pass between forward and guard

Organisation:

• attacker 4 offers himself at the elbow at the moment of the pass
• defender 3 passes with his back to the baseline
• when passing back to the guard, defender 3 steps in front (here: right foot) and passes to the other side
• attackers 1 and 2 try to adjust high post 4 on the elbow
• if they cannot do so within 2 seconds, they must pass back to each other Each passis a point for the defender.
• if 4 is matched, he gets a point and plays 1 against 1 against 3
• the winner gets another point
• play to the 5

Teaching Points:

• feet on both sides of the high post
• keep the elbow cylinder
• prevent the pass on the high post with the other hand.

Variations:

passers parallel to side of bucket and center asks at the mid post

Prerequisites:

players must know how to use slides and sprints to keep their position between man and basket

Objective:

to teach positioning in the help side

Organisation:

• in the waiting line white and black take turns; offensive and defensive
• stop at the side of the bucket, pass the ball backwards to the next player
• closing the back and changing roles (attacker and defender).

Teaching Points:

• forearm on the hip of the dribbler
• sit deep
• Keep your nose in front of the ball
• Make sure you stay between man and basket until you get below the block

With two defenders on the help side:

• The help side defenders start with one foot in the bucket.
• As soon as the dribbler goes below the free throw line, both help side defenders step in until they reach the helpline.
• when the dribbler passes his man, they close the way to the basket (under the block or above the elbow)

RECOVERY:

• Â- as soon as the dribbler picks up the ball they sprint back to their position on the helpline
• Â- if he passes the ball back to the guard line, then the help position side bucket

Teaching points:

• defend close to the dribbler; don't leave room for feints
• only really help to stop the dribbler after he has passed his man
• but at all times prevent the dribbler from entering the bucket.
• recover immediately after you have helped and the ball is picked up or passed to the passer
• in the assisting position, your chest is parallel to the imaginary line between the ball and your man
• Split vision: see the ball AND your own man
• until you actually start to help Then you let go of your man and concentrate fully on stopping the dribbler
• when the ball is passed out, all defenders move to their new position while it is in the air

Rotation:
dribbler 2 and his defender take the bottom positions is3
and 8 go up5
and 7 join the back row the
defenders on the weak side are always the same colour as the defender on ball side

Variation:

• start with a skip pass
• 4 starts from the helpline

Teaching points for the recovery and close out:

• sprint two steps towards your man
• then use minislides to reduce the distance to an arm's length while lowering your hips.
• raise one hand to be able to block the shot