Offensive Cutthroat

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Can be played 3 on 3, 4 on 4, or 5 on 5. Three teams that rotate through. Coaches create rules that must be followed, ifarule isn’t followed coaches rotate that team out. Examples are: a. Nowasted dribbles- square up to the hoop first. b. Purposeful hard cuts and drives. c. Play off 2 feet in the lane. d. Don’t let the ball die in your hands. e. Thank the passer on a made basket. f. Must have a post touch. If the offense makes it, they stay. (Diagram 1) If the defense stops them, they go to offense and the next team comes on to play defense. Tailor the offensive rules to your team’s system. For example, if you pass & cut, make a failure to cut a turnover. Don’t include rules that don’t fit your style of play. Include a couple cultural ‘musts’ as well. These could be things like pointing to the passer or sprinting to help up a fallen teammate. Keep the drill moving fast. The 3rd team knows they are coming in on defense, they just don’t know who they’ll be guarding. Not breaking in between possessions forces the defense to come on with a sense or urgency and communicate. Try the same drill with defensive rules. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

5v3 + 2 Fast Break Drill

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Drill begins with "Annie Over", Coach says "Go", we rebound, pitch out and we run our break. The two defenders at midcourt have to wait for the ball to cross half court, then sprint to the middle, touch hands and hustle down to join the defense. (Diagram 1) You can reset after every possession or run the drill continuously back and forth, with players running on and touching half court every time. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

4v4 With Baseline Drivers

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This drill is great for improving your team defense. Specifically, it improves your communication and your team’s ability to help and recover on dribble penetration. Your players have to give 100% effort and focus in order to succeed in the drill. This is a classic example of making practice more difficult than the games. If you can stop the opponent when you’re playing 6 on 4, you know that you can stop them playing 5 on 5. Since you succeed this during practice, you will have the confidence to lock down the opponents during games. There are four offensive players and four defensive players. Additionally, there are two designated baseline drivers (BD) who are positioned in the corners. They are not actively guarded. Baseline drivers can be coaches or players. (Diagram 1) You start the drill. The four offensive players try to score and the four defensive players try to stop them. The baseline driver can choose to drive or pass the ball immediately. If the baseline driver catches and holds the ball, no help is needed. If the baseline driver dribbles to the basket, the defense must stop the ball, communicate, and rotate. As your players begin to understand the rotations and are scrambling well, you can allow the offense to dribble penetrate, do interchanges, etc. This will make the drill much more challenging. See Your Player and the Ball – You must see your player and the ball at all times. If you take your eye off either one, it can result in an easy scoring opportunity for the offense. Help Early & Quick – You must sprint to spots and immediately move once you see the players dribble drive to the basket. If you wait for a split second, it’s too late. Teach When NOT To Help – If one of the guarded players attack the basket, teach your players when they should and should not help. Some coaches teach to help the player when they have a straight line advantage to the goal. If the defensive player is positioned between the player and the basket, don’t help. If the offensive player is not driving directly to the basket, don’t help. Mix Up Drive & Pass – Encourage the baseline driver to mix up between shooting and passing. This will make it more game-like and keep the defense alert and challenge them more. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

5v2 Weak Side Help

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This defensive drill improves your defensive positioning, your ability to defend flash cutters, and communication on interchanges. It’s a great way to isolate two defensive players and take them through a variety of situations. Also, sometimes it can be difficult to see everything when you have four or five players on the floor. This is especially true for new coaches and even seasoned vets can’t see everything. This is agreat way to isolate your players, so you can see precisely what they’re doing and enforce good defensive habits. (Diagram 1) There are five offensive players on the perimeter. There are two defenders that are matched up man to man. X1 is guarding 2 and X2 is guarding 3. When the ball is passed to the wing, you are jumping to the ball. X1 is applying ball pressure and X2 is ready to help seal the seam on the dribble drive (bottom diagram). The ball can be skipped across, in which case the defenders would be jumping with the ball into a help position on the midline, head on swivel, looking for flash cutters. After the skip, the offensive players may flash cut the lane and look for the ball. The offensive players (2 and 3 in black) are allowed to interchange as well. Constant Communication – The two defenders should be in constant communication. That way, they know how to help, recover, and rotate properly. You don’t want two players guarding the ball. Sprint to Areas! Anything less than 100 percent is unacceptable. Get in the habit of going all out in sprinting to where you need to be. Move with the Pass, Not on the Catch – Be anticipatory in movement. Move with the ball as though a magnet was in your chest. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Marquette 3v3 Full Court

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This drill is a great drill to emphasize no middle principles, angles, outer third mentality, and positioning. It focuses on on-ball defense, as well as one and two pass away positioning. When it becomes live 3-on-3, it reinforces low man/X man positioning, ball-you-man, and hitting and getting. 3 offensive players line up across the baseline. 3 defenders match up. (Diagram 1) The middle offensive player (1) starts with the ball. If the ball starts in the middle thirds, the defenders goal is to force the ball handler to the out thirds, preferably forcing them to dribble with their weaker hand. Player one has two dribbles to punch the gap between two defenders. Defender three must provide help defense and then quickly recover to defend. (Diagram 2) Because Defender 2 is two passes away, they must drop back so he can always be in a ball-you-man position. When Player 3 passes the ball back to Player 1, the defenders must rotate back to the correct position. This occurs throughout the drill. Once the ball crosses half court, it’s live 3v3. When a defender is two passes away, the defender must be ahead of the ball and be able to see the ball and man. Ball pressure is a must. Playing with only three defenders full court makes this a challenging drill for the defense. (Diagram 3) We want our defense to move as the ball moves. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

3 v 3 One Side Of The Court

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Teaching spacing is very challenging. This is true for players of all ages, but especially young players. One limitation of 3v3 drills is that players have way more space than they do in 5v5. This can cause struggles when players go back to playing 5v5. This drill teaches players to operate within a condensed space, making it more game-like. Position 3 offensive players on 1 side of the court. They are guarded by 3 defenders. (Diagram 1) 1 starts by passing to 2. (Diagram 2) The defense cannot steal this pass 1 cuts to the basket. 2 looks to pass to 1 for a layup. If 1 isn’t open, 2 can dribble to the top. This allows 3 to lift and 1 to replace to the corner. Play continues from there You can make the playing space bigger to help the defense or smaller to make it more challenging. You can have players do other actions besides cutting (such as screening). Players quickly learn they can’t stand. (Diagram 3) (Diagram 4) Consider also implementing a dribble limit (2 dribbles per touch). Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Drag Screen Team

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Shooting We start with a point guard, strong side wing, and big in the four spot. The passing line stands out on the weak side wing spot. We will simulate using four out one in spacing. These drills are samples of what can be done and how to build the drill for your offense. 1. Player 2 sprints to the corner. 2. Player 5 sets a drag screen for Player 1. 3. A drag screen is set by the player trailing the action in transition. 4. Player 1 dribbles off the screen toward the basket. (Diagram 1) (Diagram 2) 5. Player 5 rim runs. 6. Player 1 passes to Player 5 for a layup. 7. Player 2 drifts up and receives a pass from Player 3 for the lift. 1. The point guard has to make a decision based on the defense. 2. If Player 5’s defender switches, then Player 5 should be available on the rim run. 3. If the wing’s defender helps on the post rolling, the point guard can use a hook pass to the wing lifting. 4. The 2nd passer, Player 3, is simulating a point guard making the hook pass. 5. Place every player in every position, so all players learn all the positions for development. 6. All of the shots should be done on the move. No shot is stationary. Everything is live and game-like. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Chair Pivots

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This is a great drill to develop comfort with all the pivots that make up the attack & counter system. Players can get reps at every pivot and every counter. You can also vary the finishes to work on what your player needs. Doing this drill close to the hoop allows players to get more reps in a short period of time, even though the footwork is exactly the same on the perimeter. You need 2 chairs & 2 basketballs. Place a chair on each side, just above the block. Place a ball in each chair. 1 is the shooter. 2 rebounds. 3 & 4 replace the balls. 1 starts under the hoop. They sprint to the chair and jump stop, grabbing the ball and getting in triple threat. 1 will then make a specific pivot from the list below & score. After scoring, 1 sprints to the opposite chair and repeats the process. (Diagram 1) (Diagram 2) The other players rebound and replace the balls. 1 will continue the pattern for a set number of shots (10) or time (1:00), performing the same pivot. Players then switch roles. (Diagram 3) 1. Players should perform reps of the following pivots during this drill: a. Front pivot - baseline foot b. Front pivot - top foot c. Inside pivot - baseline foot d. Inside pivot - top foot e. Drop step - baseline foot f. Drop step - top foot g. Front pivot, step thru - baseline foot h. Front pivot, step thru - top foot i. Drop step, inside pivot - baseline foot j. Drop step, inside pivot - top foot k. Inside pivot, sweep - baseline foot l. Inside pivot, sweep - top foot m. Combo pivots 2. The top foot is the foot closest to the key & baseline foot closest to the baseline. 3. You can make the drill 1v1 after players have practices without defense. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

2v1 Tip From Behind

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This is a great drill to practice getting back in the play after getting beat. It also builds the offensive skills of speed dribbling and finishing under control while going full speed. 2 defenders start on the elbow. One offensive player is under the rim with a ball and the other is at the top of the key. The drill begins when 2 passes to 1 (2 is then out of the drill). 1 receives the pass and speed dribbles toward the other basket to score. X1 & X2 sprint on the pass and chase 1. Their goal is to tip the ball away from behind before 1 can score a layup. To minimize fouls, only the defender on the ball side should be attempting to tip. (Diagram 1) Tip: Only the player on the ball side should attempt to tip the ball. The player on the other side should sprint alongside the ball handler and be ready to tip if the ball comes back to that side. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

B. U. Closeout

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This whole goal of this drill is to put players on an island against three different offensive players. We make it competitive by having a scoring system. Players who lose have some type of jumping or running drill afterwards. At the end of the day, the drill is about reinforcing our defensive philosophy: forcing outer thirds correct angles on closeouts hit and get low and X man rotations The drill begins with the defender holding the ball underneath the basket. (Diagram 1) There are three offensive players on the court, and he has to defend against them all one at a time. Player 1 now plays defense against Player 4. Player 4 is only allowed two dribbles in order to score. When Player 4 shoots, Player 1 must hit and get the ball. If the offensive player gets the rebound, they reset and play again. Now Player 1 passes the ball to Player 3 and plays defense against him. The same dribble limits and rebounding rules apply Now Player 1 passes the ball to Player 2 and plays defense against him. Player 2 is only allowed two dribbles in order to score. (Diagram 2) (Diagram 3) (Diagram 4) When Player 2 shoots, Player 1 must hit and get the ball. If the defensive player stops two of the three offensive players from scoring, he leaves his defensive position in the hole and the offensive player on the left baseline becomes the defender in the hole. A player in lines comes in to play offensive on the right baseline, and the other two offensive players rotate around the perimeter. If the defensive player does not get two stops, he remains playing defense in the hole. 1 point for offensive score 2 points if you get to leave the hole on defense 2 points for any charges taken 1. It is important for players to understand that sometimes they do things perfectly and opponents hit tough shots. 2. Coaches need to continually emphasize the correct angles and closeouts. 3. If there is a catch and shoot, we want to be the second jumper. We remain down with our hand up on our closeouts. This prevents fouling and possible pump fakes and blow bys. 4. Defense is about multiple efforts. A player's first effort is the close out. The second effort is using an angle to stop the drive. The second effort is the most important one. 5. Players must be careful not to over closeout. This allows for quick penetration. Defenders need to allow for some space on their closeout. 6. Defenders must KYP (know your personnel). If an offensive player is quicker, then allow for more space. If you have a size advantage, you can close out a step back. 7. Our goal is to only allow contested 2-point shot attempts. We are not giving clean threes off of drive and kicks. We are running guys off of the line. We are becoming second jumpers on contested two’s. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Trap To A Tip

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Agreat drill to work on multiple traps and a sprint mentality. Player 1 starts with the ball. Player 2 is under the rim. Defenders X1 & X2 are trapping player 1. The drill begins when 1 passes the ball to 2. (X1 & X2 are not allowed to touch that pass.) 1 is out of the drill after making the pass. As soon as 2 receives the pass, they dribble hard up the opposite side, trying to score. (Diagram 1) (Diagram 2) X1 & X2 sprint out of the trap at good angles to cut off 2 down the floor. If X1 and X2 are able to catch 2, they will look to trap along the sideline. If player 2 attempts to cross over and split the defenders, they will then chase from behind just as in the 2v1 tip from behind drill. X1 & X2 will look to tip the ball away before 2 can score. (Diagram 3) (Diagram 4) Tip: This drill is great for helping players learn to take good angles when getting the ball cut off. If not, they’ll end up behind the dribbler. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Ball Screen Reads

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This drill is a great drill to work on different ball screen reads. Players get reps attacking common ball screen coverages. They learn the ball handling and footwork combinations that work against each coverage, giving them comfort and confidence in games. You need 2 chairs (1 to be a defender, and 1 to be screen) (Diagram 1) Line players up at half court on the sideline. Each player has a ball. 1 dribbles below the screen to set their player up. 1 attacks off the screen and shoots a jumper or layup. 2 goes when 1 clears the screen. (Diagram 2) Once again 1 will dribble below the screen to set up the ball screen. We now pretend the on ball defender cheats towards the screen. 1 fakes like they are using the screen but then attacks back towards the baseline. In this scenario you will simulate a hedge (hence the 2nd chair). 1 dribbles below the screen to set up the defender. 1 then uses the screen and drags the hedger wide towards the center of the court. 1 should use a change of pace to get by the hedger (generally a big). 1 shoot a jumper or a layup. (Diagram 3) (Diagram 4) This is a 2nd hedge scenario. After setting up their defender, 1 comes off the screen. We assume there is a gap between the screen and the hedger. 1 fakes over the top before splitting the chairs. 1 should push the ball out to create space for a layup. Perform each scenario 4-6x on each side. Add in guided defense to force 1 to make a read based on how the screen is defended. Vary the types of shots & finishes players take in the drill. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Tip From Behind

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This drill is a great drill to use no matter what defense you run. Whether you press or not, players will find themselves trailing the ball and many times have the opportunity to tip from behind and create something positive from a negative situation….. if you practice this. Players partner up on the baseline The offensive player has a basketball. The defensive player lines up next to them on the dribbling hand side (in this diagram, all players would be dribbling with the right hand). The offensive player speed dribbles to the other end. The defensive player is trying to tap the ball away. If the offensive player changes hands, they must wait until the ball comes back or run behind to the other side. Never tip across the offensive player’s body. Defenders should tip the ball up softly with their inside hand. (Diagram 1) Tip: The defensive player MUST tip the ball with the hand that is next to the ball handler. So in the diagram above, each player would tip the ball with their left hand when the ball handler is dribbling with their right hand. This doesn’t always feel natural to players and takes practice. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

4 on 3 Overload Drill

Video by BreakthroughBBall

In the game of basketball, there are many situations where you have to scramble and match up with players; like rotating out of help defense and in transition. This is one of the best drills to improve your ability to scramble and match up. Your defense is at a constant disadvantage and it forces them to hustle, communicate, and rotate. In this 4 on 3 situation, someone will always be open, but with good positioning and effort you can keep things under control. This drill can also be done as a 5 on 4 type of drill. (Diagram 1) You start with three defenders and four offensive players. The ball starts on the wing. As the ball is passed, defenders have to leave their player, scramble to cover the ball or be in a good help position. The ball can be skipped and players are allowed to dribble penetrate in their areas (but are mostly stationary early on as you learn rotation). After you get the hang of rotating and scrambling, you go“live” and the offense looks to score. Effective Close Outs – If you are not going all out on our close outs in this drill, you will be exposed pretty quickly. You are already down in numbers, if someone isn’t closing all out and under control, you are beaten before you even start. Sprint To Areas / Effort – Hold people accountable on effort. Make sure they are sprinting to areas. Progress To More Situations and Increase Difficulty – After you are satisfied with the concepts sinking in, you can allow the offense free movement, interchanges, screens etc. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Split & Tip

Video by BreakthroughBBall

While you don’t want to get split in the press, it will happen. This is a great drill to work on the next right action when that happens. Offense and defense start in the corners. Player 1 has the ball. Player 1 starts the drill by dribbling hard towards the middle, splitting X1 & X2. (This is not what you want to happen, but it will happen.) X1 & X2 must sprint and chase down 1 from behind. Their goal is to tip the ball away from behind before 1 can score a layup. Only the player on the ball side should tip. Reaching across the ball handler’s body generally results in a foul. Defender’s should attempt to softly tip the ball up with the inside hand. (Diagram 1) Tip: Always tip up on the ball. Tipping down is generally called a foul. Tipping up almost never is. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

1v1 to 3v3 Full Court

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Being able to defend the ball in a one on one situation is vital. However, you need to have the capability to transition into help defense in a team setting! This drill is about building great 1 on 1 full court defense habits and transitioning into a half court setting. Then you work on all other aspects of your defense. Defending cuts, screens, getting into help position, stopping dribble penetration, etc. 3v3 defensive drills are also great because it’s tougher to defend the entire court with three players than with five players like during a game. Additionally, the offense learns how to handle the ball under pressure and improve passing. (Diagram 1) You have the ball handler start on the baseline. You have the defender guarding them. Two offensive players and two defensive players are set up on the opposite end of the floor. The defense’s goal is to get a stop. Their goal is to only allow one shot each possession. The offense’s goal is to score. The ball handler (2) advances the ball and tries to beat the defender (X2). Once the ball is dribbled past half court, it is a “live” 3 on 3 situation. After each possession, the defense turns to offense. Then they check the ball on the baseline and start over. Contain Ball – Your goal as a defender now is contain the ball. You do not allow straight line drives. You want to stay between your player and the basket! Wing Defenders Deny Pass – Defenders X3 and X4 are going to deny the pass on the wing and make it difficult to catch. Help And Recover – The defenders have to be ready to help and recover should the ball handler get past the initial defender. Help Across Not Up – If the ball handler beats the initial defender, the other defender, X3, is going to have to find a way to help slow the ball to give the recovering teammate time to get back. They should help “across” from their own player and keep the ball and their player in their line of sight. Try to stop the ball on the same level as your own player if possible. Helping “up” the court from your player in this situation will lead to the easy bucket on the lob ahead. Force Contested Jump Shots / No Lay Ups – Your Goal? Do not let the other team score! You do that by keeping the ball as far away from the basket as possible. Lay ups are NOT allowed! You want a contested jump shot as far from the basket as possible, with as much pressure and difficulty as possible. Force Turns Prior To Half Court – If you want to make the drill really challenging for the full court defender, you can reward them for the number of times that they force the ball handler to stop and change directions. Each change of direction is worth one point. Once they reach half court, it goes back to playing defense straight up. Also, this can be a similar strategy to use against teams that lack effective ball handlers or if you have some superb 1 on 1 full court defenders. Defense Stops – One effective tactic to get players to focus on the defensive end is to only allow them to transition to offense by getting a defensive stop. If they don’t get a stop, a new group of defenders comes in to stop the ball. If you score on offense, you stay on the court. Winner Stays – You can set up teams of three and play to a determined amount of points. The winners stay on the court. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

2v1 Shooting

Video by BreakthroughBBall

2v1 Shooting is a great drill to work on the shot or pass decision. It is a way for players to get game shots in a fun and competitive manner. It’s also a great defensive drill. It simulates a situation when the defense is at a disadvantage and one player has to guard two until their teammates arrive. Place 2 offensive players anywhere on the court, one pass away from each other. 1 defensive player starts close to the basket. The coach has a ball (Diagram 1) 1 and 2 are on offense x1 is on defense Coach passes to either 1 or 2 Coach passes to 1 in this case x1 closes out on the ball 1 can shoot or pass. The offense may not dribble or move. 1 passes to 2. The offense has a 1 pass limit so 2 has to shoot. 2 takes the shot (Diagram 2) (Diagram 3) x1 contests the shot You can predetermine what the D must do or have them do random actions. Be sure to emphasize passes being on time and on target. Offensive players should look at the rim before making the ‘one more’ pass. Players should think shot first. If the defender is more than an arm’s length away, the offense should shoot. If the defense is closer, that cues a pass. You can progress the drill and have the offensive player who receives the pass from the coach drive the ball. This allows you to work on your penetration reaction. If you like the side step 3, you can allow players to take one side dribble before shooting as shown in the video. Use different spots on the floor. If you have more coaches than groups, have the defense start with the ball and pass to an offensive player to begin the drill. Make the drill competitive. If the defense forces a miss or gets a deflection, they replace the player who shot (or threw the bad pass). If the offense makes the shot, the defender remains on defense. The defender’s goal is twofold. First, they want to make the offensive indecisive. Players should stunt at the player who receives the pass and also try to get a hand in the passing lane to deter straight line passes. The second defensive goal is to make the worst shooter take the shot. Defenders should know the offensive players and try to make the weaker shooter end up shooting a contested jump shot. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

DHO Reject Team

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Shooting We want our players to understand they can reject a dribble handoff at any time. Just like you can reject a ball screen, you can reject a dribble handoff. 1. Sometimes the defender knows the dribble handoff is coming. 2. If the defender is overplaying the dribble handoff, Player 1 or Player 2 signals a backdoor cut. 3. Before receiving the dribble handoff, Player two performs a backdoor cut and receives the pass from Player one for a potential layup. 1. The wing, Player 2, does not have to even run up for the dribble handoff. A backdoor cut can immediately be used with a jab step. 2. Don’t make the dribbler guess what you’re going to do- develop a signal for accepting or rejecting the DHO (dribble handoff). 3. It can be as simple as putting up an open hand. It just needs to be visible to the ball handler. (Diagram 1) 4. The signal for rejecting it could be a closed fist. 4. While Player 2 is attacking the basket, Player 4 sets a screen for Player 1. 5. Player 1 flares off the screen and receives a pass from Player 3. Player 1 shoots a 3-point shot. 1. The point guard should flare off the screen ready to catch and shoot. 2. Make sure everyone is on the same page with terminology to avoid confusion. 3. Do you use flare or fade? Whatever you use, use the same terms consistently. (Diagram 2) Don’t interchange to avoid confusion. 4. For us, a screen with the shooter going to the corner is a fade. 5. For us, a screen with the shooter going to the top is a flare. 6. Timing is critical for this action to work. If the point guard gets too far, the angle of the pass becomes harder. The back door pass should come from the point guard at the perimeter of the 3-point line. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Guard Overload

Video by BreakthroughBBall

The guards in a 2-3 must be relentless. They are essentially responsible for guarding 3 or 4 offensive players, with a little help from the backline. Thus, they must be confident in their rotations and move on the flight of the pass. This drills builds those habits. The offensive team has 4 players on the court. They are positioned at the point, on the wings, and at the high post. X1 and x2 are positioned at the guard positions in the 2-3 zone. Player 1 has a ball. (Diagram 1) (Diagram 2) The offensive players pass the ball among themselves. Offensive players cannot move, dribble or shoot. The defender’s rotate, being sure to deter the high post pass at all times. Stress moving on the flight of the pass. Defenders must be in a stance at all times. Defenders should read the eyes and shoulders of the passer. Remind defenders to play with their hands up to make passes harder. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Chair 1v1

Video by BreakthroughBBall

This is a fun shooting game that combines attack & counter shooting footwork with the same footwork in a 1v1 context. It forces players to go game speed on their shooting, and then read the defense as they transition to 1v1. It requires 3 chair & 3 basketball. 1 & 2 start on the baseline. 3 chairs are set up on the wings and the top of the key. Each chair has a ball. On “go,” both players run to the chair on their side, pivot and shoot. If they make the shot, they are awarded 2 points. After shooting, players race to the chair at the top of the key. Whoever gets the ball 1st is on offense. The offense has 2 dribbles to score. (Diagram 1) (Diagram 2) Baskets are worth 1 point. 1. Games are up to 5. 2. Every time players reset, they should switch which side they start on. 3. On the initial shot, you can prescribe a certain pivot or allow players to choose. 4. As players get to the ball for 1v1, they should scan to see where the defender is. That allows them to quickly utilize the proper footwork and attack. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Rebound By Numbers

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Rebounding out of the zone is a common concern. To do so effectively, defenders must identify their box out as soon as the shot goes up. This drill helps work on that skill. The drill starts with 5 offensive players and 2 defensive players. The defensive players are positioned in the paint. Offensive players are positioned beyond the 3 point line and are number 1-5. The coach starts with the ball. (Diagram 1) The drill starts with the coach shooting the ball. As they shoot, the coach will call out two numbers. (Diagram 2) The two players whose numbers are called go to rebound (4 & 1 in this diagram). X1 & x2 must find and box out those players. Play through the rebound. If you have fewer players, you can make the adjust the drill. In this diagram, you see it done with 3 offensive players & 1 defender. Stress communication. The defenders must talk to make sure they aren’t boxing out the same player. You can play the drill through the rebound or play it live until someone scores. (Diagram 3) To make the drill harder, allow the offense to move before the coach shoots. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Post Entry Team

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Shooting In this third variation of Primary Break, we will execute a Laker cut to the basket. The initial ball handler will drift to the corner as the safety valve. 1. The drill begins the same as the previous variations. (Diagram 1) (Diagram 2) 2. Player 1 passes ahead to Player 2. 3. Player 3 runs and stops a little higher on the block. 1. Player 2 enters the ball to the post who is set up above the block. 2. Player 2, instead of setting a screen, will execute a Laker cut and receivea pass from Player 3. 3. Player 1 will drift to the corner and receive a pass from Player 4 for a 3-point shot attempt. (Diagram 3) (Diagram 4) 1. This is another option for our players. Once the defense stops one action, we have alternatives for each set. 2. The offense can backdoor or go over the top of the screen depending on the defender’s position. 3. In these drills, the players are getting a lot of reps in a pressure situation which simulates game-like pressure. 4. The players are getting game shots at game speed. 5. They are building their IQ by understanding spacing and concepts 6. These actions will become reads by players during the game. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Deflection Drill

Video by BreakthroughBBall

Active hands are a must in the zone. Defenders should try to read the eyes and shoulders of whoever has the ball. By doing so, they put themselves in position to deflect passes and create turnovers. This drill builds those habits 3 offensive players form a triangle. 1 defensive player starts in the middle of the triangle Player 1 has a ball (Diagram 1) Offensive players pass among themselves. The offensive players are not allowed to move or dribble (Diagram 2) X1 attempts to deflect as many passes as possible. You can run the drill for a predetermined period of time (:45) or you can have the defender switch out when they get a deflection. In that case, the player who threw the deflected pass would become the new defender. The defender should read the eyes and shoulders of the passer to predict where the pass will go. Make this a passing drill too. Encourage your offensive players to use pass fakes and take pride in not getting passes deflected. You can build this drill up and make it 4v2, 4v3, 5v3 or 5v4. Made by Breakthrough Basketball

Ball Screen Defense Drill

Video by BreakthroughBBall

The drill starts with 5 offensive players and 3 defensive players. The offensive players are positioned on the blocks and wings. The defensive players are positioned on the blocks and at the top of the key. Be sure to rotate players through multiple spots. The drill starts with the 1 passing the ball to the wing. X1 sprints to cover the wing. 1 is then out of the drill. (Diagram 1) On all 3 reps, the offensive wings should allow X1 to get to them before dribbling. If they go before then, the drill won’t simulate a realistic ball screen situation. On the first rep, the big is in a drop coverage. X1 forces 3 to use the screen (does not allow them to reject the screen). X1 then chases over the top of the screen. X4 stays back to protect against the roll. This coverage protects the paint. It is designed to allow contested mid range pullup jumpers, a low percentage shot. After coming off the screen, 3 passes to 2 on the opposite wing. X4, as well as 3 and 4, return to their original positions. (Diagram 2) (Diagram 3) X1 sprints through to cover 2, who holds the ball until X1 arrives. On the second rep, the defense executes a flat hedge ball screen coverage. In this coverage, x5 moves laterally with the dribbler. As with the first rep, X1 goes over the screen. X5 continues laterally until X1 gets back in front. X1 should communicate to X5 when he can recover to their player. It’s important that X5 have high hands to deter a pass to 5 rolling. (Diagram 4) (Diagram 5) X5 recovers to 5 with high hands. 2 passes the ball to 3. X1 sprints to cover 3. For the final rep, the defense traps the ball screen. As 3 comes off the screen, X4 and X1 trap. X1 must get over the screen. X4 must get perpendicular to half court to cut off 3. X5 must move to the ball side as the trap is being set to anticipate the next pass. (Diagram 6) (Diagram 7) X1 and X4 trap 3. X5 fully rotates to deny the pass to 4. Make sure the defense dictates where the ball goes. The players guarding the dribbler MUST make them use the screen. They cannot allow the screen to be rejected by the ball handler. Stress proper defensive footwork. For all 3 reps, the on ball defender goes over the screen. Players must “get skinny” to present a smaller target for the screener. They must also get their foot over the screen and then sprint to get back in front. For the bigs, their footwork is equally important. On the flat hedge, they must be able to move laterally with the dribbler and then backpedal or sprint back to the roll man. On the trap, they must get perpendicular to half court. In the trap, players feet should be touching so they don’t get split. Communication from the big is essential. The defender guarding the screener must tell the guard what coverage they are in. Coach Schultz uses colors. Whatever terminology you use for ball screen coverage, your big must communicate this. Feel free to mix whatever ball screen coverages you use into the drill. Have the offensive guards work on their ball screen setups in this drill to develop that habit. Consider going live at any point of the drill. You could say the 3rd rep is live or call out ‘live’ at any point. Play would then be 3v3 with the opposite wing out of the play. Made by Breakthrough Basketball