Layup Drill and Fast Breaks

This first layup drill starts with three lines on the baseline and the ball in the middle. Initially, there’s a full-speed dribble to the opposite foulline. Then, the players immediately turn around and come back and get a layup. The ball handler should push the ball out in front each time. Players should also keep their heads up. When coming back, the middle player hits a wing player for the layup in stride.

With fast breaks, the players focus on different 3-Man Weaves starting at half court. The drill — which incorporates layups, pull-up jumpers, and five-footers using the glass — serves as a terrific warm-up drill.

Passing and Shooting Drills

For this passing drill, two players at a time will get down in a defensive stance, both on opposite sides of the paint starting at the baseline. Each pair will stay in their defensive stance all the way down the floor while catching and passing continuously. Players should stay in their defensive stance the entire time until the end. Once the first team hits the foul line, the next group starts.

Next, the team moves to a popular shooting drill. Two players will work with each other at one basket. Players should get their own rebound and make good passes to their teammate. The first team to make 10 shots at five baskets wins. Players count their made shots out loud. Shots are taken from the foul line, elbows, and just inside the key.

Ball Handling

Finally, in this particular ball handling session, UConn guards are working on dribbling down at one end of the floor. It’s a half-court drill where each player has a ball and goes up and back in a 1-on-0 situation. Players work on hesitation dribbling, stop and go’s, crossovers, and more — with both hands. Eventually, the guards move into drills against stationary defenders while incorporating layups.

Meanwhile, post players are on the other end of the floor working on low post positioning, entry passes, and moves in the paint with a defender on their back.

According to Auriemma, there’s only so much time during the middle of the season that you can devote to ball handling, but hopefully everything you do leads into it and incorporates it. The preseason and postseason are the optimal times to really work on your team ball handling.

The previous clips can be seen in Championship Productions’ DVD “All-Access Practice with Geno Auriemma.” To check out more videos featuring Coach Auriemma, click here.

Back Door Drills and Handoffs – Overview

Drill Set-Up

Get players into three lines; one in the middle of the floor just beyond the midcourt line, one on the wing, and one underneath the basket. Guards should be in the top two lines and big men are stationed under the hoop.

Drill Movements

Start the big guy at the low block. The guard will dribble from inside the circle (at midcourt) and then change direction real fast. Next, he will pass the ball to the big guy who just flashed up to the top.

Meanwhile, the wing player will then drive backdoor and look for the pass from the big guy. The wing player will look like they are trying to get open. At the same time, the big player will flash and meet the pass and then throw the backdoor pass.

The drill isn’t finished just yet. The big guy who passed it will go and get the rebound. The scorer will come and run right to the elbow. The big guy will go out of bounds and inbound to the guard at the elbow. That guard will then turn and dribble up the floor and the ball goes to the end of the line.

Drill Options

Also, there’s the option for the point guard to take the handoff from the big guy (if he doesn’t throw the backdoor pass). If this happens, the guard can shoot it, drive it to the hoop, or take a little pull-up jumper. Make sure that you alternate.

Remember, cutters can’t move too soon. We want the defense to think that we are throwing the ball to the wing. Instead, it’s going to the flasher. This is how we start building the offense right away. Also, make sure that you cut right off the player’s shoulder when you come get the ball.

Now switch sides. Every time we make a pass over a defender’s head, no matter where we throw it, as soon as he turns, we are moving hard one way — even if that player doesn’t turn. Cut whichever way he’s not looking. This is how you can teach kids who aren’t as quick to get open and get a hand-off.

Key: Make an overhead pass to cut to the defender’s weak side. To get open, you have to run right at the guy with the ball. Make the defender make a mistake. Either way, the defender is going to get hung up.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Geno Auriemma: Dynamic Offensive Practice Drills.” To check out more videos featuring team drills, visit our extensive basketball library.

1 seed- Connecticut Huskies (Geno Auriemma)
1 seed- Stanford Cardinals (Tara Vanderveer)

1 seed- Connecticut Huskies (Geno Auriemma)
1 seed- Stanford Cardinals (Tara Vanderveer)
1 seed- Tennessee Lady Volunteers (Pat Summitt)
2 seed- Duke Blue Devils (Joanne P. McCallie)

3-Man Weave Box Out

The goal of this drill is to work on going full speed and incorporating passing, catching and cutting, plus getting into the mode of boxing out and grabbing offensive rebounds. The drill doesn’t finish until the ball goes through the basket. Players should always aim for initial six-foot bank shots from the blocks.

Typically, the amount of players on a team is the number of shots you should strive to make. If you really want to challenge your squad, look to make as many baskets in a row as there are players on the team.

Drag

Drag is a full-court transition drill and features three players equally spread out on the baseline. After an outlet pass starts the fast break, the player in the middle quickly dribbles up the court to the top of the opposite key. Next, the left wing player cuts to the center and sets an on-ball screen. The option is there for a pick and roll or a pull-up jumper. After the basket is made, a rebounder takes the ball out of bounds and passes to the player cutting to the middle. Now, the unit pushes the ball up the court and looks to finish another set.

Long & Short Outlets

The goal of this drill is to get transition layups without the ball ever hitting the floor. It all begins with a short outlet pass and then finishes with a long outlet to the wing player for the layup. This drill is meant to go at a very fast pace and it’s important that the long outlet player beats his/her man down the floor. The key to all transition breaks is simple: beat your man down the court. There should be only two passes and a single layup per set.

This All-Access look can be seen in the Championship Productions’ DVD “All-Access Practice with Geno Auriemma.” To check out more videos featuring Coach Auriemma, click here.

The AP Top 25 is filled with programs / coaches who have partnered with Championship Productions to produce instructional basketball DVDs.  Check out the Top 25 coaches who have worked with us below:

1.  Connecticut  (Coached by Geno Auriemma)
2.  Baylor
3.  Stanford  (Coached by Tara Vanderveer)
4.  Tennessee  (Coached by Pat Summitt)
5.  Xavier
6.  Duke  (Coached by Joanne Palombo-McCallie)
7.  Ohio State  (Coached by Jim Foster)
8.  Texas A & M
9.  Kentucky
10.  Oklahoma  (Coached by Sherri Coale)
11.  West Virginia
12.  Notre Dame
13.  Georgetown
14.  St. John’s
15.  North Carolina  (Coached by Sylvia Hatchell)
16.  UCLA
17.  Texas  (Coached by Gail Goestenkors)
18.  Florida State
19.  Georgia  (Coached by Andy Landers)
20.  Iowa State  (Coached by Bill Fennelly)
21.  Maryland  (Coached by Brenda Frese)
22.  Iowa
23.  TCU
24.  Vanderbilt
25.  Michigan State

They’ve been unstoppable over the past two years, winning every game until Tuesday night by double figures, and passing their own NCAA women’s Division I record of 70 straight wins set from 2001-03 in early March. The championship victory put them within 10 of the vaunted 88-game winning streak set by the UCLA men in the early 1970s.

All Access Kentucky Basketball Practice with John Calipari
All Access Practice with Pat Summitt
All Access Kansas Basketball Practice with Bill Self
All Access Duke Basketball Practice with Mike Krzyzewski
All Access Practice with Geno Auriemma

Connecticut (Coached by Geno Auriemma)
Stanford (Coached by Tara Vanderveer)
Tennessee (Coached by Pat Summitt)
Duke (Coached by Joanne Palombo-McCallie)
Ohio State (Coached by Jim Foster)
Oklahoma (Coached by Sherri Coale)
Iowa State (Coached by Bill Fennelly)
Georgia (Coached by Andy Landers)
Virginia (Coached by Debbie Ryan)
Texas (Coached by Gail Goestenkors)
LSU (Coached by Van Chancellor)
Rutgers (Coached by C. Vivian Stringer)
Middle Tennessee State (Coached by Rick Insell)
North Carolina (Coached by Sylvia Hatchell)
Depaul (Coached by Doug Bruno)