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Archives by Tag 'Issue #37'

2 Game-Like Team Transition Drills That Pay Dividends

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The ensuing team transition drills are perfect for practicing typical transition game situations and promoting healthy competition during practice. Read through the details below and then watch the video clips to see exactly how each drill should be implemented out on the floor.

Circle Break Drill

Submitted by Steve Pappas, Deerfield High School, Deerfield, IL

Intro: The Circle Break Drill is an effective all-purpose drill that incorporates all phases of the game. It can be run with restrictions, but is also ideal for building conditioning and team toughness.

The Set-up: Divide your team into four groups for this 3-on-3 transition drill. Make sure that each team is equipped with a different colored shirt. Team A starts on offense and attacks Team B. Both teams stay on the court until one team scores. The team that scores must get back on defense while another team waiting under the scoring basket inbounds the ball and attacks. If Team A scores, Team B will step off the floor. Team A will get back on defense and Team C steps onto the floor and begins offense.

The Finish: C1 gets the ball out of the net and bursts up the floor with a dribble or pass. When a team steps off the court, they must occupy positions under the basket and on the sideline and should be prepared to enter when the ball goes in their basket. Keep track of the score and play with a time limit. Fouls also result in points and the foul team steps off the floor.

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Recovery Drill

Submitted by Bill Savarese, Murry Bergtraum High School, New York, NY

Intro: The object of the Recovery Drill is to get your players to improve their reaction time for getting back on defense and for quicker defensive recovery while in transition. It also incorporates fast break patterns, improves player decision-making abilities, and hones skills for boxing out, rebounding, and shooting.

Set-Up: Line up five offensive players along the baseline and five defensive players facing them and across the court at the foul line extended. Defensive players are numbered 5 through 1 and go from left to right on the court.

The Action: To begin, the coach yells out a defensive player’s number while rolling the ball out to an offensive player of his/her choosing. At the yell, the offensive player secures the ball and heads down court on a fast break. All defenders run back in defensive transition, except for the player whose number was called out by the coach (in this example, X 1). X 1 must run and touch the baseline before transitioning, giving the offense a momentary 5-on-4 break. X 1 must run back as fast as possible to help his teammates while the offense looks to score on transition.

The Finish: On the shot attempt, the defense secures the rebound and heads back into transition going the other way. Rotate in a new group of players (if you have 15 on the roster) and repeat the drill for a predetermined time limit. Be sure to mix up the players that touch the baseline.

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The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “25 Aggressive Transition & Conditioning Drills” produced by Winning Hoops. To check out more drills in the Winning Hoops collection, simply visit our basketball library.

Filed in Basketball Newsletter • Tags: BasketballCoach eNewsletter, Issue #37, Transition Drills, Winning Hoops

Bob Hurley: Dynamic Fast Break & Press Break Drills to Implement Now

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, May 30, 2012

In this week’s team concepts feature, Hall of Fame basketball coach Bob Hurley reveals his favorite and most effective fast break and press break drills. The drills – used frequently by the St. Anthony’s (NJ) basketball program – can be adapted for any level of basketball and focus on recreating competitive, game-like fast break scenarios.

2-on-1 to 5-on-5

This continuous fast break drill starts with a simple full court 2-on-1 break. You can start things off the backboard or via free throw, but for today’s example, we start the 2-on-1 on the break.

It’s a one shot drill (unless there’s a steal or turnover). After the play is over, the two offensive players immediately go back on defense and now go up against three offensive players and it becomes a 3-on-2. We keep adding from here and it eventually builds up to a 5-on-5 drill.

After the 3-on-2, the three offensive players run back on defense and now two more guys join the previous two defenders to make it a 4-on-3. Next up, it’s 5-on-4, and then the drill comes back 5-on-5 to finish.

Consider doing this drill for two straight minutes at practice. For instance, the white team starts off and every time they score, put points up on the scoreboard. After two minutes, the blue team goes, and after four total minutes, you have a validation.

The 2-on-1 to 5-on-5 drill is a great way to get fast break reps in at the beginning of practice. It’s also a way to get in running that’s related to basketball.

Flood Drill

This drill is a great way to prepare for the press. Offensively, start by getting two big guys at half court and on opposite ends and two guards at the elbows.

Note: We are not going to make the short pass against the diamond press because it’s too easy to trap. We want the first receiver to catch the ball near the three-point line so he has some room to operate. The inbounder can then trail behind the pass, the opposite half-court player can flash, and the opposite elbow guy can cut towards the ball.

From here, we play 7-on-5. Psychologically, we want to believe we can get shots off in a 7-on-5 format and eventually develop an attitude facing a press team.

“Flood” basically means regular press offense. When the inbounder yells Flood, the two elbow guys turn and run down the court deep. Both go wide and keep running deep. The point guard gets to half court and flashes back right into the middle of the floor. Meanwhile, the other deep player is on the fly and you may throw it over the top to him if it’s available.

Both bigs come charging up the floor and running hard on opposite sides toward the inbounder looking to receive the ball near the three-point line. Look to hit either one. Then the flashing guard comes into the picture and we can hit him in the middle. Hit him in the middle and then let him go from there. According to Coach Hurley, his team runs a Flood often at the end of games when the opposition applies the full-court pressure.

We run it with seven guys and it works well psychologically. The defense runs a 1-3-2-1 press, which takes a lot of passes away.

Know of another fast break drill that’s been particularly effective for your own team? Send us an e-mail at info@championshipproductions.com and tell us all about it. Then stay tuned as we’ll feature it in an upcoming basketball newsletter.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Bob Hurley’s Practice Planning & Program Development.” To check out more videos featuring Bob Hurley, head over to our basketball library.

Filed in Basketball Newsletter • Tags: BasketballCoach eNewsletter, Bob Hurley, Issue #37, Practice Drills, Program Development

Princeton Offense: Low Post Options and Keys to Success

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Back in October and November, we ran through the basics of the Princeton Offense, highlighted a common formation called “Chin“, and then detailed the 5 Out formation. This week, with coach Lee DeForest as your guide, we’re going to build off of those previous concepts and focus on low post options and other keys to success. After putting all of these effective sets together, you’ll be equipped with many different plays in order to give your opponents fits all season long.

Princeton Offense – “LOW”

While Low is a high post offense, it’s dedicated towards getting the ball into the low post. That’s its strength. After you’ve made your initial cuts for a while (such as chest and chin), look to throw it to the forward (but no dribble weave) with a guard to forward pass on the same side as the pivot.

After the pass, the guard will cut through to the elbow under the rim and to the opposite weakside corner. You end up with the ball on the wing and will now try to post up as hard as you can and get the ball inside. If the ball doesn’t get inside, you can dribble up, the guard makes a backdoor cut, and he fills the dribbling forward’s spot. From there, the forward dribbles up to the slot area. The key with the offense is to flow from one set to the next without calling out a new set every time.

Note: You must pay attention and read the basketball. This tells you where to go and what to do. Eventually, you can get back into the Chin series.