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Archives by Tag 'Issue #51'

5 Quick-Fire Shooting Drills to Maximize Reps in Practice

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, December 12, 2012

In this week’s player development feature, pick up five efficient shooting drills designed to pay major dividends for your basketball team. Follow along with De La Salle (CA) head coach Frank Allocco as he walks through each drill before players go through live simulations. These drills focus on using proper fundamentals, getting maximum reps in a short period of time, and instilling confidence in each one of your players.

Form Shooting

Consider This: It’s difficult for elite teams to put a player on the floor that can’t shoot. Every player must be a scorer and learn how to shoot the basketball. If you want to get quicker, shoot the ball better. If you can shoot, defenders must be able to extend out on you and now you have the edge.

How it Works: This is a drill that Coach Allocco does with his team every day. For form shooting, start with one-handed shots about five feet from the hoop. Stress perfection. Players should get their feet parallel and get air between the ball and their palm. Get yourself in a good stance and position and have your shoulders, knees, and toes lined up.

Tips and Variations: Take about four or five shots. The goal is to develop great form and technique. Extend that elbow and finish nice and high. Then move back a step and continue all the way to the three-point line. Form shooting stresses the importance of bending your knees when shooting. Remember that power comes from the legs and the extension of the elbow. This is also a great range finder.

Box Shooting

Teams can get just about every possible type of shot out of this drill. First, let’s work on the inside pivot. Get two lines under the hoop. The first player up will come up the lane, make a good pivot, start to lower his/her shoulder, turn the left foot in, catch the ball, and pull the leg right up into the shot around the free throw line. The pulling of the leg helps with momentum. You can also break up your team on opposite ends and do this competitively and keep score. The players take it a lot more seriously when there’s a consequence.

Lift Fakes and Dribble-Ins/Outs

Lift Fakes: Keep the same set-up as our previous drill. Now after catching the ball, players will make a lift fake before shooting the ball.

Dribble-Ins: Now, players will catch the ball, lift fake, turn their body sideways, make one dribble, and shoot.

Dribble-Outs: Finally, on dribble-outs, the passer must run an inside course or else players will collide. Shooters will get the ball, make an inside pivot, lift fake, step out, then turn and get momentum into the shot. Remember, pass and follow inside.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Frank Allocco: Developing the Complete High School Player.” To check out more videos focusing on team shooting, click here.

Filed in Basketball Newsletter • Tags: BasketballCoach Newsletter, De La Salle Basketball, Frank Allocco, Issue #51, Player Development, Shooting, Shooting Drills

Man-to-Man Defense: 3 Breakdown Drills to Improve Team Toughness

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Looking for ways to increase intensity and toughness on the defensive side of the ball? In this week’s team concepts feature, Northern Iowa head basketball coach Ben Jacobson reveals three energetic man-to-man defensive drills that will provide a solid foundation for your practices.

Slide Run Pivot

Overview: This first drill works on technique and building the mindset that “We will guard the basketball.” It’s a great drill to do during the first few months of practices.

How it Works: Start in the far baseline corner. When players get to the elbow, they should make a jump stop. After this, make a reverse pivot, make three defensive slides, turn, and sprint to half court. Make a jump stop at half court. Then make a defensive slide all the way across half court. Next, repeat but on the other side of the court. Finish by sliding across the baseline to your original starting point.

Keys to the Drill:

-Shoulders and head must stay level. Widen your hands out.

-On jump stops, make sure your feet are wider than your shoulders.

-Players should say, “Push push push” while making a slide. Talk the entire time.

Alley Drill

This is one of Coach Jacobson’s favorite drills. An offensive player starts at half court and must get the ball to the end line. They are NOT trying to score. The offensive player must stay inside the free throw line extended area on both sides. He/she only has this alley to get the ball to the endline. Defensively, it’s all about working on technique and avoiding fouls. There will be some contact, but it’s essential to do this drill without fouling.

Tips: Start with the dribble alive. Turn the defender as many times as you can. Any time the ball goes outside the lane lines, you must move back three feet and start again. Keep your feet on the ground with hands wide. Rotate through three offensive guys and then switch defenders.

1-on-1 Live From the Wing

For this final drill, it’s a similar set-up to the last drill except now we are starting from the wing area and the offensive player is looking to score.

Defensively, don’t get beat baseline. Look to level the dribble off going toward the top of the key. Trace the basketball with one hand. It’s the job of the defender to stop the offense with a loose ball recovery, charge, or defensive rebound. The offensive player only has three dribbles. Look to go through three offensive players before switching out. Defenders, get those hands up and chest out on every shot.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Competitive Drills for Man-to-Man Defense.” To check out more defensive-oriented videos, simply head over to our basketball library.

Filed in Basketball Newsletter • Tags: BasketballCoach Newsletter, Ben Jacobson, Defense, Defensive Drills, Issue #51, Man-to-Man Defense

Two Proven Sideline Inbounds Plays with Multiple Options

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, December 12, 2012

In this week’s Playbook Series, we break down a pair of effective sideline inbounds plays that provide teams with a variety of options to score the basketball. First follow the breakdown of each play before watching them simulated out on the basketball court. These proven plays will make a great addition to the playbook this season.

Three-Point Thriller

Submitted by Gene Keady, Former head coach at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

The Set-up: Player 3 inbounds the ball on the sideline. Player 4 starts in near corner while 2 is on the near block. Player 1 is on the farside block and player 5 is at the top of the key. This play has two options.

Option 1: Player 4 screens down for 2, who pops out to the baseline corner for a shot. If you need a two-point look, player 4 is also an option.

Option 2: Player 5 screens down for 1. If player 1 can’t shoot after getting the ball up top, he/she can pass to player 3, who follows his pass and looks for the spot-up jumper.

Box Play From the Sideline

Submitted by Tom Moriarty, Oneonta High School, Oneonta, New York

The Set-up: Player 3 takes the ball out of bounds. 5 starts on the near low block, while 4 is at the top of the key aligned with the near lane line. Player 2 is on the farside block and 1 is on the opposite top of key area aligned with the far lane line.

The Action: Player 2 starts by breaking to the near corner off a low screen set by 5. Player 4 starts toward the ball and then loops off a backscreen set by 1. 1 pops out and receives the ball.

Next, player 1 reverses the ball to 4 as 3 makes a low cut from out of bounds and off a backscreen by 5. Player 5 rolls back to the middle of the lane and posts up. 1 screens away for 2, who comes high for a shot or ball reversal. If 2 reverses the ball to 1, 5 makes a back screen for 4, who makes a low post cut.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Over 50 Sensational Sideline Inbounds Plays” produced by Winning Hoops. To check out more effective team plays in the Winning Hoops collection, head over to our basketball library.