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Teams equipped with smaller, less athletic players often face an uphill challenge when they go up against bigger, more powerful squads. However, teams can still turn this perceived weakness into a strength by implementing specific strategies and sets on the basketball floor.
With 2010-11 Naismith National High School Boys Basketball Coach of the Year Kevin Boyle leading the way, learn about different ways you can win with undersized players. Boyle provides an overview of his offense before getting into specific team drills to practice the key concepts.
For undersized teams, the goal here is to spread the floor after we get over half court. However, the first problem is getting the ball up the court against pressure. You might have a lot of trouble even getting into your sets and plays.
First, you want to stretch high and wide full court against a more athletic team. Stay out of the corners so that guys have the opportunity to fade to the corners and drive when necessary. Second, look to keep 15 to 18-foot spacing between guards and 15 to 18-foot spacing between the wings.
With this first motion offense, we have a few simple rules: 1) If you pass below, you cut through, 2) If there is no post player on the ballside, aim for an inside cut looking for a layup or quick cut behind the defender, 3) When the passer cuts, the opposite guard fills in for him and the opposite wing fills in for the opposite guard, 4) If you pass the ball out, replace yourself, and 5) If you pass across, cut to the rim hard and fill the wing’s spot on the same side. Or, after passing across, look to get a little flare screen with the wing player screening for the cutter. You can also pass across and then screen down.
With these rules, you learn about spacing, cutting, and some simple rules to teach kids how to space the floor (especially against teams that are bigger, longer, and more athletic). The goal here is that we want to create good space for backdoors and gap dribbles.
If you feed the post, look to make a banana cut to the elbow with space, have players fill, and then pass it back out for the three-point attempt. It really makes a difference if you take the opponent’s big man away from the basket by having a high post instead of a low post. Remember, we aren’t screening a lot with this set because we’re relying on cutting.
Get two lines of players, one at the top of the key and near half court and the other on the ballside wing. Players on the wing will sprint off the screen and V-cut toward the pass. Look to create spacing.
Players will catch the pass, rip it, dribble hard towards the paint, jump stop, and then dish out to a flaring wing player in the corner. After players pass the ball, they should backpedal beyond the three-point line (for defensive balance).
The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Kevin Boyle: How to Win with Undersized Players.” To check out more videos featuring set plays and drills, click here.
Add a new wrinkle to practices this season by implementing these dynamic team rebounding drills. The following drills focus on a number of rebounding concepts and situations, including transition basketball and offensive rebounding. The drills can be used at any level of basketball and will keep your players motivated, working hard, and best of all, improving.
Submitted by Darryl Lowrey, Jemison HS, Jemison AL
This drill is great for rebounding, outlet passes, filling lanes in transition, and overall a terrific conditioning drill. Start with one line of players under the basket and one line on the sideline at the free throw line extended.
Player 1 under the basket throws the ball off the backboard, rebounds it aggressively, and outlets the ball to the first player in the other line. Player A dribbles up the floor and jump stops at the foulline and then passes to Player 1 for a layup or short jumper.
Note: After making the pass, Player 1 must sprint to fill the lane and be ready for the pass. The players then swap responsibilities with A throwing the ball off the backboard, rebounding, and dishing an outlet pass to Player 1. After everyone has had a turn in the drill, the players change lines and run the drill on the opposite side of the court.
Submitted by Len Garner, North Gwinnett HS, Suwanee GA
This is a competitive, hard-nosed offensive rebounding drill that teaches your players to be aggressive when fighting for rebounds. Divide your squad into three equal teams. A coach should stand just inside the free throw line. The three teams each form a line – one at each elbow, and one in the middle of the free throw line area.
The first player in each line steps into the paint. The coach tosses the ball off the rim and the three players battle for the ball. The goal for each player is to battle for the ball, get the offensive rebound, and put it back in the basket. The rebounder is not allowed to bring the ball below chin level, dribble, or allow the ball to be knocked loose. If the player scores, they go to the end of his/her team’s line and the next player steps in. Players must score to get out of the drill. The first team to have each of its players score wins.
The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Over 30 Team Rebounding Drills.” Check out more drills in the Winning Hoops collection by clicking here.
St. Anthony’s (NJ) head coach Bob Hurley is widely recognized as one of the nation’s most respected and top overall high school basketball coaches. The two-time National Coach of the Year and winner of 25 state titles was a recent inductee to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
In this exclusive look, learn eight tips and strategies for practice planning from Coach Hurley. The segment covers everything from drills to time management and to practice organization. Finally, we’ll reveal one of Coach Hurley’s favorite warm-up drills that gets players thinking and playing sharp early in practice.
1. At all times, you must get your practice plan on paper and stick to the schedule. Difficult things (like rebounding drills and screening drills) must be short in duration so the kids can follow and pick them up.
If a drill didn’t work, like a blockout drill, it’s up to the coach to come back the next day with a different drill. Don’t come back and be stubborn and try the same exact thing. In terms of drills, variety is really important for successful practices.
2. Alternate hard and easy drills/segments. We go four minutes with a particular segment. For instance, we got the explanation in the beginning and validation at the end (Coach Hurley picked this up from Vance Walberg).
With validation, pick a person at the end of the drill to shoot a free throw. If he makes it, move on to the next drill. But if he misses it, the team must run a sprint, do crunches or pushups. Do this for every segment. It incorporates pressure free throws. Plus, winning and losing is involved, some conditioning/running, and pressure situations.
3. Use the clock daily. Make use of your managers. One can do the clock and the other can help with drills. This is helpful for keeping time of drills, rebounding, and keeping track of makes.
4. Make practice competitive and fun. Competition lends to game speed. End practice each day with something challenging but fun.
5. When the team comes in to stretch, they do dynamic stretching now. After stretching, the team does a 30-second meeting and something to motivate the kids right before breaking. The team meets before, during and after practice. Coach Hurley blows the whistle, and everything stops in the drills. Kids must respond to the drill. If Coach Hurley points to the circle, that means the squad must come together for a quick meeting. The last kid that arrives must do 10 pushups. The team might do this 4-5 times a day.
6. In the first 15 minutes of practice, every coach must say something positive about every player. It’s not hard to do. As practice goes on and gets more intense, Coaches tend to get pickier. At the end of practice, the squad will get together again and have a 30-second meeting. John Wooden once said, “Always leave practice on a positive note.” We try to do this every day, even if it was a tough practice.
7. Win and lose starting jobs at practice. Make this happen every single day. Don’t allow guys to become “game-day players.” This will motivate players every day of the season.
8. Implement something new every day. It’s never too early to make the kids think.
Here’s a terrific warm-up drill to get players thinking and making quick decisions early in practice.
Start at the baseline with two players spaced out about 5-7 feet. First, there’s a pass from the inside player to the outside player. The inside player then cuts to the elbow. Note: Use only chest passes right now and focus on catching and moving. That elbow player gets the ball back. Next, that same player passes to a third player up at mid-court. The player from the corner now comes to the top of the circle. We hit him with a pass. That passer now follows him and heads to the end of the line.
The player with the ball now passes to yet another player up on the right side of the mid-court line. He then follows behind. The ball then goes back to the player at the top of the circle, then on to a player in the far corner/three-point area. Now, this player hits a different player cutting to the hoop for a layup.
The passer and the layup player are then immediately off and the next two players on the baseline start again. Start with layups and then mix in some jumpers. You can also get up to three balls going at once, that is if players aren’t daydreaming.
The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Practice Planning and Program Development.” To check out more videos in the Bob Hurley catalog, click here.
Legendary UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma prefers drill work that translates from practice to the game. In this week’s team development feature, learn some new half-court offensive drills that place an emphasis on the ability to pass, catch, dribble, and shoot. The drills are consistently used by Auriemma and his basketball teams and should make a tremendous addition to your practices this season.
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.
Check out these three pracrical shooting drills that replicate game situations. Robert Morris head lacrosse coach Kenneth “Bear” Davis leads you through each one, first through whiteboard discussion and then via on-field simulations. Each drill is suitable for players of all levels and easy to implement into your own practices. After making these drills a part of your practice routine, hopefully they’ll deliver results come game time.
In this drill, one player will start with the ball before giving it up to his teammate. That first player will then make a back cut immediately after passing the ball. The feeder will then pass it right back to that player before the shooter get his hands set and then rips a shot. Communication is particularly important here among players for this type of play to succeed.
Meanwhile, the shooter has options. He can shuffle down, or get an over-the-shoulder look, among several other moves. Also, the “Give and Go” is ideal for middies in order to simulate a fast break, where players typically pass off to a point attackman before calling for the ball right back. You typically see give and go looks stemming from fast break opportunities.
Tip: On the shuffle move, players should get their shoulders square to the ball carrier before calling for the ball and receiving it back.
If your offense features a lot of pick and rolls, it’s key that your offense can also read and react to the pick and rolls, too. This drill is a great way to practice this.
You can run this drill from the side or from up top, whatever fits your offense best. Don’t forget that players need to open up and get their shoulders square to the ball carrier (so he/she can be ready to receive the pass). Coaches can also dictate where they want players to move in the drill, like telling players they must give it up, or go to the cage, or allow a player to freelance (unscripted).
Tip: You can run this drill on both sides of the cage at the same time to maximize reps and make sure everyone is getting involved.
According to Coach Davis, this is not a drill for the weak. Line up your players in two lines and within the hash marks of the field. One line should be filled with defenders. The other line will have midfielders or attackmen. One midfielder/attacker will carry the ball and go one-on-one with a defenseman. Players have limited space to work with and must stay within the perimeter of hash marks (where the lines are formed).
Starting at the 50-yard line, players must run down the gauntlet until it’s just a one-on-one with the goal. If the offensive player beats the defender clean, then the defender must do all he/she can to chase and recover. The offensive player will look to get off a high percentage shot on goal.
This is a terrific warm-up drill for 1-on-1’s. Defenders get to work on their footwork and offensive players get to work on their ball protection.
Tip: Once within 10 yards of the cage, players can then shoot on net. Also, you can make this drill as physical as you’d like, but it’s recommended to get the fundamentals down first.
The previous shooting drills can be seen in Championship Productions’ DVD “25 Game-Speed Shooting Drills For Lacrosse” with Kenneth Davis. Check out more shooting drills right here.
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