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Archives by Tag 'Rebounding Drills'

3 Valuable Team Rebounding Drills that Produce Results

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Hall of Fame basketball coach Bob Hurley has racked up more than 1,000 wins and 26 championships during his illustrious career. In this week’s team concepts feature, learn three of Coach Hurley’s favorite and most effective rebounding drills. The drills – used frequently by St. Anthony’s (NJ) – can be adapted for any level of basketball and focus on recreating competitive, game-like rebounding situations.

Bluejay Drill

First, have your players set up at one end of the court. Get two “white team” players on the baseline and two “blue team” players at the elbows. (Also, you can put two more elbow players behind the other two as the next group on deck to participate in the drill.) Down at the other end of the court, there should be six more players doing this same exact drill. A coach has the ball on the baseline.

The Bluejay Drill is all about aggression and has nothing to do with technique. Simply, it gets guys to really go after the ball. Have a coach throw the ball to one of the elbow players. The player will catch it and if the baseline players don’t close fast enough, they can just catch and shoot it. The elbow guys must score twice and the baseline guys must score once.

Note: Often in this drill, the baseline guys will bust out and the elbow guy shoots a jumper but the defender will turn and get the rebound and lay it in, resulting in his team winning. Therefore, the shooters must go in and get the ball on a miss.

The two teammates must work together to get the ball in the hoop. It’s 2-on-2, so use your teammates and finish the play. The drill rotates players through and make sure that players take turns at the different positions.

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Huggins Drill

Looking to teach your players proper box out technique? In the Huggins Drill, players start out back-to-back and sitting on the floor in pairs. When the coach yells “Up” the players get up and block each other out.

Tips: Get your elbows out, feet wide, and look to hold your positioning for about five seconds. Drive the hands and get your hands up.

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4-on-3 Blockout Drill

Start out with three teammates (the defensive team) in the lane and standing next to each other while facing out. Meanwhile, there are four other teammates (the offensive team) spread out around the perimeter.

The coach will throw the ball out to any one of the offensive players. When he does, the defensive players come out and guard the ball. The second guy takes the next pass, and the third guy sits on the help side. As the ball gets moved, always look to guard the two most dangerous and then split the distance with the other guy. When it moves from the corner to the nearest up-top guy, the defenders change up their positioning. The middle guy now goes to play the ball and the others work the passing lanes. In other words, when the ball moves, there should be constant defensive rotation.

First, work on movement and getting proper positioning on defense. When the coach says to shoot, the player with the ball grabs it and immediately takes the shot. The defensive players must block out everyone but the shooter. Therefore, it’s key that the defenders communicate effectively. As soon as coach yells “shot”, a fourth blue team player comes into the play and blocks out the shooter. Be sure to switch teams from offense to defense.

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The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Bob Hurley: Practice Planning & Program Development.” To check out more rebounding drills, click here. To check out more videos on program development, click here.

Filed in Basketball • Tags: BasketballCoach eNewsletter, Bob Hurley, Practice Planning, Program Development, Rebounding Drills

Two Highly-Effective Team Rebounding Drills to Add to Your Practice Plan

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2011

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.

Rebound to Transition Drill

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.

“Banger” Offensive Rebounding Drill

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.

Filed in Basketball • Tags: Practice Drills, Rebounding, Rebounding Drills, Team Rebounding, Winning Hoops

3 Beneficial Team Rebounding Drills

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Look to add these dynamic team rebounding drills to your practice plan this season. The drills work on a number of rebounding concepts and situations, including transition basketball. The drills can be used at any level and will keep your players motivated, working hard, and best of all, improving.

Triangle Box Out Drill

Submitted by Don Hess, Highstown HS, Highstown NJ

Set up 3-on-3 action in a triangle formation with X’s as the defense and O’s as the offense. Get two players on the low blocks and one at the FT line. On the coach’s command, the X’s rotate clockwise or counter clockwise to box out the offensive players. On the coach’s shot, the defensive players locate the offensive players and both teams fight for the rebound.

Play to 10 points. You receive one point for each offensive rebound or defensive rebound. Each player keeps their own score and says his cumulative score out loud after each round. The first player to 10 points wins, with consequences for the losers. Then switch the X’s to offense and O’s to defense.

This drill is perfect for practicing communication on defense, boxing out, and offensive rebounding techniques.

3-on-3 Full Court Rebounding Drill

Submitted by Keith Cooper, St. Martin’s University, Lacey, WA

Divide your team evenly into squads of three players. Three offensive players start out around the perimeter with one at the top of the key and two on the wings. Next, there are three defensive players stacked one in front of the other in the paint. The coach will yell out “Rebound” and then the offensive players will proceed to crash the boards.

Meanwhile, the defenders box out outside the paint and hold their blockouts. After holding their blockouts for 2-3 seconds, the coach intentionally misses a shot and players fight for the loose ball. If the defense secures the rebound, they’ll immediately outlet and go 3-on-0 in transition. If the offense scores on transition with either a jumper or layup, they are awarded one point. If they miss the shot, they do not get a point. The offense also gets a point for an offensive board and one point for a putback. On any putback, the offensive player may dribble but cannot pass.

After the 3-on-0 transition break, offense goes to defense and a new team goes to offense. The first team to 10 points wins.

Transition Rebounding

Submitted by Bobby Lutz, UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

This is a 5-on-5 team transition rebounding drill. You can use different offensive alignments, pass the ball around, and make adjustments defensively until a coach shoots the ball. On the shot, two of the X’s box out and two of the defenders run into transition.

After the ball is thrown to an outlet player, the coach passes full-court to the other coach stationed on the other end of the floor. The offensive players must now get back on defense as the coach shoots. The defenders then get to simulate boxing out on the three-pointer while in transition. This forces both teams to concentrate on rebounding in both full and half-court situations. You can also work on your man-to-man double teams in the post. Plus, it’s a controlled 5-on-5 and very similar to game situations.

The drills above – any dozens more – can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Over 30 Team Rebounding Drills” produced by Winning Hoops. Check out more rebounding videos by visiting our extensive DVD library.

Filed in Basketball • Tags: Basketball Coach eNewsletter, Practice Drills, Rebounding Drills, Team Rebounding, Winning Hoops

A Pair of Useful Team Rebounding Drills

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, April 20, 2011

It’s no secret that winning the rebounding battle goes a long way towards being successful overall as a team. From second-chance opportunities on the offensive end to limiting opponents’ chances defensively, controlling the boards ultimately gives your squad a better chance at winning.

Check out these simple and effective team rebounding drills that you can easily use with your own team. One drill incorporates the entire team while another gets players going 1-on-1 in a rebounding battle inside the paint. The following drills should offer variety, be extremely competitive, and can also be used at any level of basketball.

Offense vs. Defense Team Rebounding

Submitted by Steve Smith, Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, VA

This competitive drill is a favorite for Coach Smith – and one he’s used for more than 10 years. Divide your squad among two evenly-matched teams. Start the players out wherever you want them on the floor, but allow for some spacing. Coach Smith typically lines players up just outside the lane or around the free-throw line area. This is a team drill that uses three, four or five players and also features three coaches around the perimeter.

The drill begins as the coaches pass the ball around the perimeter until one of them shoots. As this happens, players jostle for positioning. As the shot goes up, the defenders box out the offensive players and try to capture the rebound. If the defense secures the rebound, they receive one point. If the offense gets the rebound, they get two points. The drill is played up to six points. After six points is completed, switch the defensive and offensive teams. Then after two rounds, the losing team runs.

1-on-1 Rebounding Drill

Submitted by Stephanie Gaitley, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY

This popular rebounding drill starts with a coach standing just above the free-throw line area. Meanwhile, two players start out on opposite elbows across from each other. The coach then throws the ball into play by taking a shot with a rebound. Now the players go 1-on-1 for the rebound. The player who gets the rebound will then turn and immediately throw an outlet player to the next player in either line. Another option is that after the initial rebound, the players can go 1-on-1 and finish the play before throwing the outlet pass to end the drill.

The following rebounding drills can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “Over 30 Team Rebounding Drills” as part of the “Best of the Best” series. Check out more rebounding videos in our extensive catalog by clicking here.

Filed in Basketball • Tags: Practice Drills, Rebounding, Rebounding Drills, Winning Hoops

6 Rebounding Drills for the Complete Post Player

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, February 23, 2011

This week’s rebounding feature focuses on a half-dozen drills designed to help forwards improve their overall post play. Kevin Sutton — Nike Skill Academy Instructor and Montverde Academy Men’s Basketball Coach — leads viewers through the workout sessions.

Sutton believes that in order to have post success, every player must possess these five key attributes: 1.) Passion (pure joy of the game and drive to be the best); 2.) P. I. G. (Passion for the post, Intensity to compete, and Guts to go after rebounds); 3.) Great feet and balance; 4.) Great vision in the lane; and 5.) Great hands.

These simple and effective drills — which work on improving overall technique, balance, passing, hand-eye coordination and footwork, among many other areas — will help players develop the necessary post skills needed to become elite rebounders.

1.) Backboard Pounds

Set up two lines in front of the basket on both sides of the glass. Two players will start on both sides of the glass, each with a ball. Each player will hold the ball and pound the glass by jumping up and down continuously. After six pounds, make the layup and then have the players rotate and switch sides.

2.) Backboard Pounds With Shot Fake

This time, players will pound the ball off the backboard, come down with the ball and gather themselves before making a shot fake. Then, players will step across under the hoop with a low power dribble and go for a layup on the opposite side. Shoot for six of these per player before rotating. Only player will go at a time with this drill.

3.) Tipping Drill

Next, players should tip the ball off the backboard six times with just one hand. The tipping should be continuous and players should remember to keep their inside hand up while tipping. After six tips, players should finish things off with a layup. Two players can go at the same time and work on opposite sides of the glass. Remember, the ball should never touch the floor.

4.) Tipping Drill With Alternating Hands

This time, players should tip the ball off the glass and alternate hands used to tip the ball. Continue six times before finishing with a layup.

5.) Rebound & Outlet

In this drill, players should begin by throwing the ball off the backboard before rebounding the ball at its highest point. Then, players should pivot to the outside and outlet the ball to a designated teammate before sprinting to half court and receiving a pass back from them.

6.) Rebound & Outlet With Variation

The actions of this final drill are essentially the same as before, except now players have two outlets to use. Whichever side the ball goes off the backboard, players should use that outlet man before taking off down the court. Coaches, remember to rotate leaders in each drill, too. This way, players learn to lead and follow during drills.

The drills mentioned in this week’s rebounding feature can be seen in Championship Productions’ DVD “30 Drills for Building a Complete Post Player.” To view additional rebounding videos in our extensive catalog, click here.