Drill Clusters for Practice: Passing, Finishing, and Screening

with Kelly McNiff;
University of Wisconsin-Platteville Head Women's Coach;
UW Oshkosh Assistant Coach from 2013 to 2019;
3x NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen (2014, 2017, 2019);
2x WIAC Tournament Champions (2017, 2019)
Part of the 2019 WBCA 2019 Staff of the Year
De Pere HS Girls Head Coach from 2010-13;
2012 Division 1 State Champions;
2012 Associated Press State Coach of the Year;
2x FRCC Coach of the Year (2010, 2012);
2010 Division 1 State Champion Runner-Up;
3x Fox River Classic Conference (FRCC) titles;
Played college basketball and softball for UW Oshkosh

Great practices are organized, purposeful, and packed with meaningful repetitions. When coaches group drills by skill area, players develop stronger fundamentals while practices become more efficient and productive.

University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Kelly McNiff shares a practical approach to structuring workouts around drill clusters that target three essential offensive skill areas: passing, finishing, and screening. Coach McNiff presents a collection of highly effective drills that can be incorporated immediately into your practice plan.

Coach McNiff begins with a series of passing drills designed to reinforce footwork, balance, and disciplined ball movement. Through drills such as Baseline Footwork, Drive and Kick, Strike Passing, Toledo Passing, and the 3 Person Weave, players learn to attack under control and deliver accurate passes that lead to better offensive execution.

The finishing segment focuses on scoring efficiently around the basket. Coach McNiff demonstrates a variety of drills that build confidence and versatility, including Rail Attacks, One Minute Layups, Guard and Post Skill Work, Short Short Long, and Wing Attacks. These drills teach players to finish off straight line drives, change direction effectively, and convert scoring opportunities in traffic.

The final section emphasizes screening and off ball movement. Using the 4 Line Screening Away drill, McNiff shows how to teach timing, angles, and decision making that create better scoring opportunities and improve offensive spacing.

Throughout the video, Coach McNiff stresses the importance of maximizing repetitions and maintaining a high tempo in practice. Her drill clusters are designed to keep players engaged while reinforcing habits that transfer directly to game situations.

This video includes instruction on passing drills that develop precision, balance, and decision making; finishing drills that improve touch, footwork, and versatility at the rim; screening drills that teach proper angles and offensive reads; practice organization strategies that maximize time and repetitions; and teaching points that help players build confidence and consistency.

Whether you are designing preseason workouts, daily practice plans, or individual skill sessions, this video provides a simple and effective framework for developing better players through purposeful drill clusters and efficient practice organization.

48 minutes. 2026.