Matt Langel: My Favorite Drills for Basketball Practice

with Matt Langel,
Colgate University Head Coach;
5x Patriot League Regular Season Champions (2019, 2020, 2022-2024);
5x Patriot League Tournament champions (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024);
5x Patriot League Coach of the Year ('18, '19, '20, '23, '24);
2019 & 2023 NABC District 13 Coach of the Year;
2019 ECAC Coach of the Year;
Temple Assistant Coach from 2006 to 2011;
University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Assistant from 2004 to 2006;
played college basketball for Penn;
2000 All-Ivy League First Team;
played professionally forÿChene BCÿ(Switzerland), ALM Evreux Basket (France), Mitteldeutscher BCÿ&ÿPhoenix Hagen (Germany) andÿEiffel Towers (Netherlands)

Colgate head coach Matt Langel gives you insight into what has made him one of the most successful coaches in the Patriot League by revealing some of the cornerstone skill development drills that he utilizes throughout the year. Langel does a superb job of discussing his philosophy of practice planning and then using video evidence for how he has been able to create some of the most fundamentally sound teams in the nation.

Passing Drills

Coach Langel begins by showing a variety of passing drills that serve as a warm-up routine for his team. He gives you four drills that vary in complexity that can be utilized by any program. 3 Line Passing, 250 Passes, Cologne Passing, and Ivy Passing will allow you to increase the passing ability of your team, regardless of level. By utilizing these drills, you will ensure your team never becomes stagnant when it comes to foundational fundamental drills.

Shooting Drills

Next, Langel displays what has made his team one of the most consistently efficient offenses in the nation by demonstrating his competitive shooting drills. CBA Shooting, Chaos Shooting, Dayton Shooting, 4 Minute Shooting, and Colgate Shooting provide a variety of competitive drills that will help your athletes get repetitions while still focusing on fundamentals. This series of drills can be incorporated easily and efficiently into any practice and will quickly improve the shooting ability of your players.

Defensive Drills

Coach Langel doesn't just give you offensive drill ideas in this video - he also includes two base defensive drills that can be quickly adjusted to fit your defensive philosophy. Badger Closeouts and 4x4 Ball Screen Shell will help your team understand basic defensive principles. Coach Langel demonstrates the effectiveness of these drills through video footage of one of his most recent championship team. These defensive drills are a must-add to any coach's tool belt.

Coach Langel's consistent work at Colgate is a testament to his knowledge of the game. In this video, he opens up his notebook by giving you some of his best drills. You'll be sure to find some drills that you can use immediately with your own team!

62 minutes. 2021.