Open Practice: Offensive & Defensive Systems

with Jason Gardner,
University of Arizona Director of Player Relations;
2026 Big XII Regular Season Champions;
2x Pac-12 Regular Season Champions;
4x Sweet Sixteen appearances;
North Central High School (IN) Head Coach from 2020 to 2021;
IUPUI Head Coach from 2014 to 2019;
Memphis Assistant Coach (with Josh Pastner) from 2013 to 2014;
Loyola Chicago Assistant Coach (with Porter Moser) from 2011 to 2013;
played professionally from 2003 to 2011;
German League MVP 2009;
was a point guard for the University of Arizona from 1999 to 2003;
3x First team All-Pac 10;
2000 USBWA National Freshman of the Year;
his number 22 was retired by Arizona;
1999 Mr. Indiana Basketball;
1999 McDonald's All-American

IUPUI's Jason Gardner (head coach from 2014 to 2019 - now at U of AZ) goes through a full practice layout that features multiple individual and full team drills. This open practice is packed with drills and skills that focus on transition offense, early offense, and defensive half court drills. You'll learn man-to-man, help side and weak side defense, while seeing how to defend various ball screens.

Gardner opens the practice by going through individual drills covering ball handling and passing/catching. He then transitions into team drills that are foundational for any transitional full court offense. This practice will give you a great idea on how to have your practice flow from segment to segment while reaching goals along the way.

Development Drills for Skill Improvement

Improving passing, ball handling, and shooting will benefit every team no matter the age, skill level or grade. Gardner shows warm-up drills that raise players' ability to make passes correctly, improve conditioning, and better athletes' spacing while running the floor.

Teach your players how to get open versus defensive pressure in Gardner's shell drills, while also teaching your defense how to be at the help line or jump to the ball. Coach Gardner has his players work through defense at game speed and in game situations in the half court. Drills include:

• Wisconsin Passing
• Weave Shooting
• Shell Drill
• Weak Defense on Ball Screens
• Green or Hard Show
• Pacer Drill
• Transition Shooting

Defensive Breakdown Drills

Learn more about Coach Gardner's defense with breakdown drills that define his defensive system. He stresses precision in showing a hard show, or stunting on ball screens instead of switching. All of these drills stress talking, game speed, and being competitive with game-like actions.

Many of these drills show athletes how to defend the post to guard screens against man-to- man defensive pressure in which offenses space the floor with different strategies. The shell defensive drills are good preliminary drills to lead right into the half-court defense.

Gardner also shows shooting drills for optimal early offense in transition. His drills break down how to space the offense with the big getting down the floor first and getting the ball in the post, followed by the trailer catching and shooting from the perimeter.

Coach Gardner presents a low key personal coaching strategy, while also demanding his players pay specific attention to the details of each drill. You can do the same with your team!

Produced at the Fall 2016 Indianapolis (IN) clinic.

94 minutes. 2017.