Open Practice with David Riley: Transition Offense & Elite Team Development

with David Riley,
Washington State University Head Coach;
Eastern Washington University Head Coach from 2021 to 2024;
2x Big Sky Conference Regular Season Champions (2023, 2024);
2x Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year (2023, 2024);
Eastern Washington University Assistant Coach from 2011 to 2021;
played college basketball for Whitworth University

One of the youngest head coaches in Division I history, Coach David Riley is making a name for himself everywhere he goes. In this Open Practice, you will get to enjoy two practices where Coach Riley gets his team ready to play fast and as a team. In this video you will see:

• Fast break drills
• Small group drills
• Set plays and more!

This video will help you with many ideas as you plan and organize your practices to incorporate more live gameplay for quality teaching opportunities!

Practice One
Practice one begins with the players going through stations working on different skills. In one group you will see them begin by learning the options and reads out of their Spain Pick and Roll action in 2 on 2. Then they transition to Pick and Roll coverages.

From there they get things moving fast with their 3 on 0 fast break drill. This drill is great because players get the reps at full speed working on the different looks and scoring solutions from a snapshot of their secondary break.

Afterwards they move to a 1 on 1 drill where the defense must react out of a closeout.

The Rebounding into 5 on 0 Transition puts the whole secondary break together as players fight for possession of the ball and quickly race down the floor converting from defense to offense.

Live drills follow as practice progresses. Building from 3 on 3 live, to 5 on 5 live they build off of everything they have practiced thus far. A possession game ends practice as players get three trips down and back 5 on 5.

Practice Two
Practice two starts off with Coach Riley’s team working on their half court offense 4 on 0.

Then, playing 5 on 3 allows players to read the correct person and learn how to attack the advantage. Rebounding into 5 on 0 Transition is performed again (as in Practice One) followed by 5 on 5 live drills.

Moving from half court O and D to full court action, you will see everything come together as the team closes practice.

Coach Riley’s ‘Open Practice’ is a tremendously valuable instructional tool to see how to incorporate more 5 on 5 into your practices for better teaching opportunities and player growth. The excellent breakdown drills in the half and full court will get you primed and ready for a successful season!

112 minutes. 2025.