Open Practice: Guard Attacks with Dribble Penetration, Shell Drills & Practice Management Strategies

with Pat Baldwin,UW-Milwaukee Head Coach from 2017 to 2022;
Northwestern Assistant Coach from 2013 to 2017;
Missouri State Assistant Coach from 2011 to 2013;
Loyola Chicago Assistant Coach from 2004 - 2011;
played for Northwestern University, ranking first in school history in career steals and second in career assists

Learn how to build the foundation for a successful program by focusing on the skill development of your players.  You will see drills for training shooting, finishing, drive and kick, post play, team defense and more in this insider’s look into one of Pat Baldwin’s practices.

Position-Specific Drills

How can you help your players improve and be better prepared for the situations they will see in games? One of the best ways is by reinforcing the skills that specifically apply to what they will be expected to execute and encounter in game situations! 

See how to train your guards to work on: footwork and finishes with Baldwin’s “daily vitamins” routine.  The useful “Attack & Retreat” drill will train your guards how to keep their dribble alive against pressure and utilize different combo moves to re-attack.  Three excellent post drills will reinforce the skills your players need to be proficient at in order to secure the ball in a strong stance when catching post feeds, for duck-ins at the rim, and a super critical, under-practiced skill - how to grab loose balls through contact!

Team Drills

The same approach from Baldwin is shown in his team drills - get your players ready, together, in practice … so they perform optimally  as a team in games! Run four drills with your entire team to work on fundamentals such as passing and catching in the open court, handling pressure, and spacing on dribble penetration.  The “One Minute Passing” drill teaches players to pass and get open against aggressive denial defenses - this is such a critical skill to have practiced over and over - you will need your team ‘in the flow’ in late game situations and especially in games that count at the end of the year!  The “Speed” drill is a great way to add energy into your practices while working on passing and finishing in your transition offense.  The “Shock Therapy” drill is perfect for conditioning your players to play with strength through contact on drives to the basket; preparing your players to finish with strength is so important - you won’t always get those late game calls and whether you or you don’t, ensuring your players are practiced in the ‘art of being strong through contact’ is a skill that will pay dividends!

Shooting Drills

Coach Baldwin has his players taking game-like shots in practice with repetitions of the actions that they will be playing with in games.  Perimeter players work on shooting off movements in their offense such as relocating on drives, shaking out of the corner on ball screens, and running the floor in transition.  Post players work on playing out of dribble handoffs.  In this practice, you will see a unique angle that Baldwin uses with dribble handoffs coming from the low post out towards the perimeter. Again, preparation and familiarity with game-like practice simulation, before the game, will pay off for your team!

Defensive Staples

Building the right fundamentals in your players extends to the other side of the ball too.  You will get an insider’s look at how Baldwin’s coaching staff develops great defense skills through a progression of breakdown drills.  The “2-on-2” drill teaches players to defend with proper positioning as they jump from their gap to pressuring the ball.  Another drill teaches players how to wall-up in the paint to contest shots without fouling.  The “Shell” drill has multiple progressions that works on defending numerous actions such as exchanges, flares, ball screens, dribble handoffs, pin screens and more.  You will see how these actions can be combined in the same possession to challenge your defenders to fight through multiple actions.  Finally, the practice ends with players having to guard set plays in 5-on-5 half court scrimmaging.

John Wooden is credited with the quote: “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” In this ‘Open Practice’ with Pat Baldwin, you will see a staff and team demonstrating how a focus on preparation and game simulation in their practice sessions will translate to better chances for each player to play to their highest possible level when they take the court later in the season!

52 minutes. 2022.