BASKETBALL LEAD-UP GAMES

DRIBBLE TAG
This game is played on a hard court. Select four players to be “it”. These four players
will each have a basketball. It is up to them to dribble the ball and try to tag as many
players as possible who are scattered on the court. The players who are tagged must
retrieve a new ball and also become it. Once the majority of students have been
tagged, start the game over by selecting new players to be “it”.

PARTNER TAG

The activity will take place on a hard court. Divide the class so that each student
will have a partner and a ball. Select one partner to be “it”. While both students
are dribbling, “it” will be chasing his/her partner. When his/her partner is tagged
he/she becomes the new “it”.

BEANBAG RETRIEVE

Divide the class into 2 groups give each student in the group a ball and have
both groups line-up behind the baseline on a basketball court. Spread out 40-50
beanbags behind the half court line. On the signal each student in group one will
dribble to half court grab one beanbag and return it to the baseline. This
continues for two minutes. Switch groups and the team that retrieves the most
beanbags is the winner.

BEANBAG EXCHANGE
Have each student get a ball, a hoop, and beanbag. Tell them to find a good self-space
in the playing area and place their beanbag in the middle of their hoop which will be on
the court in front of them.
On the signal each student will dribble their ball throughout the area and will pick up one
beanbag from a hoop and take it and drop (not throw it) in the center of another
unoccupied hoop. Each student can only transfer one beanbag at a time.
If they choose to, students can keep score by counting how many successful beanbags
they transfer in a given amount of time.

Variations: This time first have one student, then a partner at each hoop. Each hoop
will have a beanbag and place 15-20 beanbags in the middle of the playing area. Each
student will pick-up 1 beanbag from anywhere and bring it back to their hoop. The team
with the most beanbags in their hoop after 2 minutes is the winner. Have each student
use his/her dominate and non-dominate hand to dribble with.
SHARKS AND MINNOWS

Spread hula hoops out in a specific area on the court enough for half the class. Have
one student {sharks} stand in each hoop. Have the other students {minnows} get a ball
and go to one end of the court. On the signal the minnows attempt to cross the ocean
by dribbling through the sharks without losing control of their ball. Sharks must remain in
their hoop and may attempt to knock the ball from the minnows. If a minnow loses
control of their ball they go to a designated area and dribble in place 15 times and then
return to the ocean. Once the minnows have crossed the ocean have them cross back
and then switch roles.

ALL PLAY BASKETBALL

Divide the class into groups of 12. Have two baselines set-up approximately 30 feet
apart, with six cones on the first baseline having a counterpart on the second baseline.
Have each of the six students’ team 1 line-up at one of the cones at the first baseline
with their ball in hand. The other half of the group team 2 is scattered near the basket
with their ball in hand. On your signal, team 1 dribbles their ball to their cone on the
second baseline and back again to the first. This scores one "point". They keep
repeating going back and forth, scoring "points", until the signal is given to stop. Team 2
shoots their ball and tries to make a basket from anywhere on the court {no lay-ups].
When team 2 has made 8 baskets, this stops the dribbling of the other team. At this
time, the teacher can ask each person for their number of runs, and the whole team
adds their runs together for a total. Students then switch roles, so those shooting
baskets now get to dribble.

BEANBAG RETRIEVE
Divide the class into groups of 5 and give each student a ball and each group 20
beanbags or suitable objects placed inside a hoop at each team’s basket. Assign each
group a basket where there are 3 shooting zones worth 1, 2 and 3 points. Students may
shoot from any zone they choose. Each time a student makes a basket from zone one
they retrieve 1 beanbag, zone two, 2 beanbags and so on and place the beanbag(s) in
another hoop at the half court line adjacent to their basket and shoot again. The team
that retrieves all their beanbags first is the winner.

KING OF THE COURT

Divide the class into teams of 3 and have 3 teams per court. Have 2 teams playing on
the court while the other waits on the side. The first team to make a basket wins and
stays on the court for the next game. If you notice no team has scored in about 3
minutes the waiting team will play the team that has played the least amount of times.