Special Drills to Improve Your Team

Ben Jacobsen
University of Northern Iowa

- On Ali Farokhmanesh's shot vs. Kansas - "Ali doesn't pass up many

open looks, nor should he .••Ali is a kid who shoots 5, 6, or 700 shots a
day and he's been doing that for years ..• has the trust of his teammates.

- Big on "Angle of Approach" - when moving to guard your man once he

has received the ball, the 1st step is low, then approach head-on. This
angle helps to avoid getting beat off the dribble.

- "There is no help & recover. Get into help position early to discourage
the drive. Then all you need is recovery"

- On a "pop", the shooter must "fight for his feet" - get feet set quickly so
he can shoot as soon as the pass arrives (Dick Bennett concept)

Keys to Screening

1. Sprint to Screen
2. Wait for Your Screen
 Warm-up Shooting & Screening Drill
This is a shooting drill that emphasizes proper use of screening techniques and footwork. Drill all 3
phases from both sides of the court for :45 -1:15 each. The set-up is the same for all phases with a
post player, or big, on each elbow, a shooter in the corner and a Coach with 2 basketballs at the top.

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Curl/Shape: The big on the same side as the shooter
sprints to set the down screen in the corner. The
defense is trailing, so the shooter curls for the shot,
receiving the pass from the opposite elbow. The
big "shapes up" to the 3 and receives a pass from
the coach for a shot.
Flare/Post (a): The defense goes under, so the
shooter comes off the screen and the big turns to
re-screen and the shooter comes off for the flare.
The shooter receives a pass from the opposite big.

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FlarelPost (b): Once the ball goes over his head, the
the big moves to post on the block. The shooter
dribbles baseline and "rolls" the ball into the big.
BackdoorlPop: The defense tries to beat the
shooter over the top of tbe screen. Shooter goes
backdoor on tbe baseline and receives a pass from
the opposite elbow for a lay-up. The big "pops"
and gets a pass from the coach for a 3.
 3 Spots wi Shooter at Top

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Backscreen/Pop: The shooter passes to the elbow,
uses the backscreen from the other elbow and
receives the pass for a lay-up. The screener "pops"
for a pass from the coach for a 3.
Re-screen: Shooter passes to the elbow and goes
off the backscreen. In this situation, the defender
got through the screen so the screener turns and
re-screens with a pin~down as the shooter pops
back out for the pass for a 3.

2 Man Game (a): The shooter passes to the elbow 2 Man Game (b): The screener pivots and sprints
and flares off the opposite posts screen to receive to ball screen. The shooter dribbles into a mid-
the ball back. range pull-up and the screener "pops" for the
pass and the 3.
 22 in 2 Lay-Up Drill

This is a 2 minute full-court lay-up drill that encourages passing, catching and talking. The
goal is 22 lay-ups in 1 minute.

Rules:
5 passes per trip, all air passes
Ball doesn't hit the floor (no dribbles, no bobbles, take rebound out ofthe net)
Must be mistake free to get 22 (rebounder should be on the run to save time)
Try for "perfect lay-ups" (ball doesn't touch the rim)
Players rotate lines to the right
 3 on 3 Defensive Shell Series

Pass Only: Basic shell, the offense is stationary Shell wi Close-outs to start: A coach has the ball
and the emphasis is on positioning and "angle of behind the defense lined up in the paint. On the
approach" as the offense passes around the pass out to the offense, the defense closes-out and
perimeter. then resumes shell.

Rotation (a): 3 drives the ball to the baseline after Rotation (b): On the pass out of the trap, Xl takes
receiving the pass from 1. X2 rotates to stop the the ball and X3 scrambles to the open man in the
ball (must meet the ball outside the paint) as X3 direction "where his help came from". X2 stays wi
moves to recover. Xl drops to protect the basket. 3. Play live on the pass from the initial trap.

3 on 3 Shell Series:
1. Pass only - Stationary offense, defense moves as the ball is passes on the perimeter
2. Defending the dribble - 12 - 15 sec. shot clock, the offense must attempt to get 2 feet
in the paint withe ball. On a pass, the offense re-fills their perimeter spot, no
penetrating passes (defense runs for each paint touch)
3. Rotation
4. Rotation to Live
5. Live (*set any goal you want for defense to get out i.e. 3 stops in a row, 1 perfect
possession, etc .••)
Notes:
All rotations go early and hard
Always finish the play on defense (box-out, rebound, take charge, loose ball
recovery, etc ••.)
UNI does all shell work against dribble drives. This allows them to work on
guarding the ball and closing to contest shots. However, these drills can be done by
defending ball screens, cutters, etc...
 Alley Drill

This is a drill set up much like the traditional "zig-zag" drill. The offense starts with the
ball at ~ court and must stay within the lane lines extended.

Offense must get to the baseline and end with a jump stop
Defense must make the offense turn as many times as possible to prevent him from
getting to the baseline (get the ball, get on the floor for a loose ball)
If the offense goes outside the lane lines, the ball goes back to the spot where it went
out. If it goes out below the free throw line, then it starts at the free throw line.

To emphasize offense/ball handling, have offense go 3 consecutive times vs. 3

different defenders
To emphasize defense, have the defender go 3 consecutive times vs. 3 different
dribblers
 Take the Charge Drill

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This is a defensive rotation drill. Xl starts in a After the charge is taken by X3 and the ball is
Disadvantage position on the side of 1. I dribbles knoc~ed out by X2, the coach passes the second
hard to the elbow as I fights to recover. X3 cuts ball to either I or 2 and the defense scrambles to
off the dribble and I passes to 3 on the wing. 3 get a stop.
drives hard to the baseline as X3 moves quickly
to cut off the block and take the charge. 3 passes
the ball along the baseline and X2, who has dropped
to protect the basket, knocks it out-of-bounds.
 Number Rebounding

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This is a defensive rebounding drill with the defense in a single~file line in the paint and the
offense is lined up on the perimeter. The defense is assigned numbers, with "I" being
closest to the top of the key and "3" being the closest to the basket. The coach passes to any
of the 3 offensive player and calls a number. The number call must find the ball and close~
out on it. The player with the ball must shoot it. And the defense boxes~out. The 2
numbers not called must communicate and match-up with the 2 remaining offensive
players. The ball is played live until the offense scores or the defense secures the rebound,
even if the 1st shot is made or goes out-of-bounds.

Defender on the ball must yell, "ball" and "shot"

Box-out keys - Get contact, ride with him and get hands free
Offense needs to put pressure on the defense by crashing the boards