These defense and rebounding basketball drills used by Bob Huggins and Larry Shyatt are from Coach Scott Peterman of the Men’s Basketball Hoopscoop Coaching site.
6 on 4 Screening
Bob Huggins–West Virginia
Coaches are extra screeners.
4 & 5 are screening trying to get 2 & 3 open.
Defense has to get 4 stops to get out.
Really helps the defenders work on getting through screens.
Knick Drill
Larry Shyatt–Wyoming
This is a 5 on 4 drill. The 5 are on offense and try to score in the half court. When the 4 defenders finally get the ball, they will try to transition to score on the other end. They will have an immediate advantage because their center (a 5th player they now will have) will be stationed at the center court line. The offense has to get back, build a wall, keep the ball out of the middle, and force skip passes. Tell them to get their hands high and
their hips low.
When Coach Huggins plays 5 on 4, 5 on 4 they start with an unguarded offensive post player (who is live after the 1st pass). Defenders must help and recover, so the ball doesn’t get into the paint. Another way to play defense at a 5 on 4 disadvantage, leave the offensive point guard, unguarded to practice working on penetration and help and recover.
The final two drills are rebounding drills involving finding a player to block out. A defensive possession isn’t complete until the basketball is secured off a rebound, or getting a loose ball/steal. By starting rebounding drills with defensive slides or finishing defensive drills with blockouts and rebounding, players develop that connection.
Circle the Defenders
Larry Shyatt–Wyoming
This drill will teach our defenders to find their man first and then find the ball. They must rebound the ball and put it under their chin. Spread out 5 offensive players around the 3-point line. 5 defenders circle up in the lane and move in a clockwise direction, continually calling out the man they will block out. The offensive players do not move. On the coach’s shot the 5 offensive players crash hard. The defenders must find their man first and then go get the ball. They then fast break the other way and the offense must get back.
** if the offense gets a rebound here, you could give them 8 seconds to run a last-second play
You could change the drill to block out the closest man simulating a zone or blockouts out of a rotating or switching defense.
3 on 3 Rotate the Box
(1 ball, 6 players)
In any defense, zone or man, the person that you are supposed to block out will not be standing next to you.
This drill teaches you to find them, make contact and push them back. The defense blocks out and doesn’t go for the
ball until it touches the floor.
The defensive players have to block out someone that is not right next to them so they have to talk.
Offensive players are going straight to the rim.
In the diagram, X1 could block out number 3, X2 would block out number 1, X3 would block out number 2. The defense changes spots on each shot. You can also have them mix up their block out assignments on each shot.
A coach or player can shoot the ball.
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