Basketball Drills

These are some notes from Chris Mack, Head Men’s Coach, South Florida.

Regardless of what you run on offense or defense, you must have a defined system you believe in
– Your team must have an identity
– Everyone in your league should know what you’re about

– When you have a system, it gives your players answers and accountability to what they’re doing. For example, we don’t give up baseline – if you give up baseline you understand you’re coming out of the game
– It simplifies scouting. Identify the common offensive actions you face and teach a standard way to defend. Start at the beginning of the season practicing these actions in your shell drill. This allows you to focus on your opponent’s offensive concepts (rather than detailed set plays) when going over the scouting report.

– Your system should create “Regenerative Learning” (Tony Dungy), where upperclassmen can teach underclassmen.

Why play the Pack Line?:
– On offense, kids are way better ball handlers and way worse without the ball in their hands compared to 20 years ago.

There is nothing “soft” about Xavier’s Pack Line:
– Aggressive
– Ball pressure
– Smart positioning off the ball

What is the Pack Line Defense Philosophy?

– 16-17’ from the basket, mirrors the 3 pt line
– Tape it down every day before practice

Rules
– GOLDEN RULE: You must have two fee inside the PL when your man does not have the ball. Only two exceptions:
Your man becomes a cutter or Your man becomes a ball screener
– On-ball defender must play with extreme ball pressure
– On-ball defender CANNOT get beat baseline under any circumstances, nor can he get beat in a straight line (from a poor close out). It’s all about what you emphasize: A Xavier basketball player WILL NEVER get beat baseline – this  is nonnegotiable!

Close Out
– One of the most important fundamentals to this defense! You must work on this every single day (including pre-game warm-ups)
– Xavier Way: “Close out with two high hands”  Why “two high hands” instead of one?  Discourages rhythm shots and quick passes over the top Creates a mentality to “take away vision”

Diagrams created with FastDraw

Drill: “VEGAS CLOSE OUTS”

– We do this drill every single day (practice, shoot around, pre-game warm-ups, etc.)
– Each defender tosses the ball to offensive player
– Xavier Way to close out: 2 High hands, Elbows bent, Low stance, Short/choppy steps, Stay square, Yell “SHOT” early
– The offense will catch, triple-threat, jab step and rip the ball through a couple of times.
Drill: “BLACKHAWK”

– Great drill that incorporates closing out, ball pressure, jumping to help position, fronting cutters, and closing out from help position.
– ***Closing out from a help position is one of the toughest fundamental to master defensively***

• • x1 throws ball to first offensive player (1) inline and close out
  • 1 can pass to either wing, x1must “jump and swipe” to get to appropriate help position, 1 basket cuts, x1 must use arm bar and “bump cutter” to the logo (below the FT line)
  • Wing will pass to next offensive player in line (2), x1 must close out again – this time from a help position
  • After two or three passes from wing to top to wing back to top, the Coach will yell “LIVE”
  • Two players play 1-on-1 off the close out
  • Offense has 2-3 dribble max to score
  • x1 must get a stop to complete the drill – if offense scores, x1 restarts drill
  • Coaching Points Make sure x1 keeps proper fundamentals during the dummy period of the drill

This is a video of the Blackhawk Defensive Drill

Click the play arrow to see the drill and make sure your sound is on.

There is nothing to purchase to see the drill, however if you are interested in see more about the DVD that it came from, you can use this link:

Chris Mack Drills to Build the Packline Defense

Drill: “2-on-1 Position”

– Coach starts with the ball, x1 is matched up with 1
– Coach can pass to 1, dribble him out, cut him through, etc. forcing x1 to play on and off the ball
– Drill lasts for a prescribed amount of time, no one looks to score – just focus on constant offensive movement
– Coaching Points:
o Make sure x1 plays with proper fundamentals throughout the drill:
o Close outs from ball to help & help to ball
o Jump & Swipe
o Bump Cutter
o Protect against baseline & straight line drives
– Intense ball pressure

These are some of the notes presented by Dean Lockwood. Dean is currently the Associate Head Women’s Coach at Michigan State. He was an assistant in the Tennessee Women’s Program for 15 years. He was also an assistant in their men’s program for 5 years. In between those stints at Tennessee, he has been the men’s head coach at Saginaw Valley State, and Northwood University.

Thoughts on Competitive Practices 2

This is the 2nd part of my notes. You can see the drills and thoughts that I posted last week at this link:
Tennessee Competitive Drills

Have 2 areas of emphasis each practice and hold players accountable for them. Have a full rack of basketballs on the sideline. Each time one of the areas of emphasis is not followed through on, take a ball of the rack. When the rack is empty, the team runs. You can use it for any area, but as an example, Eliminating Turnovers is the emphasis for the day. Each time a turnover is committed, remove one ball from the rack. It is also a powerful visual teaching emphasis.

It’s not what you teach, it’s what you emphasize (old Don Meyer favorite)

Making layups and free throws are keys to being good. This drill is also a conditioner.

(Teaching point for layups: No defense, jump off 1 foot. With defense, shoot a two foot layup for power and balance.

Make 145 layups as a team in 4 minutes drill
If you do 2 minutes, the target number made is 75
(You can adjust the number made or the time for your level and your team’s ability level.

(Editor’s note from Brian) You might also consider shooting left hand dribbles and layups. You could also run the drill by using a pad to make contact with the shooter as he or she goes in for the layup. Experiment a couple of times to see what is a good standard of makes for your players to shoot for.

Diagrams created with FastDraw

As in, the diagram, start half of the players at each end. 2 basketballs at each end.

In the diagram, players 1, 2, 6, & 7 are circled and start the drill with basketballs.

Each player has 4 dribbles to make it to the far basket at other end to shoot a layup.

Put 4 minutes on the clock.

When the clock starts, 1 & 6 start their 4 dribbles toward the other end. When they are at half court, 2 and 7 start their dribbles. 3 will rebound 6’s layup then start their 4 dribbles to the other end, and 8 will rebound 1’s layup and start their 4 dribbles toward the other end.

Pass Ahead Contact Layups

Making layups is one thing, making layups with contact is another.

Work on both sides of the floor and finishing with both hands.

You can make cuts from your half court offense or simulate a player catching a pass in transition.

Player 2 cuts to score, 1 makes the pass to 2.

2 can use one dribble to score.

As soon as the basket is made or missed, the next cutter is up-no wasted time.

Coach at basket with pad to work on the player finishing through contact.

Make the drill competitive by having it going at both ends. The end that converts the most layups in a certain amount of time is the winner.

Circle Transition Drill

Can do the drill 4 on 4 or 5 on 5. Split players into two teams with different color jerseys. Alternate players by jersey colors and have them run in a circle around the key and free throw line area at one end. Throw the ball somewhere on the side of half court where players are. The team that retrieves the loose ball is on offense and looks to fast break to the basket at the opposite end. The team that did not get the loose ball is on defense. They must talk and match up, then play your rules for converting to defense, stop ball, protect the basket, whatever you teach. Play continues like a game until one team scores. Then, reset the drill with the circle rather than inbounding the basketball after the made basket. Play to a set score, or for a set amount of time.

Mountaineer Drill

Split players into 2 teams with different color jerseys. Red vs. White

Keep score like a game for both sides, free throw, 2 pt. shot, 3 pt. shot.

Each team has it’s own basket, like a game.

Start the drill with 1 red player shooting a free throw, 2 white rebounders, and no one else on the court. Just like a game, if the free throw is made, red gets one point.

Make or miss the free throw, white goes the other way 2 on 1 with the ball vs. red. They get the points 2 or 3 if they score

When the 2 on 1 ends, 2 reds come on, making 3 reds, they go the opposite way 3 on 2 vs. the 2 whites.

(Whenever there is a change of possession, play it live like a game, the new players come on on the fly like hockey. The drill does not stop once the free throw is shot)

When the 3 on 2 ends, 2 whites come and go 4 on 3 towards the white basket vs. the 3 reds.

When the 4 on 3 ends, 2 reds come on and go back 5 (reds) on 4 (whites).

When the 5 on 4 ends, 1 white comes on and the go the opposite way 5 on 5.

Each team has 3 possessions.

Start the drill again with white shooting the free throw for the next round.

Play 4 total times, or adjust that number if you need more trips to get all players involved.