Game Pace

I am always looking for skill improvement drills that are competitive and or put pressure on our players.

I like this partner shooting drill that puts peer pressure on the shooter to hit the shot for his/her teammate.

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A really good shooting drill to use in out of season workouts or during practices. You can certainly add your own variety of shots. To add a level of competitiveness, you can time how long it takes to complete the drill and have the players compete to a certain standard or to break the personal or team best time.

This is one of our game pace shooting basketball drills. We have several basketball drills that are designed to improve individual basketball shooting and dribbling skills. You can see them in our basketball videos section.

The Two Minute Drill is one of our favorite basketball shooting drills.

It develops:

1. Ability to shoot free throws under pressure
2. Conditioning
3. Footwork coming off of a screen or cut
4. Three-point shooting
5. Mental Toughness/Competitiveness
6. Making shots under pressure

Basketball players are highly competitive people by nature; therefore it is beneficial to design baketball drills that provide an opportunity for players to compete against other players or against themselves. The competition increases the player’s enthusiasm for the basketball shooting drill and results in better intensity during the training session. The Two Minute Drill requires only one player. The players compete against themselves for their best score. However, it is extremely helpful to have someone timing the drill.

Many players practice free throws by shooting 100, 200 or possibly more in each practice session. While volume shooting is an important part of developing confidence and rhythm on free throws, this type of practice does not subject the player to the same conditions that exist while attempting free throws during a game. Pressure and fatigue are just two factors that may affect free throw percentage. To be a successful free throw shooter in games, players must be able to step to the line a make two in a row while fatigued and under pressure.

The Two Minute Drill is designed for player to do just that. Players must step to the free throw line and make two pressure free throws while fatigued.

The objective of the Two Minute Drill Game is for the player to move from level one to the highest level possible. In order to advance from one level to another, the player must make a power lay-up, a spin-and-catch intermediate shot and a three point shot.

The player must shoot until he/she has made each shot, even if s/he misses each one four times, the level is not completed until each of the three shots goes in.

After making the three-point shot the player immediately (with no rest!) steps to the free throw line to shoot a one-and-one free throw. If the player makes both free throws he/she advances to the next level and repeats the same sequence. If the player misses a free throw he/she must remain on that level.

The drill is timed for two minutes. The stopwatch only runs while the player is shooting shots from the field, like a game. It does not run during free throws. If there is no one to time the player can wear a sport watch to time him/herself. The timing of the drill is very significant to its effectiveness because the clock pushes the player to run hard after rebounds and to shoot shots that are more game-like. However, if no timer is available, the player must push him/herself to go hard. To make it competitive, the shooter can be limited to a total number of misses or to commit that the first missed free throw will end the game.

Players compete each practice session against the highest level they have ever achieved. They may also compete against other players by seeing which player reaches the highest level in a given amount of time.

The game may be altered to more benefit to post players. Post players may choose to substitute the three-point shots or the intermediate shots with jump hooks or other post moves. It is easy to come up with several other variations to keep the drill from becoming monotonous.

This drill is from Phil Beckner. Phil has been an assistant for D-1 Men’s Programs Weber State, Nebraska, and Boise State. He also spent time as an assistant coach in the G League.

Coach Beckner had this to say about the drill:

This is a great guard/wing attack drill that allows the player to work on catching and bouncing on the move.

This drill is best with multiple players goin at once alternating lines.

Each rep begins with the player whose turn it is passing to the coach across half and receiving the ball in full stride to attack the hoop.

These drills should be done on both the right and left sides.

Also, have the players change up their finishes.

Rep 1: After receiving the ball back from the coach the player attacks the chair located on the three-point line with one dribble.

The player beats the chair with an in-n-out dribble and uses 1 or 2 dribbles to finish at the basket.

 

 

 

 

 

Rep 2: On the catch back from the coach the player attacks the chair with one dribble then crosses over in front of the chair to a 1 or 2 dribble finish on the other side of the basket.

 

 

 

 

 

Rep 3: After catching from the coach the player attacks the chair to a crossover, then with 1 dribble in between crosses over at the second chair to finish on the same side of the hoop.

 

 

 

 

 

Rep 4: On the catch from the coach the player attacks the first chair and crosses over, then after 1 dribble uses an in-n-out dribble to get around the second chair for a finish on the opposite side of the basket.

 

 

 

Found this guard workout in an old Xavier Newsletter.

This is a great guard workout we used during our spring period of individual instruction. It is very similar to the Musketeer Post Drill. As a team, we stress running the floor at all times. This is a drill that encourages that idea with our guards. It has a great conditioning aspect to it and has proved to be one of our most effective quick guard workouts.

Player passes to coach, comes off of an imaginary down screen, catches, shoots, rebounds, and repeats for 5 shots.

Coach is the dribbler down the court. Player sprints full court to the opposite basket, cuts out to the second shooting area and repeats the 5 shot process.

Player advance to the 3rd and 4th shooting areas, repeating the 5 shot process.

 

After the 5th shot at the 4th spot, player releases and sprints the floor. Coach throws a home run pass for a lay-up.

This drill is from an old Weber State Mens Basketball Coaching Newsletter.

It was put together by then Weber State Assistant Coach Phil Beckner. Since then, Coach Beckner has held assistant coaching positions in the D League, with Nebraska, and now at Boise State.

Coach Beckner is currently on the staff at Boise State.

The License is an out of season shooting workout we use to challenge our guys and get them extra shots.

The players must score a 35 or better 5 times in order to get The License. Each shot made is one point.

Only players with The License are allowed to shoot three’s during the season.

You can adapt it to fit the level that you coach and the skill levels of your players.

These standards are for a Divison I men’s program where 2013 unanimous choice NBA Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard played.

I would start anywhere from 28 to 30 for high schools and modify your standards as you see how your team stacks up.

Round 1 Spot Ups: Player will start at spot 1 and move around the arc and back to shoot a total of 10 shots.

*Player is allowed to start the drill by making his first shot.

Only from spot 1 and only on this first set of 10 shots.

 

Round 2: Cut-Into 3s:

Player will start under the basket and make a cut into spot 1 to shoot.

Player then cuts back under the basket end then to spot 2.

This is repeated for aU 5 spots, then the player will repeat the cuts starting at spot 5.10 shots total.

Round 3: Transition Wing 3s:

Player will start at 1/2 Court and make a cut into the wing.

Coach is in the middle to pass.

 

The player will shoot 5 shots in a row from the right side, then shoot 5 shots in a row from the left side.

10 shots total.

Round 4: Trail 3’s:

Player will start at halt court and shoot a trail 3 at the top of the key. Coach will pass from the side. Player shoots 5 from the right and 5 from the left. 10 Shots total.

Round 5: Spot Ups

Same as Round 1 but the player does NOT start on make from spot. 10 Shots total.