These 3 defensive drills are from Matt Monroe’s Hoops Roundtable site.
Modify these drills to fit what you need to use to teach and reinforce and your defensive rules, concepts, and principles.
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3 on 3 Random Movement Drill
Scott Miller, Head Boys Basketball Coach, Glenbard East High School (IL):
• Coach sets the ball down anywhere on the floor
• Offensive players position themselves anywhere on the floor
• Defensive players get set in proper defensive position
• On “play!” by coach, offense runs motion offense while the defense adjusts accordingly
• On “freeze!” by the coach, offense stops and coaches check for proper defensive positioning
Notes:
• Can go 3 on 3 or 4 on 4
• Have coaches in practice coach a particular player on defense
3 on 3 Baseline Charge Drill
Matt Monroe
• #1 passes the ball to #2
• All three defenders jump to the ball
• #2 drives
• x3 helps on the baseline drive and takes a charge
• x1 covers down
• #2 kicks the ball out to #1
• #1 passes to #3
• The defenders rotate on the passes
• #3 drives to the baseline
• x2 helps on the drive and takes the charge
• x1 covers down
3 on 3 Closeout Drives
• Coach passes to one of the offensive players (O’s), who catches and drives.
• The defenders (X’s) all close out with proper technique to correct position.
• Play live to a score or a stop
Note: Add back cut if defense over plays when they closeout to a player who does not have the basketball or add a jump shot if the defender closing on the ball is late.
This final drill is obviously not a 3 on 3 drill, but one to think about adapting to how you defend the low post.
Scratch and Closeout Drill
• Players align as shown
• Coach passes the ball to #3 on the baseline
• #3 makes a pass to the player in the post as the defender (x2) slides down and knocks the ball out of bounds
• #4 immediately picks up a second ball and passes to #1
• #1 passes to the coach, who reverses the ball to #2
• x2 closes out to #2 and they play 1 on 1
