October 25, 2003

Eddie Pomykala, Bishop’s - Favourite Drills

·   (1) machine gun passing - passer under the basket with ball, 5 to 6 players along the three-point line with one ball, alternate passing and receiving, aim at chin, calling receivers names, passer moves her feet (dances), rotate after 20 seconds, good drill for big kids.

·   (2) Jumper 5 - line of players at the left wing, overhead pass to coach at the other wing, cut towards the basket then away around ball on the floor, (a) catch, jump stop, dribble in for power lay-up.

·   pass with your legs

·   common error - cut too far away - one step only, turn shoulders towards the baseline.

·   (b) catch the ball, turn and shoot, make the putback before the ball bounces - always finish.

·   don’t just do a drill, correct it.

·   (c) catch, shot fake, one dribble pull-up.

·   don't fall away on the shot

·   listen to me with your eyes

·   (d) sweep - move ball from right to left then sweep under the defender's hands (favourite move).

·   (e) footwork move - catch facing the passer, reverse pivot to left hand, ball in front, one dribble to the hoop.

·   (3) Gaiter passing - 1 player under each basket with a ball, other players at foul lines and midcourt extended, each player under a basket rebounds and outlets to receiver running diagonally who passes to opposite midcourt player running diagonally who passes to opposite foul line player running diagonally for lay-up, who rebounds, repeat on the other side coming back.

·   always cutting not standing

·   don't practice crisp passing enough

·   no dribbling or travelling

·   add a third ball; change sides

·   good drill for cutting and not travelling

·   (4) 2 on 2, 3 lines at midcourt (side, middle, side) facing coach with a ball, who passes to one end line player, middle player defends the ball, player behind the receiver defends attacker from the far line, ball handler can’t pass until the FT line extended.

·   can move the drill back to the far free-throw line

·   (5) Cincinnati - 1 team at each end, (a) 2 on 1 away, (b) 3 on 2 back with attackers switching to defence, two outlets join defender in the attack; (c) 4 on 3 away ( 2 outlets come on).

·   can then be extended to five on four and five on five

·   somebody has to stop the ball

·   getting open for pass - make contact with the defender, passer must see the defender.

·   press break (need to do it in practice) - Bentley - quickest and best ball handler takes the ball under the basket, two guards at the elbows take two hard steps towards the ball, two post players behind the guards (a box) set back screens for the guards who break up court, ball inbounded to post player right back to the inbound passer

·    epomykal@ubishops.ca

Dave DeAveiro, U of O - Early Offence

·   headman the ball, create opportunities

·   first outlet - above the foul line, guard cuts across the foul line, headmans to wing.

·   then no dribbles allowed.

·   breakdown drill - First Big - two post players fight for a rebound with 2 wings on the sideline, rebounder outlets to a wing who headmans to other post up court, who runs to the T, seals, goes to ball-side block for pass, posts switch roles coming back.

·   big men - go to the front rim, seal, then go to the block.

·   then one post on the T, other screens for a guard who goes by the screen to the middle, posts exchange positions, guard passes to the high post who shoots or looks for the low post (Fist).

·   rarely uses guard to guard screens - no advantage if the defenders switch.

·   low post passes to weak side wing [‘45’], other post dives and seals for pass inside.

·   likes L cuts for wings.

·   have to have spacing.

·   using screens - don't go until you hear the jump stop.

·   2-man drills - post rebounds and outlets, guard dribbles to the foul line, jump stops and passes, shooter self rebounds, repeat coming back (post scores going both ways).

·   (b) shoot off the pass.

·   (c) pass back to the guard who steps away and back to the ball.

·   worst skill in basketball is passing - “no air under the ball”, lead the receiver.

·   3-man weave, stop at other end; then 2 on 1 coming back, last passer defends.

·   if the ball hits the floor go to the end of the line.

·   starts practices with weaves.

·   five man weave - down and back; then shooter and last passer defend.

·   three on two - advance ball up the side to the corner, pass back to the middle, create a 2 on 1.

·   4 on 4 defensive transition - pass to a baseline player whose defender has to touch baseline, than 4 on 4 coming back (then five on five transition).

·   work on high speed passing, jump stops.

·   always looking for a 2 on 1 for example, from a 3 on 2.

·   will do clinics, go to schools.

Chris O’Rourke, Guelph - Guard and Forward Circuits, Special Situations

·   develop individual players.

·   guard circuit - three guards out front, each with a ball, pass to coach at FT line, pass, catch and shoot from inside the three-point line, self rebound; then dribble and pull up, shoot over coach, crossover pull up and shoot.

·   pass to coach, run to wing - catch and shoot inside the three-point line; catch, sweep left, pull up; catch, freeze, go right into the middle for a pull up.

·   in the wing, self pass, fake left, go right around the chair for a pull up with 2 hard dribbles to the middle; then shoot outside the chair; then fake high go low.

·   splits - if the defender of the screen hedges the ball, the ball handler drives between the screen and her defender.

·   keep the ball active - shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip.

·   chair near the block, guard on the baseline passes to a guard out front beyond the three, (a) fake inside, go outside and shoot outside the chair; (b) curl around the chair inside; (c) push off the screen and flare out.

·   Pivots - (a) L cuts from baseline, get over the top foot of the defender and cut outside, catch and shoot; (b) pass from the baseline to the top, run to the ball, jump stop, reverse pivot and attack the basket (catch and rip).

·   ball active drill - wing player with ball, post partner who goes away and comes back receives the pass, is ball active, partner than does the same; another pair doing the same drill on the other side.

·   attacker on baseline with defender passes to coach at the top, L cuts to get open, two dribbles only.

·   sprint if you miss a lay-up without being fouled.

·   forward circuit - one forward on each side of the backboard, each make 10 power slams, chin it each time.

·   Mikan drill - one minute, make 40.

·   a passer moves around the three-point line passing to post who gets big and wide, sits.

·   two posts sit back to back in the lane, try to move each other, each gets passes from outside.

·   post player facing out slides from the lane to the three-point line, catches pass from the top and finishes with left hand from the left.

·   drop steps - with passer outside, post up at the left block, (a) attack defender's top foot, get pass and drop step; (a) take the ball to the middle for a half hook; (c) forward pivot on top foot, go left up and under; (d) reverse pivot on baseline foot.

·   spin inside off defender for high-low pass.

·   Super 7 - 7 shots from seven spots, 49 possible points.

·   45 - 5 shots from 5 spots - take a 3 (3 points), then pullups left & right (2 points each) and takes left & right (layups, 1 point), getting a pass from rebounding partner each time.

·   21 - 3’s only, miss is 3 and a make is 1, drill over at 21 (7 misses or 21 makes, whichever is first), around the horn, passes from partner.

·   50 - 5 spots, 10 3’s at each spot.

·   special situations such as three or four seconds on the clock - see handout.

·   rip it to create space, don't put it on the floor until you read the defence - the defender's feet.

·   wing players use either foot as pivot.

Angie McLeod, U of O - Off-Ball Movement (Motion Offence)

·   three passing options for the ball handler.

·   two lines on the baseline, passers with balls at each elbow, a screener at each block; cutters start in the lane, come off the screens to each corner, quarter turn in the air catch the ball and shoot - stay low (pass to the target hand).

·   guard-post series - (a) wing drives baseline, post moves up side of the lane for pass option (“I cut”), passer flares to the corner for return pass; (b) wing drives to the middle, post flares to corner for pass and shot or return pass to the wing player.

·   pick and roll - post up screens for wing who drives baseline side.

·   pet peeve - if you pass into the post you must move - Laker cut - one step toward the baseline than go other way to the middle; option - wing screens up for point.

·   automatic back door on perimeter denial - one hard step past the three-point line then go back door.

·   warm-up - line at the top with balls, line on the wing, wing players go backdoor for bounce pass and (a) lay-up, (b) bank shot; switch wings.

·   thumb up by cutter on the cut out means back door.

·   “put a name on the pass”.

·   push off the outside foot.

·   2 on 2 with an attacker and defender at the top and in the wing, wing tries to get open, if denied goes back door.

·   “dot the I” - point to wing pass, wing drives baseline, point fills position vacated for return pass.

·   weak-side wing drifts to baseline, weak-side low post gut cuts to the middle.

·   ball side post has priority over weak-side post

·   three-player point, wing, post series - I cut, dot the I.

·   4 players - wing with ball, low post, corner, off ball wing.

·   if wing drives towards baseline, one option is dribble hand-off with corner

·   practice at game speed

·   passing is a lost art.

Randy Knor, UBC - Defence

·   when the ball is reversed to the weak side, deny but not as much help at the back

·   staggered screen – posts screen at each side of the lane.

·   if a guard posts up - front.

·   talk - “ball” by on-ball defender, “deny” by defenders one pass away, “help, name” by help defenders (naming players being helped).

·   closing out on the shooter - force outside.

·   jump to position while the ball is in the air, not after the pass.

·   force baseline.

·   rotation works like a wheel.

·   recover but not necessarily to your check.

·   problem if beat to the middle - a deny defender has to sag and help out, leaving the kick out pass.

·   full-court defence - many options, e.g., defender of the inbounds passer plays centrefield at the top of the circle; UBC jams the point guard - one post plays safety downcourt, the other post denies the inbound pass to the point guard (double team, not defending the inbounds passer).

·   90% of steals are not from the double-team but from the pass coming out.

·   deny and help full-court.

·   force pass back to the trailer, steal that pass.

·   trap on the sideline - defenders rotate.

·   2 trap areas - each side of centre on the sideline

·   run and jump - try to get point guard out of control - it's a switch, not a trap.

·   half-court trap - 1-3-1 with a post player at the front, allow the inbounds pass, force sideline, trap once the point guard crosses centre.

·   rotation is the same zone or man

·   UBC uses press break as their full-court offence

·   inbounds on the left side, allows space to use the strong hand.

·   attack the sideline

·   the point guard is on the sideline at FT extended, one player at top of the free-throw line, and two players are at midcourt sidelines.

·   point guard runs towards the free-throw line, player there runs to midcourt, and the ball side sideline player runs towards the position vacated by the point guard (box rotation), trailer remains as a safety.

·   use it against man or zone

·   Vic Pruden, Conceptual Basketball - a great reference.

·   flare screens - tough to defend - point guard passes to 3, get screens from 2 and flares outside for skip pass from 3.

·   shooting warmup - one line with a ball shoots 3s from the top, rebounds and passes to line in the corner, also shooting 3s with a ball, rebounding and passing out front; at both ends, first team to 19 baskets.