TEAM 1-ON-1 DRILL

This is a very competitive defensive drill that focuses on closeouts, on the ball defense, offensive skill, and it is all done with some peer pressure. The scoring is as follows:  Defense gets 1 point per clean stop. A clean stop = preventing the offense from scoring while not giving up an offensive rebound. At the end of the drill (9 minutes) the team with the most clean stops, wins. 

To make the drill more game-like you can limit the number of dribbles the offense can take.  I like to limit the offense to 3 dribbles.

Divide players into 2 separate teams This is a 9 minute drill. Coach passes to the offensive player. The defender must closeout and defend the ball. They play 1-on-1. After one rep, the next offensive and defensive player jump in quickly to get their rep. Repeat. After 1 minute 30 seconds switch offense and defense and repeat.

Repeat the same from the top of the key. Each team gets 1 minute 30 seconds on offense and defense. Keep track of points (1 point per clean stop).  

   

Repeat the same from the top of the key. Each team gets 1 minute 30 seconds on offense and defense. Keep track of points (1 point per clean stop).

DRILL VARIATIONS

*The team that wins 2 of the 3 spots on the floor, wins the drill. 

*Switch spots on the floor to perform the drill. 

STATEMENT THAT SIMPLIFIES YOUR DEFENSE

One of my favorite off-season activities is to visit and talk shop with other coaches.  I've learned a lot over the years from having conversations with college, high school, and youth coaches.  Sometimes these conversations have a specific topic on the agenda, while other times we have a random dialog that leads us into several topics.  Either way, I get a chance to learn.

Many times these conversations will turn to X's and O's.  I would bet that most, if not all, coaches spend part of their off-season diagramming plays in notebooks, on scraps of paper, and napkins when ideas strike.  I was having one of these in-depth X and O discussions with another coach when they made the following statement:

"The better you are at one-on-one defense, the less your teammates have to help you.  This keeps your defense balanced.  This makes your team tougher to score against."

I realize that this statement is not groundbreaking by any means.  But at that moment it was very powerful to me and it simplified things for me ever since.  At that time I had been a head coach for ten years, but this simple statement made our teams better defensive teams from that point on. Simple but powerful!

Coaching points to remember when practicing defending the ball:
1. Practice defending the ball every practice.
2. Each day choose different spots to start defending the ball.
*wings
*corners
*elbows
*top of the key
*short corners
*short wings
*mid lane line
3. Limit the number of dribbles an offensive player can make (2 or 3 depending on starting point).
4. Start each rep with a closeout.
5. Make the drills competitive.
*Keep score
*Consequence (run) for giving up dribble penetration to an area you don't want the ball to go.

WOLF DRILL: Defensive Intensity & Toughness

The WOLF DRILL is a defensive drill that allows you to work on a variety of defensive skills in one rep:  closeouts, on the ball defense, blocking out and taking a charge. 

Three offensive players align around the perimeter, one at the top of the key and 2 and 3 on the wings.  One defender starts with a basketball and under the basket.

X1 rolls the ball out to 1.  X1 will execute a closeout.  They play one-on-one.  1 gets three dribbles to try and score.

 As soon as X1 and 1 complete their part of the drill, the ball is immediately passed out to 2.  X1 will now sprint to 2 and execute a closeout.  2 will immediately catch and shoot.  X1 must box out 2 after the shot.  Both players attempt to get the rebound.

If 2 makes the shot X1 immediately passes the ball to 3.  If 2 misses and 1 gets the rebound they will immediately pass to 3.  If 2 gets and offensive rebound, they play until 2 scores or X1 gets a rebound or turnover.
On the catch 3 will immediately attack the basket off the dribble to attempt to score on a layup.  Meanwhile X1 is sprinting over to set up to take a charge outside the lane (if possible).

Players rotate 1 to 2.  2 to 3.  3 to defender.

2-ON-2 CONTINUOUS CLOSEOUT DRILL

2 lines (1 and 2) start along the lane line along the baseline.  Two coaches start out on the perimeter, beyond the three point line, and wider than the lane line extended.  One coach starts with a ball.

The first two players in each line get the first rep.  Because the ball is on 1's side, 1 will sprint out and closeout on the coach with the ball.  2 will sprint out to a help position.  Both players need to be in a good defensive stance.


The coach with the ball will immediately throw a reversal pass to the other coach.  1 will now get to help position while 2 closes out on the ball.

The coaches will make a total of three passes with this group.  Each pass that is made 1 and 2 will either get to a closeout on the ball or to help position.  Immediately after the third pass the first two players are out and the next two sprint in.  The coaches do NOT wait for the next two players to get in to start their passing of the ball.  This forces the next two players to sprint in to the drill.  The drill continues this way until every player has received three reps.

COACHING POINT:  It is important to also teach communication in this drill.  There should be constant chatter by the two defensive players in the drill.  When guarding the ball they should be yelling, "Ball!"  When in help position they should be yelling "Help!"