JAGUAR DRILL: TRANSITION DEFENSE/OFFENSE

The Jaguar drill focuses on transition offense and transition defense in a 3-on-2 setting.  Players get one possession per rep, but it also serves as a good drill to keep your players in shape as they get many reps throughout the duration of the drill.

Players 1-2-3-4-5 start on the baseline.  The middle player (3) starts with the ball.  In this drill players 1, 3, and 5 are on offense.  Players 2 and 4 are on defense.

On the coach's command players 1, 3, and 5 will sprint (3 is dribbling) to the opposite baseline.  Once they get to the opposite baseline they immediately sprint back towards the basket they started at to play offense.  Meanwhile players 4 and 5 sprint to the opposite end elblows at the free throw line.  They will immediately sprint back to play defense.

Defenders must communicate in this drill.  Based on your defensive philosophy in a 3-on-2 situation, you will want your players to communicate your philosophy in this situation.  Who has the first pass?  Who has the second pass?  When do you want the top player to pick up the ball?  These are just a few questions to consider.

Coaches can have their teams work on a variety of things or add particular rules, like:
*Offense can only make two passes before a shot must be taken.
*No shots allowed outside the lane area.  Players must attack the basket.
*Defense must force at least two passes before a shot is taken or they run a sprint.
*Offense cannot use the dribble after the first pass is made.

5 TRIPS TRANSITION DRILL

The purpose of this transition offense drill is to have all five players
understanding their roles in the numbered break. It is also a VERY good drill to do for conditioning purposes. Instead of just lining up and running, the team will get a chance to work on their basketball skills while running the floor.  The drill is continuous with 1 shooting first, then 2, then 3, then 4, and finally 5.  Note: All 5 players must sprint downt the court each time even if they are not the player shooting the ball. Running for your teammates will get others open.

Alignment All 5 players start in the lane area. Coach (C) shoots the ball. On a make 5 will take the ball out of bounds like they would in a game. If C misses then 5 will secure the rebound and outlet like they would in a game. This diagram shows the first trip down the floor with 1 getting a shot. 5 outlets to 1, and 1 continues with a speed dribble down the court for a layup or a short jumper.

After 1 shot the ball the drill continues with 5 securing the rebound and throwing an outlet to 1. All five players continue down the court to their respective spots. This diagram shows the next part of the drill when 2 gets their shot. 1 makes the pass ahead to 2, and 2 will attack the basket with a layup.

The next player to get a shot in this continuous drill is the 3. After the 2 shot their layup, 5 secured the ball and outlets the ball to 1. 1 then makes a dribble and passes ahead to 3 down the left side of the court. 3 then attacks the basket for a layup. Again, all 5 players are sprinting downt he court, not just the person getting the shot.

4 is the next player to get their shot in this continuous drill. After 3 completed their layup, 5 will secure the ball and outlet to 1. All five players sprint down the court to their spots. RUN FOR YOUR TEAMMATES! 1 catches the outlet pass, takes a dribble or two, and then passes ahead to 4. 4 then attacks the basket for a layup.

5 is the last player to get their shot during this continous full court drill. After 4 shot the ball, 5 secures the ball and outlets to 1. All five players sprint down the floor to their spots. Instead of 1 making a pass ahead they will speed dribble down the floor to one side of the free throw lane extended. 1 will jumpstop at the three point line area, make a ball fake, and then pass to 5 as they come down to the three point line as the trailer. When 5 catches the ball they will make a shot or pass fake and then attack the basket for a layup.

DRILL VARIATIONS

*Include a manager at each end to provide some sort of distraction for the offense as they attempt to score or on the outlet pass.
*Designate which players can shoot 3 point shots instead of layups.

TRANSITION DEFENSE & OFFENSE DRILL

SKILLS COVERED

*Half court defense
*Transition defense
*Offensive execution
*Transition offense

ALIGNMENT

*Set players up on offense and defense (5-on-5) at one basket.
*One player on offense has a ball.
*Coach is along a sideline with a basketball.

EXECUTION OF THE DRILL

*Offense will run through a half court offensive set called by the coach.
*Defense will run the defense called by the coach.
*As the teams are playing 5-on-5 at some point the coach will blow the whistle to alert the teams that there will be a change of possession.
*On that whistle the player with the ball will throw the ball off to the side (off the court) and the offense starts to sprint back on defense (they are now the defensive team).
*Meanwhile the defensive team now becomes offense.  Coach passes the ball to a player in the backcourt as they are transitioning to offense.  The team now on offense will focus on your transition offense, while the team now on defense will execute your transition defense philosophy.
*NOTE:  If the offense scores while running their half court offensive set the drill rep will end there.  Reset at the top  and start the next rep.

VARIATIONS

*If the offense scores while running through their half court offense you can continue the drill by having the new team on offense NOT take the ball out-of-bounds. Simply take the ball out of the hoop and start your transition offense.  This will put more pressure on the defense to get back.

*To put even more pressure on the team transitioning back on defense have each player on that team slap the floor with their hands before they sprint back on defense.  This will give the offense an extra step advantage and force the team on defense to really understand the necessary speed it takes to get back on defense.