Figure eight from the back

• Start with the ball in back of the right hand.
• Take it between your legs to your left hand.
• Then with the ball in the left hand take it behind your left leg and between your legs to your right hand.
• Continue drill for 30 seconds.
• Opposite drill is figure eight from the front which takes the ball right and left hand through the front of your legs.

Rate yourself...

30-45 = fair

50-65 = good

75-85 = excellent

Figure eight speed dribble

• Start the drill in either the right or the left hand.
• Start dribbling in and out between your legs in a figure eight manner.
• Start slowly and keep the ball as low as possible at all times.
• Gradually pick up speed after you begin to master the drill.
• There is no time limit to this drill although 20 times around in a minute is excellent.

Around the head

• Place the ball in the right hand and with your shoulders back take the ball behind your head and catch with your left hand and bring it around to the front to your right hand in a continuous motion.
• Opposite drill start with ball in the left hand.
• Drill is done for 30 seconds.

Rate yourself...

30-40 = fair

40-50 = good

55-75 = excellent

Around the waist

• Take the ball in the right hand and take it behind your back and catch it with your left hand and in one continuous motion bring the ball around to the front to your right hand.
• Do the drill continuously for 30 seconds as fast as possible.
• Drill is then done by starting with the right hand.

Rate yourself...

25-35 = fair

35-50 = good

55-70 = excellent

Head, waist and leg rhythm drill

• Start with the ball in the right hand and take it around your head to the left hand and in one continuous motion take the ball around your waist and then down around the legs.
• From the legs you go up around the waist to up around the head again.
• Drill is done continuously for 30 seconds.
• Remember to only wrap the ball once around your head, waist and legs while doing the drill.

Full court drop step drill

Purpose of drill:

• Body positioning and balance
• Defensive footwork
• Hand positioning (lead hand & drag hand)

Description of drill:

• Divide the players in groups of three. Players 1, 2 and 3 assume a defensive stance with the right foot forward.
• The drill begins with the coach pointing to the left which tells the players to execute a drop step (swing step) and slide in that direction until the coach points to the right which tells the players to execute another drop step and slide to their left (coach's right).
• The players continue this action by following the coach's command until the coach's signal (whistle).
• On the whistle, players 1, 2 & 3 run off the court and join the end of one of the lines. Players 4, 5 & 6 are ready to begin after players 1, 2 & 3 are finished.
• The drill continues in this manner. Emphasize the shifting of the lead hand and the drag hand positions on each of the drop steps.

6 Point denial

Purpose of drill:

• Denial defense (1 pass away)

Description of drill:

• Divide the players into groups of three.
• The drill begins with player 2 working to get open and defensive player A contesting 2 and opening to the ball.
• When player 1 moves to the other side of the floor, 2 cuts across the low post with A fronting 2.
• Defender A now works to contest 2 on the other side of the floor.
• If 2 gets the ball a one-on-one is created.

Six points of emphasis:

• Contesting-denying
• Opening to the ball
• Fronting the post
• Contesting on other side
• Stop the driver
• Get the rebound

Shell rebounding drill:

Purpose of drill:

• Rebounding
• Four on four shell drill principles

Description of drill:

• Divide the players into teams of four players and run the shell drill. In this shell drill emphasis is on rebounding using the following award point system:
• 2 points for an offensive basket
• 2 points for an offensive rebound
• 1 point for a defensive rebound
• - 1 point for each foul
• On a score the offensive team retains possession of the ball.
• On a defensive rebound or a turnover the ball is awarded to the defense.
• Play games to 10 points to declare a winner.

Variation:

With three teams of four players, rotate the incoming team to defense to start. If the offense scores, the incoming team replaces the defense. If the defense stops the offense they move to offense, the offense rotates off the court and the incoming team starts on defense.

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