3-on-3 Defensive Drill
By James Gels, from the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook, @ http://www.coachesclipboard.net  If you like this free page, please give us a "Like", a "+1" or a "Follow". Thanks! - Coach Gels |
This defensive drill will help pick up your team's defensive intensity, because it is a competition. Give out some award to the winners... a bag of candy, free pop, etc. Or just make all the losers run and the winners get to watch.
Setup: Divide your squad into 3-man teams (you may have one or two 4-man teams where the players rotate in and out, if the numbers don't come out exactly even). These teams will take turns competing against each other as outlined below. Only two teams will be on the floor at a given time, offense and defense. Split the teams up fairly (no "stacked" teams), and have at least one guard and one post player on each team.
The Drill: Play half-court, man-to-man defense at all times. Coaches referee. Points are scored only by the defense. The defense gets one point whenever they stop the offense and get possession either by a defensive rebound, a steal, a forced turn-over, forced bad pass, etc. The idea is for the defensive team to stay on the floor as long as they can, because it's the only way you can accumulate points.
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No points are awarded for baskets made. However, if the offense scores, then the defensive team must leave the floor and the offense now becomes the defense (enabling them a chance to accumulate points), and a new team comes out on offense. Also, if the offense commits a turnover, or fails to score, they must leave the court and a new team comes out on offense. So there is always a penalty for failure... the team who fails (whether offense or defense) must leave the floor. If the defense commits a foul, this also results in them being kicked off the court and the offense now becomes the defense and a new team comes out on offense. Pick a set number of points... the first team to obtain that point total are the winners. |
This drill will help pick up your intensity, and the players usually enjoy this "game".
Helpful DVDs
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Five-Star Basketball: Defensive Philosophy & Drills for Successful Team Basketball with Lewis Howard, Five-Star Basketball Coach/Instructor; Largo HS (MD) Head Boys Basketball Coach. The high scoring offense at Largo High School is based on defensive pressure and forcing turnovers. Coach Howard opens with the half court shell drill. Elements included are jumping to the ball, help side, strong side, rotation and trapping the corner. Another drill that helps build team defense is the head on the ball drill. As the dribbler works up the floor, the defender stays in front of the ball, making the dribbler change directions. The drill ends with one-on-one play from half court. One of his signature trapping defenses is 25, which is a full court strategy when you let your man catch the ball in front and uses trapping. A straight man-to-man defensive system in the half court, 22, adds trapping in the half court. The two-on-one trap drill is a key drill for this system of play. Other drills address recovery, loose balls, taking the charge, and deflections... (more info) Price: $39.99 
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Mike Anderson: '40 Minutes of Hell' (Vol. 2) with Mike Anderson, University of Missouri Head Coach. Hard play and pressure defense are the backbone of Coach Anderson's teams. Stance, hands, balance and closeness to the offensive player are very important principles to Anderson. Using an overhead, Anderson diagrams his defensive system. Ball pressure, anticipation, rotation and trapping are key terms in this system. On ball pressure, trapping corners on the baseline, making the sideline an extra man, using the half court line, trap with opportunity, and rotation round out the keys to this defensive. The progression of this defense starts with 1-on-1 defense by using the zig-zag drill. The run-and-jump can be added to the 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 drill. Other practice drills shared by Anderson show transition situations, sliding drills, 2-on-2, run and jump and 4-on-4... (more info) Price: $39.99
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Tom Izzo: Dominating Rebounding & Man-to-Man Defensive Drills By Tom Izzo, 2000 NCAA Champions, 3X National Coach of the Year. Coach Izzo shares one of the most dominating man-to-man defensive and rebounding systems in college basketball today. Izzo's teams have been among the nation's leaders in rebounding margin (+11.7) and scoring defense (58.9) since he took over in the '95-'96 season. The seven defensive drills that Izzo covers include... (more info) Price: $39.99
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Bob Huggins' Drills for Man-to-Man Defense
with Bob Huggins, West Virginia University Head Coach; over 600 career wins; former University of Cincinnati Head Coach, '00-'01 National Coach of the Year, Conference USA "Coach of the Decade" (Cincinnati). In Coach Huggins' defense, the middle of the floor - the shoot - is an area where the ball is not allowed. Pushing the ball to the sideline is the goal of this defense... Every day Huggins runs a simple 2-on-2 drill to emphasize getting to the ball, or "sprint to help." The shell drill incorporates all of these principles and does not allow direct line passes. Another key drill is 1-one-1 closeout drill from basket to the top of the key. The help and recover/penetrate and pitch drill forces players to cover area and stresses closing out with hands up and denying penetration. The 3-on-1 close out drill forces the defender to react to the direction of the pass... (more info) Price: $39.99
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Roy Williams: The Carolina Defensive Numbering System & Drills with Roy Williams, University of North Carolina Head Coach, 2009 and 2005 National Champions, 4X Time National "Coach of the Year," Winningest Active Coach in College Basketball. In this incredibly comprehensive video, Coach Williams presents the five points of emphasis of his man-to-man defense. In breaking down the most critical areas of strong-side and weak-side man defense, Williams teaches how to deny penetration on the baseline, close traps on help-side, techniques for ball denial, close outs, fronting the post and denial of screens and back screens. Williams teaches the 20, 30 and 40 defensive numbering system that will create fits for teams at any level! He places special focus on pressuring the ball, proper on-ball and help-side stances, forcing the ball to the sideline, weakside defense, preventing ball reversals and stopping transition offense on every possession. His drills, ranging from one-on-one drills to five-on-five drills, will reinforce proper responsibilities and rotations within the defense. A must for all coaches who play tough man defense... (more info) Price: $39.99
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Jay Wright: Defensive Progression Drills & Techniques with Jay Wright, Villanova University Head Men's Basketball Coach, NCAA "Sweet 16" (2005), Philadelphia Big Five Eastern College Coach of the Year. Aggressive, no-nonsense defense is a trademark of Jay Wright's teams. Because of the great talent Villanova faces every game, Wright focuses on drills that will help contain quick, skilled ball handlers. This excellent teaching tool progresses from individual defensive stance, to one-on-one, two-on-two, and three-on-three in the half- and full-court. Wright stresses pressure on the ball, stance and vision away from the ball. The 2-on-2 "Whack Out" drill will show how to close out on shooters and still contain the ball handler. The term "line of the ball and level of the ball" are illustrated. The versatile 2-on-2 in the Post drill focuses on perimeter defense as well as defending the post. Helping on the post is a concept introduced once the offensive post has the ball inside. The cornerstones of the DVD are defending on the ball, jumping to the ball, playing cutters, playing off the ball and reading help. This has great application to high school and junior high basketball... (more info) Price: $39.99
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