Basketball Drills - Coach Sar's Special Situation Drills

From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook
Submitted a while back by late coach and friend Ken Sartini (aka "Coach Sar"), Arlington Hts, IL. Ken had a great impact on many young coaches and players, and sadly has passed on. His wisdom and wit are greatly missed by all who knew him.

Winning close games often comes down to being able to execute in certain late game "situations" - e.g. up 1, down 1, etc. Like anything else in basketball, it's wise to practice various late game situations. Coach Sartini's teams practiced various situations on a regular basis. This is not only valuable for your team, but players like these fun, competitive game-like drills - Coach Gels.

Situation Tournament

It's helpful and more game-like if you have a manager set and run the scoreboard and clock for each situation. If this is not possible, have an assistant use a stop-watch and call out the time at various intervals and the last 10 seconds.

Rules

1. Two teams - red and black
   
2. The first team to win 3 out of 5 (or 2 out of 3 in Set 3) wins that set.
   
3. One time out per situation
   
4. Shooting fouls are two shots and everything else is 1 and 1.
   
5. Possession arrow goes to the team that starts the situation on defense.
   
6. Overtime is SUDDEN DEATH. Winner is the first team to lead by 2 points.
   
7. If tied at 2 sets a piece we play 4 minutes of no dribble or we play 5 minutes of cut throat (Only scores can be lay ups or three pointers - i.e., Dribble drive and kicks, post ups, or offensive rebounds.
   
8. The only defense permitted is man-to-man
   

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Set 1

1. Black down 3, 1 Minute left, Black ball at half court
   
2. Red down 2, 40 Seconds left, Red ball inbounding under offensive basket
   
3. Black down 3, 8 Seconds left, Black ball inbounding on front court side of half court line
   
4. Red down 5, 24 Seconds left, Red ball inbounding on front court side half courte
   
5. Tie game, 1 Minute left, Red shoots a one and one
   

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Set 2

1. Red down 1, 18 Seconds left, Red ball inbounding under offensive basket
   
2. Black down 2, 40 Seconds left, Black ball at half court
   
3. Red down 4, 45 Seconds left, Red ball on side inbounding at 3/4 court
   
4. Black down 3, 18 Seconds left, Black ball at half court
   
5. Tie game, 30 Seconds left, Black shoots a one and one
   

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Set 3

1. Black down 4, 35 Seconds left, Black ball at half court
   
2. Red down 5, 45 Seconds left, Red ball inbounding under offensive basket
   
3. Red down 3, 25 Seconds left, Red shoots a one and one
   
4. Black down 1, 12 Seconds left, Black shoots a one and one
   
5. Tie game, 15 Seconds left, Loose ball at mid-court
   

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Set 4

1. Black down 2, 28 Seconds left, Black ball at half court
   
2. Red down 3, 15 Seconds left, Red ball inbounding under offensive basket
   
3. Black down 1, 31 Seconds left, Red ball inbounding backcourt side of half court
   
4. Red down 1, 5 Seconds left, Red ball under Black basket and Red may run baseline
   
5. Tie game, 2:20 left, Black ball - no dribble
   

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Anytime you have a problem in your last game, you can add that to your "situation" for the next few days. Coach Sar found this to be a great teaching tool.

Be creative and make up your own situations. For example, you might want to create some situations that go against zone defenses, or that use full-court pressure - Coach Gels.

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