Here are [tag]basketball practice drills[/tag] that have helped me with coaching 3rd-8th grade players where there isn’t always a good basketball knowledge base or a strong commitment to be at every [tag]basketball practice[/tag] (or worse yet, where there isn’t always gym space for much practice time.)
Design your practice drills to utilize 4 players who rotate through each of 4 positions executing the drill. For example, get rid of the “old” lay up drill. It’s a waste of time.
Instead, ask your players to assume 1 of 4 offensive positions:“ point, high post, and 2 wings.
- The point starts with an entry pass to the high post on one corner of the key.
- The opposite wing V-cut’s to the basket and the post player pivots and bounce passes to the cutting wing for a “lay up.”
- The strong wing crashes when he sees the opposite wing cut and the post follows his pass into a rebounding position.
- The shooter continues to run through to the opposite sideline and the rebounders gather the [tag]basketball[/tag] and deliver an outlet pass to the shooter, who simulates a new fast break by passing to midcourt where the next point is waiting to start the series all over again.
Players rotate from point to post, post to strong wing, strong wing to opposite wing, and opposite wing to the point where any extra players wait their turn to start.
Moving the high post across the top of the key changes shooting from right hand to left hand and splitting into 2 groups, each on half of the gym, gets plenty of fast rep’s once the kids learn the rotation.
Follow up this [tag]basketball drill[/tag] with a 2 on 2 high post pick and roll, with a point and a post against two man defenders.