Level: Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: Tamalpais High School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Tom Poser
Notes: This drill is designed to teach all players how to cover more ground by using only one dribble, primarily in the post.  Most kids have only been taught the drop step, which allows you to make aggressive moves towards the basket.  The hop step on the other hand allows you to essentially jump, or hop, as far as you can across the key.  This use of efficient movement and momentum will not only create open spaces for players to score, it will also force defenders to get out of sensible defensive stances and run to spots on the floor instead of sliding to those spots.  By forcing defenders into bad defensive positions, you are giving yourself an opportunity for secondary moves, while also demanding double teams, which opens up your teammates for scoring opportunities.

1. Toss the ball to your self at various positions on the court.  Jump stop, catch and chin the ball!
2. Pivot, using 1 of four pivots:  Right front pivot, right back pivot, left front pivot or left back pivot.
3.  The first pivot counts as one.  Square up.  Jab 2 more time and square up each time.  After the 3^rd pivot/jab, square up, shot fake (or other move) and drive to the basket.
4.  Get the ball, throw it to the other side and repeat  - 7 times total, hence 21 pivot drill.  Build on the drill with jump shots, and then vary the move and type of finish.

Level: CYO, High School, College
Shot Location: Tamalpais High School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Caren Horstmayer
Notes: This drill is designed for repetition of the move under pressure, using both sides of the court.  Keep track of how many made in this amount of time.  Give them a goal of how many should make each time they do this and challenge them to get more.   The moves in this video are counter moves to each other.

How the drill works:
Post player throws the ball to their self above the block, jumpstops, chins it and makes their move.  Repeat this on the other side of the court.  This continues through the :45.

Moves on this video:
Power Move Baseline – Drop step, dribble, jumpstop with shoulders to backboard (not rim)       Variation – Go middle.  Add a shoulder shake.
Turn Around Jumpshot – Shoulder shake, pivot and shoot    Variation – Go both directions
Up & Under Move – Shoulder shake baseline, ¾ pivot, shot fake, rip the ball and step through to basket for a layup.  Variations of this move:  Go the other direction.  Add a dribble with a power layup.

Give the players of the option to use any and all moves in the :45.  This gives a variety to the drill.

Level: Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: Tamalpais High School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Tom Poser
Notes: At the very highest levels of basketball solid offensive players always have the advantage because they know where they are going to go and what they are going to do.  They also always have a counter move prepared and drilled into their subconscious through practice so that if they are ever stopped they have a solution prepared.  As an example, if you can shoot and make a jumpshot, then you force the defender to guard you closely.  But if you can drive hard to the basket you force a defender to back off and play the dribble.  Therefore if you can make a great shot fake, getting the defender to challenge your shot by jumping in the air, you create an easy driving opportunity to the rim for a score.

This drill works on the two very basic fundamentals of scoring in a one-on-one setting.  Shot fakes create driving opportunities, and drive fakes create shot opportunities.  Using your fakes effectively, and then either shooting a clean jumper or attacking aggressively will force teams to double team you thereby creating team scoring opportunities.

Level: Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: Tamalpais High School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Caren Horstmayer
Notes: We use 2 balls and 3 players for this drill.  When a player shoots the ball, they rebound their own shot and pass to the same open player, every time.   As you learn the drill you will become more efficient and use good footwork on the shot, pivot on the rebound to pass, pass with good speed, and move to the open spot.  Time the drill for :30 or 1:00.  Teams should count made baskets.  1 point per basket, 2 points per 3 pt. basket.  Get an idea of how many they should be scoring and make it a competition between teammates at baskets.  If you have 12 team members use 4 baskets of 3 players.

Shots to use: 1.  Shot off pass    2. 1 dribble move into shot     3.  2 dribble move into shot    4.  3 point shot.

Level: CYO, High School, College
Shot Location: Tamalpais High School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Caren Horstmeyer
Notes: This drill is designed to teach you the hesitation move with the counter hesitation crossover move. In the hesitation move you change your speed to keep the defender off balance or to get them to stand up, while the hesitation crossover move you change your speed and then change your direction.

Place two cones on the court, one at the hash mark above the block and one at the free throw elbow. The player will make two hesitation moves. If there is only one player in the line have them turnaround and do the moves back to the baseline. If there are more players in line, after finishing the second cone, they hustle with their dribble back to the line. If you have 8 cones and 4 lines, you keep the lines moving. If you want more control to watch the players moves use less lines.

When learning the hesitation move it is important that you lift your body, using your waist, head, shoulders, eyes to lift your body upward and slow down. As the defender slows and lifts you quickly get low and take a BIG quick step by the defender exploding to the basket or up the court in transition. Work on the right and left hand hesitation. The hesitation crossover, you lift the same as with the hesitation, however, the defense knows how to play you, so you counter and cross the ball over, getting low and taking a big step by the defender.

Level: CYO, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: Tamalpais High School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Caren Horstmeyer
Notes: This drill begins teaching the fundamentals and positioning of the player on the low block (and it could be a guard in transition or a fast break as well) to take a good angle and be strong to score from the pass from a penetrating player in the guard position. We build working with a pad to emphasize strength to the basket, to guard penetration footwork making the pass, and then transition into 2 guards and 2 posts. Future videos will build to defenders teaching where to pass depending on who is helping.

How the drill works:
1. Two post players begin with the ball and position their shoulders and hips towards the weak side guard (I always have ALL players learn both positions).  Teach the post players to stay low and wide, have their palms showing towards the driving guard. They chin the ball with elbows out. (Hint: If their palms are on the ball, there elbows are in. Place pads of hands on the ball when chinning and the elbows naturally go out) Rip the ball and pivot towards the basket with their hip and shoulders faced to the backboard, not rim and shoot with the hand on that side of the court. Alternate post players, two times each, and have them alternate lines.

2. Add the pad

3. Add a weak side guard and one post line. The guard MUST penetrate directly to the basket to score (not laterally because the defense would not need to help), stop with a 1-2 stop on balance and bounce pass to post player who will make the power move just learned. We want the post players defender to help on the guard, so that the guard has an open pass to the post for the power layup. Have them alternate lines.

4. Add the pad

5. Add another line, so now you have 2 guard lines and 2 post lines.

Level: Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Tom Poser
Notes: This drill is designed to teach post players how to control the opponent physically to ensure a better post position when they receive the ball.  The key is to create contact with the defender well prior to the time in which the ball would actually be passed into the post, essentially setting up the defender.  You allow the defender to get the front position and patiently allow the ball to be swung to the other side of the court where you will then be between the ball and the defender.  Remember that you cannot just run to the opposite side to get the ball, you first have to seal the defender in the place he started, and then physically keep him there until the pass comes your way.

Level: CYO, Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Dave Granucci
Notes: The drill starts with the player facing the baseline and jumping up to touch a place in the air, on the backboard, or on the rim depending on the level of the player and team.  When the passer yells “turn” the post player turns, receives a pass, and needs to finish with an aggressive basket.

Coaches can change the difficulty of the drill by having the passer throw harder passes, faster passes, and bad passes.  You can also require that the post player make a move after catching the ball, such as a up and under, a hop step, or a fake of some kind.  You can also mix up the drill by requiring the post player shoot left handed, or maybe add a defender into the play.  Cycle a few players or entire teams through the drill quickly to create some enthusiasm.

Level: CYO, Junior High, High School
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Max Shapiro
Notes: There is a very specific way to shoot a basketball that clearly increases your ability to make baskets.  How you set up your shot, where you hold your elbow prior to shooting, where you aim when you shoot (up not out), and how you release the basketball with a follow through all determine how likely it is that you put the biscuit in the basket.

Max also discusses how to motivate yourself to get up enough shots every week to make certain you are improving, and talks about the importance of a strong base in the game of basketball.  This is a must watch and must learn for all players.  Even experienced players will be reminded of the keys to great shooting when they revisit this lesson.

Level: CYO, Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Tom Poser
Notes: Use this drill to teach your players how to change direction in a game like situation using chairs as fake defenders.  By using two chairs, it gives players the opportunity to use the four cross over moves (in front of body, through the legs, around the back, and spin dribbles) while finishing the play with a jump shot or a layup.

As you will see in the video, you can change the drill to best suit the level of the players in the drill.  If you are a CYO coach you can keep it simple with great technique.  If you are a high school guard or higher you can mix it up like Alex does by adding change of speed, step backs, and double moves.  Post players should make another strong move in the key to improve their skills as well.

Level: Junior High, High School
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Max Shapiro
Notes: Max explains a great way to learn how to shoot the ball the right way by practicing close to the rim standing still.  This method simplifies the shooting process and focuses in on the most important details such as follow through, shot-height, and smooth release. Any and every player that is trying to become a solid shooter needs to spend time in the driveway and before practice working on this technique.

Even college level players and higher start their warm up with this drill to make sure their shot is dialed in before moving further away from the basket.  Combine this drill with some up and down activity such jump stops, skips, pattern dribbling, or defensive slides to get yourself tired before the drill and increase the effectiveness.

Level: Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Alex Pribble
Notes: Defensive slides are obviously an incredibly important part of the game of basketball and if you cannot properly slide to cut off a ball handler then you cannot play basketball at the high school level.  This drill assumes however that you already understand the proper technique of the slide, and also assumes that you understand what a close out is.

If you understand and are competent in these two areas then this drill will help you get better defensively at the speed of a normal game.  Imagine you are in a help side defense of some kind, and the player you are responsible for receives the ball.  It is important that you are able to properly run to the player to stop the jump shot, but when you get there be under control and ready to slide and cut off the ball handler.  This drill is a repetitive one that creates muscle memory.  If you are great at this drill you will be great in a game setting.

Coaches, you can add in players and make this a timed drill to create stamina.  You can also increase the speed of the drill and send players more often.  By having multiple players in the key at the same time, all of them working hard, you create scenarios in which they have to deal with getting by each other, talking out loud, and acting as a defensive unit.

Level: CYO, Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Tom Poser
Notes: It is vital no matter what position you play that you are able to handle the basketball with both hands.  The better you are at dribbling up and down the court using a variety of crossovers and ball handling skills the more valuable you will be to your team and to yourself.  This drill is for guards and posts.  If you are a taller player and you can take a defender off the dribble or bring the ball up, you increase the odds of getting playing time and scoring baskets.

The drill allows you to create muscle memory by repeating the same move over and over while moving up and down the court.  If you can create a beneficial series of moves, and repeat them over time in a fast manner then you will get better.  If you can do it with your head up, your team will get better.

To make the drill more difficult try to add more difficult moves, add a fake defender, put a clock on the player, or mix in pushups and situps every time the player crosses half court.

Level: CYO, Junior High, High School
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Alex Pribble
Notes: Alex breaks down the most basic level of dribbling to make sure the players that are learning the game understand how important it is stay low, protect the ball, and keep control while moving back and forth.  This is another one of the drills that is easy to overlook as too simple, when in fact it is a cornerstone of good guard play.  The drill works for all positions, although it is most important for guards who deal with ball pressure on a consistent basis.

Add a level of difficulty to the drill by introducing a defender, or turning the drill into a full court activity.  Coaches can spread the players out across the half court and have the team work on a 30 second clock followed by some sprints, pushups, or any stamna building activity.  It is important that when working on strict technique the player working is already tired so that they are more prepared for the fourth quarter.

Level: Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Alex Pribble
Notes: This drill teaches players of all sizes what to do when they find themselves in a position in which they are rebounding offensively.  It does not address the techniques behind getting position, but rather deals with how to make certain that when you rip an offensive board you finish with strength.  Alex talks about grabbing the ball with power, attacking the rim quickly, and finishing as high as possible.

Remember while working this drill that by grabbing an offensive board you have taken the defense by surprise and you have an advantage.  They have been focused on boxing out so they may be out of position or already in a transition mode.  Therefore every second that you delay is one more second they have to recover and stop you from getting to that rim.

To really up the drill add a defender to the mix and have them intentionally foul the rebounder when they grab the board, and when they go to finish.  College coaches will hold football type pads and hit the player as hard as they can to recreate the type of contact they should expect in a game.  This also teaches the rebounder that they should not be shying away from contact, but rather seeking contact to ensure a foul and a basket.

Level: Junior High, High School, College, Pro
Shot Location: The Branson School, Marin County, California
Instructor: Tom Poser
Notes: Shooting the ball well while you are tired and worn out is one of the hardest parts of the game.  Players break down in the fourth quarter and shooting percentages drop dramatically.  If you watch NBA games you will see which players have worked hard in the off-season and which simply shot some shots and called it quits.  This drill is designed to break you down, wear you out, and force you to shoot shots on the move with tired legs.

By increasing the number of times you have to run sideline to sideline, we are creating a physically and mentally difficult drill that allows the player enough  time to think about how difficult the drill is.  This also allows a coach to find out which players are willing to push through the pain and knock down pressure shots.

To increase the difficulty of the drill you can require that the player make a move to the basket every time they touch the ball, or force them to repeat the last number of sprints they did if they don’t hit both shots.  You can also make the drill work its way up to five sideline runs instead of three.