Basketball is a sport that requires skills both offensively and defensively.
It also is necessary for players to be in great physical shape since there obviously is a lot of running up and down the court. Drills that help you get into shape as well as work on offensive and defensive skills are the 7 Second 1 v 1 – 7 second, the Star and the Circles Drill.
There are those that feel shooting is the most important aspect of the game and needs to be practiced the most, that however is not the truth, the drills that need to worked on are dribbling, passing and playing defense. Shooting should be worked on but can also be done on an individual basis.
1 v 1 – 7 Second
It is an important drill because it works on dribbling, scoring, and defense. One player stands with the ball between the 3-point line and the half-court. Another player plays defense against the player with the ball.
When coach blows the whistle the player with the ball has 7 seconds to score. The offensive player should be instructed to use cross-over dribbles, spin moves, and any other to beat the defender. The defender should be instructed to play solid “d” and not be faked out by the offensive player.
Works on players passing drills and can also be used to help in conditioning. The players start out in a formation that looks like a star, with all facing each other.
The ball begins in the hands of one of the players he passes the ball to the player opposite him. Then the player who caught the ball passes to the player who is just to the right of where the first pass came from. Once a pass is made the passer has to sprint through the star and get to where the pass went before another pass gets to the spot. This drill can be run for 3 to 5 minutes or longer. Running it longer is where it helps with conditioning.
The circles drill strengthens the players dribbling abilities and is an easy and fun drill to practice. A player lines up on one of the three circles (either foul line circle or half court) on the floor with a ball in each hand.
The player dribbles both balls while running around the outside of the circle. This drill will help the players with their ball handling. Because they will need to concentrate on their weak hand dribbling but all the while not forgetting to control the ball well with their strong hand.
It’s important for players to improve and maintain quality passing, dribbling, and playing defense. It is equally as important for a basketball player to be in the best physical condition possible. 1 v 1 – 7 second drill, the Star drill, and the Circles drill are three important drills that can help to accomplish all these things and more.
So when it is time to lace up the sneakers and hit the hardwood floors, you and you teammates will be ready for the challenge.