Basketball Passing Drills - Part 3 Post Passing Drills

In all the years of playing, coaching, or watching Indiana high school basketball, I have never seen a team without an inside pivot attack win a major championship. I see an awful lot of excessive dribbling, today; however, it is much quicker to get the basketball from point "A" to point "B" with a pass than dribbling it there.

Another point I want to make is "every possession of the ball is important." Turnovers lead to defeat and usually the team with the most points per procession will win the game. Therefore, drill your players in passing the basketball and win those championships. 

Two-ball Post Passing Drill

This drill was initially designed for Post players; however, it will help improve the ability of all team members in feeding the post.

Course of Action:

·    Place all players in lines at their offensive positions, facing the post player.

·    Each guard has a ball. The left guard passes into the pivot, who quickly passes to #3.

·    As soon as he can make a pass without disturbing the continuity of the drill, #2 passes to the post who relays it quickly to #4, the left forward.

·    Forwards should pass back out to the nearest guards immediately. The guards continue hitting the pivot and receiving a pass back from the forwards after the pivot has relayed it to them. Use all the different types of effective passes.

Pepper Post Passing Drill

This is another drill designed to impress the post player with his responsibility to catch passes.  

Course of Action:

·    Divide the squad into groups of seven, with each group having a post player.

·    Line them up as shown in this diagram.

·    Start with two balls; however, add another ball as skill increases.

·    Player #4 passes the ball to the post player who quickly passes to #1. #1 can pass out to #3 or #4. #2 can pass out to #5 or #6. The front players who receive passes from  #1 and #2 immediately pass into #7 who must get rid of the ball quickly and be ready for the next pass.

Delayed Pivot Passing Drill

Quite often the high post player cannot hand-off to a guard cutting close off his hip. On such occurrences the pivot player can wait until the guard has cleared, turn and hit him with a pass under the basket.

Course of Action:

·    Station the post player anywhere in his area that will enable him to work in actual game situations.

·    Form a line of players at one of the guard spots.

·    The first player in line passes to the post and cuts close by him, continuing on toward the basket.

·    The post player should fake to the cutter, pivot in the opposite direction and pass to the cutter under the goal, using a two-handed overhead pass.

·    For variation has a player guard the post player. The post player should then have to make a decision to hand off as the cutter approaches, or delay and hit the cutter under the basket.  

Hook Pass Drill for Forwards and Pivots

Forwards, occasionally, get caught on a drive down the baseline and start looking for the post player. Here is a drill for such occasions.

Course of Action:

·    Station players in four lines as illustrated in diagram.

·    The first player in line #1 dribbles down the baseline for an intended basket. The first player in line #3 breaks to the free throw line and takes a hook pass from #1.

·    Player #3 turns for a left-handed hook pass to #4 who is breaking down the baseline for a goal.

·    #4 takes a dribble jumps immediately for a left-handed hook to the player from line #2 who has started his break toward the free throw line.

·    The player from line #2 immediately hooks with the right hand to a second cutter from line #1.

·    The drill then moves continuously with lines swapping as shown in the diagram.

Feed the Big Dog Drill

This drill makes it mandatory for a post player to move about with agility in order to get the ball in a scoring area.

Course of action:

·    Form four lines facing the pivot with each player with a ball.

·    Put all the pivot players in one line under the goal to one side.

·    The first pivot breaks and maneuvers in the pivot area until he has received the ball and passed it back to every one of the players in the semi-circle.

·    Here is the opportunity to teach your players to put their body against their defender, sealing him.

·    The second pivot player in line then attempts to maneuver in the same manner while the defensive player attempts to deflect or intercept the passes.

Pivot Passing Drill

Often the post player will hand off to a cutter who runs into trouble and has to pass back to the post player. If this post player is not alert he will fumble the pass or miss it completely. This drill helps eliminate this.

Course of action:

·    Place all post players under the goal and to one side of it.

·    All player line up at the right forward position.

·    The first player in the post player line breaks out across the three-second area and stops just outside that zone.

·    The first player in the outside line passes, fakes a cut left and breaks right off the pivot's left hip for a handoff.

·    The outside player quickly passes back to the pivot, who fires a chest pass to the second player in the outside line.

·    The drill begins again with two new players doing the same maneuver.

·    This drill should be run on both sides of the floor before ending practice.

"Over-the-top" Pivot Passing Drill

When your pivot player is small, teams will often front him. This can stop a pivot attack dead in its  track. Here is a drill to counteract such modes of defense.

Course of action:

·    Place all players, except post players, in two rows at the guard positions.

·    All post players form the other two lines illustrated in diagram.

·    Give a basketball to each player at the head of the two guard lines.

·    The front post player in line #1 breaks forward, seals his defender, and cuts toward the basket. #4 delivers a lead pass.

·    The first player in line #2 performs the same maneuver taking #3s pass.

·    Post players and outside players go to the end of the opposite line and continue the drill as post or outside players.

Peripheral Vision Post Player Passing Drill

The purpose of this drill is to help post players to see out of the corner of their eyes.

Course of action:

·    Station all post players in a line below the free throw line.

·    All other players take positions in two lines behind the offensive guard positions.

·    The first player in the outside lines are given a basketball.

·    Each takes a turn at passing and receiving from the first post player.

·    The outside players gradually work around as far to the post player's side as he can see, receive passes, and function efficiently.

·    When he misses, he goes to the end of his line and the outside players go to the end of the opposite outside line.

Two Ball Split Vision Passing Drill

Peripheral vision is important to basketball players. This drill improves passing and receiving technique.

Course of action:

·    Form one group of players in a row as illustrated in this diagram. Not more than six, or less than four should be in line.

·    Place one player about eight feet from the middle player in the line and facing all the other players.

·    As the player facing the line passes to any member of the line, the other ball is passed to him.

·    The two balls are moved continuously from the line to the one player.

·    Twenty to twenty-five seconds is long enough for a player to be out front. All players are given the opportunity to be out front.

Flip Pass Basketball Passing Drill

The handoff is often overlooked or taken for granted. This drill helps teach the handoff and helps condition players.

Course of action:

·    Place four cones, or chairs, in the positions illustrated in diagram.

·    A team of five is spaced into the positions shown and one of the front players given a basketball.

·    A shoulder-high flip pass is delivered to the first receiver and the passer cuts hard down the floor.

·    Each player flip passes as soon as the ball hits his hands and breaks immediately so that he will get back in time to receive his next pass.

Five Man Full Court Basketball Weave

This drill is good conditioning which develops the ability to hand off accurately and without fumbling or losing the ball.

Course of action:

·    Arrange the squad into five lines at one end of the gymnasium.

·    The player in the middle has the basketball and starts the drill by handing off to player #4.

·    #3 then goes behind #4 and #5 and prepares to cut off and return across the floor for the pass and another handoff.

·    As #4 receives the ball he is cutting diagonally across the floor toward #2. #4 hands off to #2 and continues cutting behind #2 and #1.

·    The drill continues until all five players reach the other end of the court where they halt and wait until it becomes their turn to return down the floor using the same procedure.

·    The drill should be performed slowly and the players encouraged to cut sharply so that a maximum number of passes can be made before reaching the opposite end of the court.

Meeting the Pass Drill

Technically, this is a receiving drill. Some big pivot players have trouble catching the ball. This drill will help correct this problem.

Course of action:

·    Divide the squad into two groups in a line facing the other about 12 feet apart.

·    Give a basketball to the front player in one group.

·    He passes the ball to the player at the front of the other line, who breaks to meet the ball.

·    Upon receiving the ball, the receiver, without dribbling, passes to the breaking player next in order, continuing the drill.

Catching the ball at the high post drill

This drill helps improve the ability to meet the ball and catch it at the high post.

Course of action:

·    Tape a 2 inch wide of 1/2 inch thick sponge rubber to the heel of both hands of all your pivot players.

·    Divide the rest of the squad into two groups and put them in line at the two guard positions.

·    The pivot players form a single line along the baseline.

·    The pivot players cut hard to the high post, catching a pass from the guard and coming to a jump stop. (Teach your pivot players to always catch the ball with both feet in the air. This way, either foot can be the pivot foot.)

·    The pivot receives from one guard and passes out to the other. The next pivot will receive from the guard who received the preceding pass.

 [1] [2] [3] [PREVIOUS]