DELAY DRILLS CREATE THE ADVANTAGE

We spend a lot of time in drills where our players work from an artificially created advantage situation. Players learn to recognize the advantage, play with the advantage and pass on the advantage. The decision making gathered in drills like this one replicates the types of decisions players will need to make in transition situations in games. For those who are new to "loading" drills, there is also a nice progression from introducing the drill to modifying it for the needs of the participants or desires of the coaching staff.

	Three player attack This is a classic drill that many teams have used to teach attacking and creating advantage situation. The defence lines up along the foul line extended. The offence on the baseline (Remember that this drill can be run with 2 3, 4 or 5 players). The coach passes the ball to one of the offensive players. The defender opposite must touch the baseline before returning on defence. It is an excellent drill for the player with the ball to learn to push the ball hard on the dribble. It is not always the best drill to teach pushing the ball to a player open down the court because the two offensive players without the ball are being guarded.

	In this version of the drill we add a wrinkle to the defence. Someone must guard the ball as soon as possible. This means that one of the two players without the ball should be open. It creates many varied situations for the ball handler who must now decide when and who to pass the ball too. The players without the ball must decide to run to the rim, if open, or stay wide to distract the defence and spread the floor.

	Here is an example of the type of situation that occurs when you run this drill. #1 red is picked up by #2 blue. Decisions for #1 red: q Beat #2 to right or left off the dribble. q Pass the ball ahead to an open player. q Slow up and play it safe - this will bring the third defender into play, blue #1. q Have one of the other players come back and handle the ball. #3 Blue has decided to guard #2 red Decisions for #2 red: q Keep going straight to the basket. q Spread the floor to the open wing and hope to draw #3 blue. q Go back and help #1 red to bring the ball up the floor. Decisions for #3 red q Cut to the open basket. q Stay wide. q Cut back to help red #1.
By running or loading the drill differently you create different scenarios that force the players to think and react differently. Look at the drills you currently run. What concepts and skills do the players need to run these drills? Do they fit the skills and concepts you need to improve to make your players and ultimately or team better?