Team Toughness­ Lance Randall

Believes you can build toughness from the ground up Studied Bo Ryan and the Bennett brothers while growing up A team must take care of the To develop toughness, it must be stressed during every drill in every practice

5 reasons to stress team toughness 1. Limit turnovers 2. Shot selection 3. Defense‐ will to get the stops 4. Conditioning‐ the player that is mentally tired by is in top condition wills himself to another level to do things the right way 5. End mental fatigue‐ need to mentally dominate teams

Individual Drills 1 on 1 Ball Toughness • As many players as you want paired up around the arc • 30‐second intervals • Defense has to pressure the ball‐ do not be lazy, get some contact • Your goals are reached by competing with your friends • Offense‐ catch/ rip it below the knees and above the head/ square up • If the coach calls out a name, the player must make a direct pass to the coach without the ball being deflected, keep the head up • Do not go through the middle‐ stay strong • Do not take a step back

1 on 1 13.5 Second Drill • Get the offensive player a feel for the 5 second count • 4.5 seconds with ball pressure • 4.5 seconds with dribble right with right hand dribble only • 4.5 seconds with ball picked up • Defense‐ get on their hands • Repeat with LH dribble

Dribble Weave • Use as much of the court as you would like and as many players as you would like to defend the dribblers • Stagger the defenders • Dribble Moves‐ use as many or few as you would like o Crossover o Hesitation dribble‐ in/out o Between the legs or around the back o Vs. trap‐ pull back dribble, hesitate and . Explode by . Go opposite

Group Ball Toughness Drills 3 on 3 Ball Toughness • Complete passes for points • No without a rip off of a catch (catch and rip= 1 point) • Allow hard defensive contact • 10 passes in a row constitutes a win • Back cut against pressure • Play team against team • 3 possessions in a row on offense and defense subs in after each 10 points or a (drill has 30 point maximum/0 point minimum) • Can add 1 or more dribbles (thought‐ allow max dribbles but must pass immediately off of the pick‐up of the dribble) • Can add a shot (lay‐up)make = 10 points (must be a pass to a lay‐up w/o ) • If shot is missed the possession ends with the points for completed passes only

3 on 4‐ add an extra defender and double team the ball‐ allow dribbling or not

4 on 2 (3) • 4 offensive players positioned at elbows and low blocks • 2 defenders that must apply ball pressure • The defenders can trap the ball • The offense must complete 10 straight passes without the ball being tipped or deflected • The offensive players are stationary • Players in scoring position must find other players in scoring position

4 on 4 • Use the volleyball lines as the rectangle to position the offensive players • Similar to 4 on 2 drill as the offensive players are stationary • Defense must double the ball • Complete 10 passes • 3 possessions each team changing offense to defense on each possession

Team Ball Toughness 5 on 5 • Allow the defense to get some contact • 1 point for a basket • Play to 2 or 3 • No dribbles • No negative passes • Get good spacing • Teach players to cut/ pass/ • Losing team has a significant running penalty

Big/Little Toughness Drills Posts 2 bags, no shot • 4 catches within the scoring area (1 drop step away) • Blocking bags are used to initiate contact with the post and force him out of the scoring area‐ both blockers are used to keep the post out of the scoring area • 3 perimeter passers • Post must catch/chin/ pass to one of the other perimeters that did not pass to him 1 bag catch/ 1 bag shot • Same rules but 1 blocker applies pressure and 1 blocker applies light contact on the finish • Must make 3 shots‐ a dribble is allowed No bag catch/ 1 bag shot • No bag catch to a Sikmacontact hands and arms of the post to a blocker contact on the finish

Guards L­cut/post entry/relocate • 2 on 2 with an unguarded post • The wing must make an L‐cut or any other cut or maneuver to get open • Top to wing pass‐ get ball tough • Wing to post pass w/ no dribble allowedrelocate to the corner • Post passes to the corner and the offensive player shoots the ball under very light defensive pressure • The top guard relocates to the wing and 2 new players jump into the top position • Player rebounds his own shot • Repeat drill L­cut/post entry/relocate • Defend the post‐ top/bottom/full front‐ once defender gets position he must stay there with light pressure and no steals • Allow 1 dribble at the wing to feed the post • Can make a basket cut or a corner cut after the post pass • Wing must step through the pressure

Rebounding Toughness Drills Wildcat rebounding (Knicks rebounding) • Offensive rebounding drill • 1 point per basket (variation‐ 1 pt. for offensive and 2 pts. for a score) • 4 lines of players, 2 lines at each elbow and 2 lines under the basket. The game is played one team against the other. The game can be played with teammates both defensive rebounding or 1 player from each team defensive rebounding. Coach at the line shoots while the 2 defenders charge out to box out. Whoever gets the basketball, tries to score. The 2 defenders box out the players directly in front of them or the player on the opposite elbow. Score points by getting offensive rebounds (1 pt) and scores (2pts). Keep score and have the losing team run.

Wildcat rebounding from the FT lane • Same drill but now the coach shoots free throws (1 and 1) • Assume rebounding positions as in a game • Play the miss off of the rim • 1 point for a make • Variation o Have the offensive team shoot FT (1 and 1) and award pts for made FT and put backs‐ this is game like as making FT is vital o 2 points for a made put‐back o 1 point for a make

One on one from the FT lane • Coach shoots a FT and the players (2 only) rebound the miss and play 1 on 1 • Start with players 2 slots above the

Transition rebounding • 5 defending players lined up in a straight line within the FT lane • 5 players lined up around the 3‐point arc (they can move) • Coach shoots and the offensive players try to rebound • Scoring o 3 pts for a charge o 2 pts for an offensive rebound o 1 pt for a score • When the defense gets the rebound, they transition to the other end • Reverse offense and defense once play has ended at the opposite end of the floor • Time the drill instead of using points (4 or 5 minutes) • If offense scores in the initial set‐up, stay on the same end

Defense Drills 3 on 3 Closeouts • Believes in forcing the ball to the middle‐ no baseline drives • Can give the offense restrictions or instructions (basket cuts, screen away, flare screen, etc.) • The defense must get a or a stop to play offense

Charge drill­ 3 on 3 • Coach makes a pass out to the wing

• The player closes out but lets the player get by him • One of the other 2 defenders must now take a charge • Once the player takes a charge, that ball is tossed out and a new ball is put into play where the players play 3 on 3 again

5 on 4 Half Court • 5 offensive players against 4 defenders ( the defenders cannot play a zone) • Scoring . 3 pts for a charge . 2 pts for an offensive rebound . 1 pt for a score

Throughout all of these drills, the players must communicate

He makes the first 7 days of practice extremely hard‐ make them know you mean business

Must take care of the basketball, have team toughness and win individual battles. If you can do these things you will win a major number of your games, regardless of your talent.