Basketball: Pass then Pressure

Build a defensive team to withstand any attack! Coach important defensive fundamentals - teach your players to take responsibility for their man in this Shuffle and Shadow defensive session.

One player has a ball and their partner faces them. The person with the ball then dribbles the length of the court, constantly changing direction. The defender has to shadow their movement whilst running back to protect the basket.

Try to keep the players wide.

Set out the cones as shown in the diagram. One player starts with a ball with two other players starting in the middle of the cross (compass). One player is an attacker with the other a shadowing defender.

The player with the ball has to pass the ball to the attacker, who then passes the ball back. The attacker must then run to another point (cone) of the compass before returning to the middle to receive another pass.

Set out cones to split the court in half, with your players working in pairs.

The player with the ball should dribble the ball up the court in a Zig Zag pattern.

The second player will be playing passive defence. They should be in front of the attacker at all times but are not actively trying to steal the ball.

The defensive player must try to cut the dribbler off at each of the the lines (cones and touchline) using their outside foot so that the dribbler has to change direction.

They continue to do this until they reach the end of the court at which point players then switch roles and repeat the drill in the opposite direction.

Have players and cones set up as shown in the video. The player with the ball will hold it in the middle of their chest.

Going for 30 seconds the defensive player must keep their head in line with the ball by staying low and using a defensive slide.

The player with the ball can move how they like side to side between the cones.