3-On-3-On-3 Drill Exposes Fundamental Flaws

By Dave Zeller, Basketball Coach, Edison Community College, Piqua, Ohio

This team drill is one of our player’s favorite drills. It’s highly competitive and must be officiated by a coach. Time and score should be kept throughout the drill.
This drill exposes many individual fundamental flaws in players in open court and 3-on-3 situations.

DIAGRAM 1:  O4, O5 and O3 attack X1 and X2. When the ball crosses midcourt, X3 sprints in from the sideline, touches the center circle and becomes “alive” to help defend the O’s.

If the O’s score, they press the X team until they advance the ball to the midcourt line.

If the O’s miss their shot and it’s rebounded by the X’s (or if the X’s force the O’s to turn the ball over), then the X’s fast break going the other way.

As the X’s transition down the court, X4 and X5 sprint to the vacant end of the floor and set up in the tandem defensive alignment.

The O’s continue to defend the break up to the midcourt line and then leave the court for the next rotation of offensive players.

DIAGRAM 2: X1, X2 and X3 fast break and attack the two O-team tandem defenders (O1 and O2). O6 follows the “third-defender rule” and sprints onto the court as the X’s pass the midcourt line. O6 must touch the center circle and then scramble back to provide defensive help.

On the offensive end, the coach may require a 2 or 3 passes before a shot attempt is allowed.

Screening, good shot selection and offensive rebounding are all encouraged.

Defenders can zone press, deny, trap or use run-and-jump pressure.

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