As always, let the Elite Basketball Training community know your thoughts on the drill and any other competitive drills that you use by commenting in the comments section below. Thanks.

See you on the Court!

Rich Stoner

Elite Basketball Training, LLC

There is also a new testimonial below from one of my most recent trainees, Kevyn Douyon who is a starting guard at Bishop Ahr High School in Edison, New Jersey. 

The Star Agility Drill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_oQ35ySpLc

Sports Performance Training: http://www.youtube.com/user/elitebasketball?feature=mhum#p/a/u/1/16JPNwHbak0

Box Agility Drill: http://www.youtube.com/user/elitebasketball?feature=mhum#p/u/3/F18OSmX5eRg

Coach Stoner -
 
We would be remiss if we did not take the time to THANK YOU for the time you spent with Kevyn during the last few months during the Elite Basketball Bootcamp. During that time Kevyn has seen and felt tremendous results from your training sessions. If you recall at the start of these sessions we identified all of the areas of his training that would be targeted to specific aspects of “his game” on the court. Suffice it to say, the training has exceeded all of the objectives we identified at the start of the training. The results are evident in his play – he is quicker, more explosive, and stronger. The overall training has help him elevate his game and prepared him for the rigors of varsity high school basketball. In addition to the positive results you can see, the training has made him more confident both on and off the court. He did not miss a single session and enjoyed every minute of the training. He is definitely looking forward to starting the next session with you in the spring immediately after the end of the basketball session.
 
Thanks again and looking forward to working with you again very, very, soon!!!

Hope that you enjoyed the videos and let me know what you think in the comments section below. 

See you on the court!

Rich Stoner

Elite Basketball Training, LLC

The Corner to Wing Shooting Drill allows coaches to work on getting shots from the wing out of a typical cut in a motion offense. 

Purpose of the Drill:

The purpose of this drill is to work on shots coming off a cut from the wing to the corner.

Instructions

• The player makes a pass to the coach and then takes a few steps down, jams to get open and comes around the top cone for a series of shots.
• Shots include: off the catch, head fake one dribble pullup (both directions), rip back through for a one dribble pullup, run through with extended dribble into the lane for a jumper, finish at the rim, finish at the rim with a reverse, jump stop in the lane step across and finish (both directions), and a floater in the lane (both directions).
• Repeat the drill on the opposite side of the court.

Points of Emphasis:

• receiving the ball low and with your hands ready.
• finishing low to high.
• pushing past the defender on all dribble moves.

Motivation/Teaching Tips:

• Make a set number of shots before moving onto the next shot type.

Purpose of the Drill:

The purpose of this drill is to build up a player’s speed endurance using movements from the game of basketball.

Instructions:

• The player should sprint to the foul line and perform three defensive slides steps back in one direction.
• Then sprint to the half court line and perform three defensive slide drills back in the opposite direction.
• Then sprint to the opposite foul line and perform three defensive slides back in the same direction as the first foul line.
• Then sprint to the opposite baseline and perform three defensive slides back in the same direction used at half court.
• Repeat for three to five rounds.

Points of Emphasis:

• Staying low on your defensive slide.
• Change directions from your sprint into your slide and back into your sprint quickly.
• Stay low and balanced when changing directions and movements. This will allow for a more explosive transition out of each movement and into the next.
  

Motivation/Teaching Tips:

Time the drill.

One of Coach Eastman’s main concepts that he feels should be included in every skill building workout is weak hand devlopment.  Working on this skill in a variety of ways will allow players to pass, dribble, shoot, and finish with their weak hand.  This can be done in a variety of ways, but one of the more basic ways is seen in the video below.  This video will show you how to incorporate weak hand development into a workout for beginners.  There will be videos to follow really soon on more advanced weak hand development drills, but if any of you know of some other ways to work on your weak hand please let the Elite Basketball Training community know about them by responding in the comments section. 

Train hard, be efficient, and I will see you on the court.

Rich Stoner

Team defense is a very difficult concept for a young player to understand let alone execute.  Young players are often so determined to stop their own man, that they forget to play defense as a team.  Simplifying team defense and breaking it down into three on three drills can facilitate the process of developing a solid team defense.  At the same time, it will also still allow you to work on all of the facets of individual and team defense that you need to. 

One of the primary aspects of defense (aside from the stance) is the ability to close out properly and to the correct spot.  Each player should sprint to the their close out, not slide or shuffle or anything else that will get them to the correct spot slower than a sprint.  As they approach their player, or spot on the floor, they should breakdown into choppy steps and maintain their balance and posture so that they can move or change directions instantly.  Finally, the player should have their hands active when closing out, no matter where they are on the court.  Having your hands down at your side could be the difference in deflecting the ball or not deflecting the ball.  In order to work on your team’s closeouts using three on three games, start off each game with the defensive players in the lane and have a coach or a manager pass the basketball to one of the offensive players on the perimeter.  Once the ball is passed, the defensive players must close out to their proper spot.  The coach or manager should vary the spots to which he throws the basketball so that the players are closing out to different positions every time.  The game is live once the ball is caught by the offensive player and at this point, the team can now work on defending the different offensive concepts that the team is working on in that given segment. 

The first offensive concept that we worked on was moving without the basketball.  To do so, the players were not allowed to dribble and had to rely solely on their cutting and screening to get an open shot.  Defensively, this allowed us to practicing defending cuts and off the ball screens.  In order to defend these concepts properly, defensive positioning is key.  The defensive player must react on the pivot and not the pass (the pass is too late) and once the ball is thrown from one player to the next, they must sprint to their new closeout and defensive position immediately.  By doing so, they will be in good defensive position to help on any off the ball screen and bump any cutter as they moved towards the basketball.   Our team has a rule that no player should come from the weak side through the lane untouched.  We were also forced to show on all off the ball screens in order to prevent a curl cut for a layup or an open jumper.  By bumping cutters and showing on screens, we force the defensive player to catch the basketball going away from the basket which forces the offensive player to have to regroup and pivot thereby making them less efficient. 

In the next two segments, when the offense was working on their dribble attack, the defense was able to take the defensive concepts from first segement and add them to defending the dribble drive on and off the ball.  As a team, we work on early help and early recovery.  To accomplish this, our defenders that are guarding wing players would not contact deny their offensive player.  We want ot be able to help early on any middle drive so our defender would play up the line a little to help on the guard’s penetration.  In doing so, it allows are players not only to work on sliding their feet into a good help position but also to close back out on their player after the recovery has taken place. 

Defending the dribble drive also allows us to work on our weak side help on baseline drives from the wing.  Our team knows that their weakside help on any baseline drive from the wing should come outside the lane and not inside the lane because that is too late.  To accomplish this, our players position themselves in the center of the lane or, “split the rim” position.  This allows them to get to the help position outside the lane on any baseline drive much quicker.  It also allows the man guarding the guy at the top of the key to work on dropping into the lane on the drive to provide secondary help, if necessary.  This type of positioning does leave the skip pass open, but if the man guarding the ball is pressuring the basketball properly it will eliminate any straight line pass and allow us to recover quite easily. 

The final defensive concept that was worked on was defending the pick and roll.  This seems to be something of a lost art as not too many teams work on defending the pick and roll properly if at all.  By utilizing the pick and roll in a three on three setting, it teaches all of the defensive concepts necessary in defending the pick and roll.  It forces the man guarding the guy setting the pick how to properly show on the pick and force the ball handler back in the direction of his teammate who is guarding him.  It also teaches the defensive player off the ball to be in proper help position if the ball handler gets past the original show on the pick. Finally, it teaches how to recover properly back to your man after the offensive action has taken place. 

Ultimately, three on three basketball is such a valuable tool in teaching individual and team defense.  Because there are fewer players on the court, the defensive concepts being taught or worked on become simpler and easier to identify.  However, simpler does not mean less effective.  Working on the concepts in this fashion is just as effective as working on them in a regular five on five game.  Not to mention, that by playing three on three, the games are still and competitive thereby making it realistic to the game itself.

Featuring Coach Rich Stoner – 6 Straight State Playoff Appearances!

Rich Stoner has been a very successful high school basketball coach for the last ten years. Coach Stoner was named 2005 Coach of the Year by the Home News Tribune and the Star Ledger and 2006 Blue Division Coach of the Year by the GMC Coaches Association. Since taking over at Metuchen High School, his teams have qualified for the state playoffs six years in a row after having only qualified once in the previous 17 seasons. They have advanced to the state semifinals in two of those years. Coach Stoner also runs his own basketball specific training business called Elite Basketball Training, LLC and is a USAW certified Sports Performance Coach. He has coached and trained multiple college athletes including five at the Division 1 level (Marqus Blakely, University of Vermont basketball; Dejuan Miller, University of Oklahoma football; Dallas Oanu, Villanova Basketball; Nick Macaluso, University of Stanford football; and Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos).

“Claim Your Copy Now”

Online Coaching Clinic

What’s Included with the Rich Stoner Online Clinic?

Component #1 – 31 Minute Video Clinic

In the video you will learn:

• Great Defensive Drills & Tips That You Can Use With Your Team Tomorrow
• 4 Close Out Drills
• Situational Drills That Will Improve Game Performance
• Defensive Disadvantage Drills To Improve Communication and Rotations
• 2 Transition Drills
• Implementing 3 on 3 Drills To Improve Your Team

Component #2 – 42 Minute Audio Interview

In the audio recording you will learn:

• How he took a high school varsity team that had 17 straight losing seasons and turned them into a state qualifier and contender year in and year out!
• Extremely effective ways to develop strong team chemistry, loyalty, and a family atmosphere.
• Unique pressure defensive techniques and effective methods to force turnovers.
• Half court and full court defensive systems, drills, and strategies.
• New types of defensive presses you’ve never seen before.
• Unique game strategies and tactics that will give you an edge on the competition.
• Youth and middle school coaching strategies.
• How to control the tempo of the game.
• Unique strategies to develop effective youth development / feeder programs.
• And much, much more!

Component #3 – PDF / eBook Downloads

To supplemment the audio interview, you’ll receive a 19 page PDF transcript of the entire audio interview. You’ll also receive a 17 page PDF eBook that was developed from the audio interview. It’s a useful guide for reference and to build upon the tips on the audio interview.

Component #4 – Diagrams & Video Clips of Drills and Plays

In the clinic, you’ll get diagrams and written instructions for all the drills that Rich covers in the audio and video. These are some of Rich’s favorite drills. The videos also allow you to easily navigate to a specific part of the clinic video.

“Claim Your Copy Now”

Online Coaching Clinic

Are There Any Requirements?

In order to watch clinic videos online, you’ll need high speed internet access. In other words, the videos won’t work on Dial Up internet. If you don’t have high speed internet, you could watch the video at a friend’s house, the library, or possibly at your work place.

Can You View The Video More Than Once?

Yes. If you purchase the clinic, you can view the video, diagrams, pdfs, and audio as many times as you want whenever you want.

How Much Does it Cost?

The price for the online clinic is $24.95.

30 Day Money Back Guarantee

Just like any reputable book store or retail business, we have a 100% money back guarantee too.

If for any reason, your purchase is not what you expected, just send us a message and we’ll give you a full refund. No questions asked.

Purpose of the Drill:

The purpose of this drill is to pressure the basketball by zig zagging or turning the ball handler and then close out on a live dribble.

Instructions

• The defensive player should zig zag or turn the ball handler as many times as possible going from sideline to sideline.
• Try to stay between the top of the key and half court.

• Once the two players have reached the opposite sideline, the defensive player sprints and touches the baseline and closes out on the ball handler who is sprint dribbling around a cone at half court and then attacking the basket.

Points of Emphasis:

Offense:

• Make the defender have to work while guarding you by changing speeds and changing directions.
• Attack the rim aggressively with one move and as few dribbles as possible.
• Explode past the defender after making your move. 

Defense:

• Be aggressive on the ball and turn the ball handler as many times as possible.
• Sprint to the closeout.
• Close out low, aggressive, balanced, and under control.
• Keep the ball in front of you and force the ball handler to take a shot outside of the lane.
• Box out to finish the drill.

In the video you will see the drill that I refer to as one-on-one around the chairs.  The players playing against each other will line up on either end of the baseline.  One player will have the basketball and the other will not.  There will be chairs set up out near half court.  When the coach says go, the players will sprint or sprint dribble around the chairs and then play a live game to one.  The player without the basketball should beat the offensive player around the chair and give himself a legitimate chance to defend the player with the ball.  These games are usually ability grouped but it may be beneficial to have your bigger players compete against your guards in order to creat a mismatch that you may see in a game.  By creating this mismatch smaller players can work on beating and finishing over bigger players and bigger players can learn to use moves against quicker guards.  The benefis of this drill and other one-on-one basketball drills are endless and their use should be encouraged in practices more often.

The concept of transferability first came to me last week at one of my basketball training sessions.  The player that was training had a fantastic workout!  She made significant advances in the areas of ballhandling and attacking off the dribble and the catch over the course of the hour.  Whether she was creating space with a dribble move or with a jab step, her moves were low and aggressive and for the most part, that had not previously been the case.

At the end of the session I challenged her with a game called “Beat the Pro.”  In this game, you are essentially playing one-on-one against a fictitious pro of your choosing.  You must spin the ball to yourself and then make various moves off the catch and the dribble and finish off with a shot (I usually make them take jump shots since layups are easy and they should never lose if they take layups). Score is kept by giving yourself one point for every shot made and giving the pro two points for every miss.  Given how great her workout was, I was really curious to see how she would do in this game. 

This is where everything became interesting.  Over the course of the game, she did not use any of the moves that she had done so well with during that session.  Thus the teachable moment presented itself.  I asked her why she did not use any of the moves that we had been working on over the last hour.  Her response was, “I don’t know.”  So this became the opportunity to explain that the drills that we do were not just drills to kill time and that they all have a purpose.  She was so excited by this revelation that she immediately wanted to play “Beat the Pro” again and correct her mistakes.  I allowed her one point that she executed successfully, and when we played the game again after her next training, she did do much better.  She took all that we had worked on over the hour and transferred it to the game.  This is what I refer to as transferability. 

The concept of transferability had never really crossed my mind too much prior to this.  It was always just assumed that the players would realize that the drills that we worked on over the hour had a purpose that transferred to the game itself.  However, the more that I think about it, the more I realize that players may only see drills as drills and games as games.  This can only limit success. It is imperative that as coaches, we use drills that are a part of the big picture.  So in the case of the girl mentioned above, who is a point guard, this would include drills that allow her to create space off the dribble, attack and finish off the dribble, get into gaps and make successful passes, etc.  For those of you coaching a team, make sure that your drills go along with the offense and defense that you are trying to run.  This will make transferring them to a game situation significantly easier since they at least have a purpose relevant to your game plan.  Then have the players apply those skills and drills that were worked on in practice in a live but controlled situation at the end.  In stoppages explain to the players where the drills that you have used apply.  Make an effort to do this frequently enough to help the players understand the purpose or goal.  In doing so, this will help ensure that your players know that drills have a purpose beyond just killing time.  This will help ensure transferability.