Youth basketball games largely come down to making layups. If you make them at a decent rate, you tend to win most of your games. If you can’t make layups, it’s a struggle.

Thus, working on finishing is a must!

But how do you get good at it? Should you practice footwork endlessly to make it 2nd nature? Should you take hundreds of layups without a defense to get comfortable with shooting the layup? Should you do 1v1 drills to get used to shooting with a defender?

My answer:

• Yes!
• Yes!
• And Yes!

To master finishing, you should do all of the above. The best trainers progress from teaching technique under extremely controlled conditions to training it under game conditions.

Follow this 3 step progression from The Youth Skill Development Program With Jim Huber to master this critical skill and finish better in games!

3 Drills To Making Layups A Gimme

Drill #1 - Circle Layups

Start at square 1 - footwork. While there is more than 1 way to make a layup, it is important to understand proper layup footwork.

The issue is the ball. When players have the ball, that becomes what they focus on. It’s hard to focus on your feet and the ball at the same time.

The solution - remove the ball. . .

• This teaches players proper layup form

• Players can focus on proper footwork and not worry about making a layup with this drill

• Put players in a semicircle around the paint. Have players run in a circle without a ball, pretending to shoot a layup every couple steps

• You can then add a ball, which players will shoot a couple feet in the air when simulating their layup

• When circling right, players plant their left foot and jump up with the right foot

• Switch directions that players go and have them jump off the opposite foot

• When going left, plan with the right foot and jump up with the left foot

• Always start without a ball. This takes away the pressure of making the shot and allows players to focus on their technique

Drill #2 - 0 Step Layups

Once players understand the footwork, add a ball.

To help players not feel overloaded, shoot without dribbling.

• Start in close on the block in a lunge stance 

• Inside foot will be back with the ball on the outside

• Step with the inside foot and plant it

• Drive the outside knee up

• Angle toward the top of the square 

• Try to hit the upper right-corner of the square for a right-hand layup

• Do not turn and open up allowing the defender to knock the ball away

• Jump high-don’t jump forward

• Perform the 0 step layups on both sides of the basket using the correct hand

Once players are able to shoot with proper form without a dribble, begin to add dribbling.

Dribbling challenges players to get their eyes up early and gather the ball appropriately before shooting.

Start with 1 dribble and gradually move back to the 3 point line.

Drill #3 - 1v1 With A Chaser

Once players can consistently make layups , they need to learn how to make a layup against a defender. The presence and pressure of a defender adds an entire different dimension to finishing.

The purpose of this drill is for the offensive player to beat the defensive player to the basket and make a speed layup.

This drill is typically done in the half court but can be done in the full court.

• The defender starts at half court 

• The offensive player starts a few steps closer to the basket

  

• 1’s goal is to beat x1 to the basket and score a layup

• X1’s goal is to cut off 1’s drive and prevent them from scoring

Coaching Tips:

• Players should be spaced enough so that the ball handler can have success (especially so with younger players)

• Decrease the distance between the players as they do the drill more to increase difficulty 

• The drill should be done on both sides

• To maximize efficiency, coaches can run the drill on both sides at the same time

Layups Done Right

The ability to make layups is a separator at the youth level. Most players struggle to finish on balance, with eyes up, while defended.

You can make sure that’s not your team by following sound teaching progressions.

This layup progression is just one that way Jim Huber has developed thousands of skilled youth players. To learn the others, check out The Youth Skill Development System!

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