Two years ago I coached a team with 2 primary ball handlers. They were both solid with the ball. Each had the ability to get to the paint.

That’s where their similarities end.

• Player A shot 31% on 2’s. When he got to the paint, his balance was very poor. He was not a good finisher with his weak hand. He didn’t use his body well.

  As the season went along, his inability to finish got in his head. He stopped driving. By the time the season ended, he was playing very little.

• Player B shot 59% on 2’s. He was excellent at playing on balance. He used multiple pivots to find finishing windows. He could finish with both hands and from different angles.

  As the season progressed, his confidence blossomed. By the end of the year, he was almost never coming off the floor.

For coaches, coaching players who can get to the paint but are helpless once they get there is incredibly frustrating.

For players, it’s equally demoralizing.

The bottom line is this - no matter what position you play, you have to be able to finish confidently & competently.

And finishing is not just about height or athleticism. It’s about skill, decision-making, and the ability to score no matter what the defense throws at you.

That’s exactly what Midland University Coach Cam Schuknecht has built his program on. Using the No-Nonsense Moves to Score in the Paint system, his team had 5 players shooting over 60% from the field — a remarkable number for any level of basketball.

The secret? They don’t leave finishing to chance. Every player has multiple scoring solutions at the rim, so they’re never guessing. They’re always in control. A

In this post, you’ll see some of Coach Schuknecht’s keys to elite finishing as well as 3 of the drills he uses to turn average finishers into elite scorers.

7 Keys to Elite Finishing

Before we get to the drills, here are the core principles you need to teach and reinforce every day:

Keys

• Footwork

  • Using multiple pivots

• Playing with great balance

  • Helps combat the physicality around the basket.

• Touch with both hands

  • Players should have a soft touch around the basket.

  • Players should be able to finish with either hand.

• Finish strong and through contact

  • Being weak with the ball will cause turnovers.

  • Being afraid of contact will prevent drawing fouls.

• Have a wide variety of moves in the paint

  • Play with your back to the basket

  • Play off a drive to the paint.

• Decision Making

  • Feeling where a defender is and making a move based on positioning.

  • Processing and making decisions quickly.

• Ball Security

  • Can’t get good shots if you don’t have the ball.

  • The ball must remain high and tight.

No Nonsense Finishing Drill #1: Two Ball Dribbling - Lane Finishing

Philosophy

• This drill incorporates two finishing moves.

  • Power finish

  • Drop step finish

• This is another warm-up drill you can do before or at the beginning of practice.

Running the Drill

• The players will run through many steps.

  • Start with a ball in each hand.

  • Pound dribble up to the elbow and jump stop, keeping their dribbles alive.

  • Reverse pivot

  • Shuffle to the opposite elbow while still pound dribbling.

  • With the inside hand, push pass to a coach on the wing.

  • Dribble in and finish off two feet using the outside hand.

  • Post up 1 hash above the block and receive a pass from the coach

  • Catch the pass, drop step, and score

  

• Player 1 uses a pound dribble to the elbow.

• They jumpstop, maintaining the dribble.

• They will reverse pivot.

• They side shuffle while dribbling to the opposite elbow.

  

• Player 1 passes the ball from his inside hand to the coach.

• Player 1 dribbles to the rim and finishes off two feet.

  (Player 1 tosses the rebound to the next player.)

  

• Player 1 then posts up on the hash above the block.

• The coach passes Player 1 the ball.

• Player 1 finishes with a drop step.

• Player 2 begins the drill.

Key Teaching Points:

• When presenting themselves on the block, players must be low and wide with their hands up.

• When the players catch the ball on the block, they need to go ball in the air, feet in the air.

• After catching the ball in the post, players must bring the ball up to their chin and check over their inside shoulder for the defender.

• A drop step is a long stretch step. The player pushes the dribble out towards the basket to cover ground.

• Players should dribble with their eyes up.

• Players should call for the ball when posting up.

• Players should also go to the ball on the pass when posting up, even if they sacrifice some position.

• When the players complete the drill starting from the right side of the basket, they then start on the left side of the basket.

  • Use an alternating dribble

No Nonsense Finishing Drill #2: 1v1 Barkley

Back Down: Finishing Moves

• This drill has guards using the dribble to set up finishing moves in a live situation. It teaches you players how to turn a drive into a post up when their penetration is cut off. This move is often referred to as a “Barkley,” in reference to Charles Barkley.

• The offensive players are using finishing moves to score against a defender.

• The defensive players are trying to cut off the offensive players from reaching the block.

• Once the offensive player is stopped, he will get into a back-to-the-basket position and perform a finishing move to score.

• Drop step

• Fake drop step and go to a hook

• Fake drop step and step to/through

• Pivot away and fade

• Kobe pivot

  

• Defender 1 has his back to Player 1.

• Player 1 has the ball touching Defender 1’s back.

• The drill begins when Player 1 rips the ball from Defender 1’s back.

• Defender 1 cuts Player 1 off at the block.

• Player 1 must use a finishing move to try to score.

Key Teaching Points:

• Both players can use arm bars.

• The defense should wall up and check when the shot is taken.

• The drill should be run on both sides.

• It is okay to allow the defender to cut the offensive player off at the block.

No Nonsense Finishing Drill #3: Rebound Rim Run 1v1

Philosphy

• This drill has players fighting for a rebound and running down the court.

• Players should fight with their feet for positioning.

• Whoever rebounds the ball is on offense and they outlet the ball, sprint to ½ court and back looking to receive a pass to score.

• Rim runners should show their hands to give a target for the pass.

• If the defender beats the offensive player down the court, the offensive player will post up to receive the pass, looking to score using finishing moves.

  

• The coach initiates the drill with a shot.

• The two players fight for the rebound.

• Player 1 rebounds the ball.

  

• Player 1 outlets to Player 4.

• Both Player 1 and the defender sprint to ½ court and sprint back.

• Player 1 tries to receive a pass for a layup.

  

• If Defender 1 cuts Player 1 off, Player 1 now establishes a post position to receive the pass, looking to score with finishing moves.

Key Teaching Points:

• If the players catch the ball further from the basket, they should face up first instead of trying to back them to the paint.

• Coaches can also have players catch the pass on the perimeter and play from there.

Why These Drills Work

These aren’t just “big man” drills. Guards and wings benefit too, because in today’s game everyone needs to finish in traffic.

The top 4 scorers in the NBA this year were:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

• Anthony Edwards

• Nikola Jokic

• Giannis Antetokounmpo

While all 4 have different playing styles, they have 1 thing in common - the ability to score in the paint. All 4 ranked in the top 12 in the NBA in points in the paint.

So whether you’re a coach looking to generate better offense or a player looking to score more points next season, the paint is your starting point, and No Nonsense Moves To Score In The Paint is your guide!

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