This drill series is great for any guard looking to develop moves and counters when attacking the basket.

If you practice these 5 drills and the key points emphasized, you will...

- Blow drive by the defense and finish through contact more often.

- Knock down more pull up jump shots... which is a great counter to a defense playing the drive.

- Drive by the defense with counter dribble moves when they start to overplay your initial attack move.

- Improve your ability to handle contact on the perimeter and rip through a physical defender.

For any guard looking to become better at attacking the basket, mastering these progressions can make you very difficult to guard.

Each one of these starts with a step-over cut.

This is essentially a cut to the mid-post area. You practically do a brief post up before cutting to the wing.

You try to get your inside foot on top of the defender's inside foot. This will position the defender on your back. You will slightly squat down and back to create contact with your hips to get the defender to move slightly backwards.

Once you do this, you explode out to the wing.

Drill Progressions

Progression 1: Rip - 1 Dribble - Lay Up

On the first progression, you rip the ball across your body executing a sweep to the baseline side, take 1 dribble, and finish at the basket.

Progression 2: Rip - 1 Dribble - Jump Shot

Same as the previous progression, except you pull up for a jump shot after 1 dribble.

Progression 3: Rip - Counter Move - Jump Shot

The drill starts the same as the previous progression, except after the 1 dribble, you make a dribble move to change directions and shoot a jump shot.

Progression 4: Double Rip - 1 Dribble - Jump Shot

This time after the cut to the wing, you execute a double rip, take 1 dribble to the middle of the floor and pull up for a jump shot.

Progression 5: Double Rip - Counter Move - Lay Up

Same as progression 4, except you take 1 dribble and finish with a lay up.

Drill Tips:

Once your players have a basic understanding of the fundamentals, replicate this situation with defenders.

Also, make sure to practice on both sides of the floor.

Emphasis Points:

Crisp passes - You want to do this so you develop good habits in practice. Also, make sure to pass with your outside hand.

Cover distance - When you take your dribbles, you want to cover distance so you can separate from your defender. You also want to create indecision for the help defender... do they guard you or guard their man?

Outside hip finish - When finishing, keep the ball on your outside hip. That way, defenders can not easily swipe the ball.

Pound the ball - You want to pound the ball on the dribble to build rhythm and minimize the time the ball is out of your hands.

Drive body to body - When driving, you want to go body-to-body or get your shoulders by the defender's hips. This helps you get to the basket more quickly by moving in straight lines. It also makes it difficult for the defender to recover as they are on your backside.

Related Resources:

Elite Guard Camps

Jim Huber - How To Develop A Suffocating Man To Man Defense

6 Critical Drills For Elite Guards (Or Aspiring Ones)

What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First keith lane says: 4/7/2016 at 8:17:18 AM I always taught players to use one pivot foot, left for righties... to avoid walks, here you are teaching them to use both at different times. do you find this to be difficult? Like   1 reply   login   register Jeff says: 4/7/2016 at 6:49:55 PM If you're asking about teaching players to be able to pivot both with their left foot and right foot.... I would not say it's difficult. But I wouldn't say it's easy either. I think that is a critical fundamental to learn... pivoting with both feet. Like   1 person liked this.   login   register

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