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IWOULD LIKE TO GET ILLUSTRETED PICTUIRES

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Guard play has many levels, but here are two drills that I have found to be very useful in providing multi-dimensional skills practice:

1) Pick-and-roll: For this drill, you need four players—two on offense and two on defense, matched up man-to-man. Position one offensive player at one of the wings, free throw line extended, and one offensive player at the top of the key or higher. Both players are guarded. The drill initiates with a pass from the top of the key to the wing. The wing defender plays the passing lane, and the wing player does a V-cut. The wing defender must respond to this cut by giving ground, and the point guard delivers a pass to the wing player’s outside hand as he returns to his original position after the V-cut. Then the point guard sets a screen on the high side of the wing player’s defender. The wing player dribbles to rub his man off on the screen. The defense can fight through or switch the screen. The offense responds accordingly. If the defense has cheated to fight through the screen, then the wing man can simply dribble baseline away from the screen. (If the screen is set properly and the dribbler establishes the proper angle to use the screen effectively, then fighting through the screen without cheating to that side should be very difficult.) If the wing man rubs his man off effectively, he should pull up for a jumper. If the defense switches, then the screener should be open on the roll or slip to the hoop. If the wing hits the roll man, then the wing should cut to the logical opening for a possible return pass. In any case, the offense must get off a shot within three passes (the original pass to the wing counts as one). After the shot, the ball remains alive until the ball goes through the hoop or the defense corrals a rebound (This teaches the defense to screen out and the offense to go after offensive boards). For balance and maximum potential, repeat this drill on the opposite wing.

2) Dribble screen: Again, you need four players. The offense is a step or two above the top of the key and at the left or right wing. The defense matches up. The drill initiates with the point guard attacking the middle of the key. The defender must respond to this, or the point guard simply drives to the hoop and scores. If the defender responds, then the point guard veers to the wing side and puts pressure on the seam between the wing and the side of the free throw lane. The wing player reads his defender: if the defender plays the passing lane, then he does a backdoor cut; if the defender gives ground or closes on the dribbler, then he cuts behind the point guard and is in a position to receive a pass and to attack the key himself. The offense must get a shot off within a count of five. Again, the ball remains live until the offense scores or the defense secures a rebound.

Both of these drills should be repeated until all four players have had five reps at each offensive and defensive position. These drills are physically rigorous and provide practice in several facets of guard play. They are particularly effective for developing the ability to shoot off the dribble.

Hope this helps!

Paul Giacomelli
Editor, Breakthrough Basketball.com

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iam interested in drills for guarding and as well as work on agility of my speed,defence and how to maitian my ball while dribbling

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