Block & Bank — Drill library for basketball coaches

1 Passing Lines Warm-Up

4 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u8 Court: Half

Pairs, 5 metres apart. 20 chest passes, 20 bounce passes, 20 overhead passes, 20 one-handed push passes (10 each hand).

Fundamentals warm-up every coach should run every practice. Countless turnovers prevented.

Coaching points

Step into every pass.
Fingertips on follow-through.
Receive with both hands, fingers spread.
Bounce passes: 2/3 of the way to your partner.
Overhead passes: snap wrists, from the forehead.

2 Mikan Drill

6 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u12 Court: Half

Classic finishing drill named after George Mikan. Player alternates left-hand and right-hand layups under the rim continuously, no dribble.

Builds touch around the basket and trains the off-hand for live finishes.

Coaching points

• Use the backboard
• Knee up on every finish (right knee for right hand)
• Soft fingertip release, no slamming
• Quick rebound, don't let the ball touch the floor
• Power leg drives off the floor

3 Drop-Step to Power Layup

8 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u14 Court: Half

Post player on the block, ball entered from the wing. Catch with two hands, sense the defender's position, drop-step middle, finish with a power layup off two feet.

Fundamental post move that works at every level — the bigger the player, the harder it is to stop.

Coaching points

• Show a target hand high before the catch
• Two hands, ball chinned, elbows out
• Sense the defender — don't look
• Drop your back foot toward the middle
• Power off two feet, finish with a strong dunk or off-glass layup

4 Post Move Read

10 min Difficulty: Advanced Age: u16 Court: Half

Post on the block, defender behind. Coach calls position: high-side, middle-side, low-side. Post executes the correct counter: drop-step middle, up-and-under, drop-step baseline.

Reads, not memorisation. Post players who can't read become predictable.

Coaching points

Catch and chin, both hands.
Feel the defender, don't look.
Go opposite to where you're pushed.
Finish strong, assume contact.
Quick second move if first is denied.

5 Hi-Lo Post

10 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u14 Court: Half

Two bigs: one at high post (free throw line extended), one at low block. High post has ball, looks for low post who seals defender. Pass goes over the top.

Classic two-big concept. Princeton, Bulls, Spurs, any team with two skilled bigs.

Coaching points

High post: face rim, eyes on low block.
Low post: seal, get below defender, body wide.
Low post: HIGH target hand.
High post passes WITH the seal.
Pass goes over defender's outside shoulder.

6 Box Drill — Post Move Combo

8 min Difficulty: Advanced Age: u16 Court: Half

Post player on the block. Four moves rotated through, in succession: drop-step to power layup, jump hook, up-and-under, turnaround jumper. 5 makes of each before moving on.

Full arsenal of post moves in one drill. Teaches reading the defender from the post.

Coaching points

Catch and chin — both hands on the ball, elbows out.
Feel the defender, don't look — sense their position.
Go to the body — initiate contact, not dance away.
Finish strong — power dribble, two feet, off the glass.
Quick second move if the first is blocked.

7 Hedge & Recover (Pick & Roll)

10 min Difficulty: Advanced Age: u16 Court: Half

Standard pick & roll. Big defender 'hedges' — steps out to slow the ball-handler — then recovers back to their man (the roller). Ball-handler's defender fights over the screen.

Most common defensive coverage against pick & roll at the modern game. Requires precise timing.

Coaching points

Big: hedge with both feet outside the lane, hands up.
Make the ball-handler hesitate — don't dive too aggressive.
Recover the moment the ball-handler retreats.
Guard's defender: chase over the screen, never under.
Communicate: 'screen left' before the screen is set.

Note: Big-specific PnR D

8 Box Out & Crash

8 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u12 Court: Half

Coach shoots from the wing. Defender boxes out the offensive player (find them, hit them, hold them, find the ball). Offence tries to crash and get an offensive board.

The most under-coached, most game-winning skill in basketball.

Coaching points

• Find your man first, ball second — turn and locate
• Make contact — hip into hip, low base
• Hold the position with arms wide, don't reach for the ball
• Find the ball with your eyes only when you've got the box
• Two-handed catch on the rebound, chin it strong

9 Cool Down Routine

4 min Difficulty: Beginner Age: u8 Court: Half

End-of-practice: 30 seconds each, toe touches, quad stretch, hamstring stretch, calf stretch, lunge stretch, cobra back stretch, shoulder rolls. Total 4 minutes.

Most coaches skip it. Don't. Recovery starts here. Players who stretch consistently miss less practice from soreness.

Coaching points

Slow movements, no bouncing.
Breathe, exhale on stretch.
Don't push through pain, just to the edge.
Hold each stretch.
Debrief while stretching: what worked today?

Big Man Day (U16+)