— TRAINING SESSION

Pick-and-Roll Intro (U14)

Block and Bank · 63 minutes · 7 drills · Generated 13 May 2026

Age group: U14
Focus: Screen action
Duration: 63 minutes
Drills: 7

First proper introduction to ball-screen offence. Reads, options, finishes. The foundation of every modern offence.

7DRILLS

63MINUTES

9AVG / DRILL

1 Passing Lines Warm-Up

5 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 Pick & Roll Reads

12 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u16 Court: Half

Foundation of modern offence. Ball-handler comes off a screen and reads the defence: drive if the big drops, pull-up if they switch, pocket pass if they trap, kick to the wing if help comes.

Walk through each read at half-speed before live reps.

Coaching points

• Set up the screen with a hard step opposite first
• Use the screen — shoulder to hip with the screener
• Read the big's hips: drop = drive, hedge = pull-up, switch = mismatch
• Pocket pass to the roller is always available
• Eyes scan the weak side — corner shooter is the easiest help-kick

Note: Slow first, then speed

3 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.

4 Horns — Quick Hitter

10 min Difficulty: Advanced Age: u16 Court: Half

Two bigs at the elbows, two wings in the corners, point guard at the top. Both bigs set screens for the point guard simultaneously, who chooses one. The unused big pops out for a three; the screen-roller dives.

A classic NBA quick-hitter that creates 3-4 simultaneous reads.

Coaching points

• Bigs set strong screens — wide base, hands across chest
• PG reads the defence — chooses based on who's hedging higher
• The non-screened big POPS out, doesn't crash
• Wings space — corners are the kick-out targets
• 4 reads: drive, pull-up, roll pass, kick to corner

5 Point Guard Reads

10 min Difficulty: Advanced Age: u16 Court: Half

PG at top with ball. Coach holds up fingers 1-4 representing coverages: switch, hedge, drop, blitz. PG calls the read aloud and executes the appropriate response.

Builds the most important guard skill: reading defence in real time.

Coaching points

See the big defender's hips FIRST.
Call the read out loud.
Drop = pull-up jumper.
Switch = attack the mismatch.
Hedge = reject screen, attack gap.
Blitz = pocket pass to roller.

Note: Reading coverages

6 3v3 Half Court

12 min Difficulty: Intermediate Age: u14 Court: Half

Three on three live action. Make-it-take-it. Defence must clear the ball past the three-point line before going back to offence. First team to 7 wins.

The single best teaching format in basketball. Every skill applies, every decision matters.

Coaching points

Spacing — never have two players in the same area.
Move the ball — 3-second rule on the ball-handler.
Talk on defence — call screens, switches, helps.
Box out every shot — no offensive rebounds for free.
No isolation — every possession must have a pass.

Note: Apply live

7 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?