Pressure Cooker

This drill helped my team gain confidence in their ability to break a full court press.
It teaches the players to pass through a zone press, how to pivot away from pressure,
not to lose their composure.

Instructions

Start with five offensive players on one half of the basketball court. Add five defensive players who will try to press and trap the players on offense in the half-court situation. I’ve found that this exposes the players to more pressure than most traps/presses can exert. The offensive players must pass through the pressure without dribbling. Once the offensive player has the ball he/she can not dribble, just pivot and pass to another teammate.

Variations

• Add more defenders for more pressure

Tips

• Convince your players of their ability to pass rather than dribble through a zone press.

Skills

Breaking a press, passing, pivoting

Players

10