​This week’s Drill of the Week is a passing drill that we use to start practice at least once per week… ”Jump Stop Passing.”
 
We work on our first step on the penetration and then a quick jump stop pivot.  This jump stop pivot allows us to work on our balance and ball protection.  We usually start the drill by declaring the hand we are dribbling with, the foot we are pivoting on, and the pass we are making back to your partner in line.  It may seem like a fundamental drill, but isn’t that what you should be working on in practice…the fundamentals!
 
Obviously, we have a progression in the drill.  We will change hands we are dribbling with, change our pivot foot, change the hand or type of pass we make, add in ball fakes and pass fakes, and even add in a defender that we have to pass around to complete the drill.  This drill covers the basics, but how demanding you are to details is very important.  Are your pass fakes realistic?  Are you passing to a small precise target?  Are you staying low on your first step on the dribble?  Are you protecting the ball on your pivot?  There are just so many little details to the fundamentals.
 
Keep working hard!
 
- Coach Tony

This week’s Drill of the Week is “Fill & Flood Shooting.” It is a partner shooting drill that also incorporates penetrate and pass. 
We work on creating good spacing around the perimeter when someone penetrates to the rim. Early in this drill we work on creating a catch at the wing and penetrating to the paint. The partners start opposite each other on the wing and try to create a catch. One player gets the ball and penetrates, then the other player “floods” to the opposite corner for a shot. The penetrator can drive to the middle or baseline, but the shooter always “floods” to the baseline corner. Many offensive systems refer to this action as a “drift” to the corner. We may add defenders to penetrate past or a help defender to stop the penetrator and close-out on the shooter. Adding the defenders is good if you have extra players or want to create more game-like reps. The next segment of the drill has the partner passer at the top of the key then “fills” behind the penetrator. We try to have the spot the penetrator vacated filled on penetration because this is usually a great spot to get a shot. Giving the penetrator confidence that someone will be in the “fill” spot is important. 
The next part of the drill still has one player creating a catch on the wing, while their partner is posting up. The penetrator attacks the paint and the partner post reads which way the penetrator is going. The partner in the post does an “I-cut” to the elbow area if the penetrator attacks baseline. The partner in the post slides to the “short corner” if the penetrator attacks middle. You can add a defender on the penetrator and a defender on the low post who helps stop the penetrator to give this drill live reads. 

Working together on passing and reads creates confidence in each other. All coaches like confident players who have put in the work. 

Go Bruins!