3 Shooting and Finishing Drills to Elevate your Offensive Game
By: Dylan Tehada
Basketball has evolved immensely over the years. One of the key hoop trends has been a focus on shooting the ball from all areas of the court. Whether it be shooting the three ball, a midrange fadeaway, or finishing at the rim off a drive, athletes more than ever are developing their shot no matter where they are on the court and no matter what position or role they play on their team. Shooting, just like any other basketball skill, can be honed and developed over time. By simply focusing on a few drills and practicing these skills consistently and intentionally, athletes can take their offensive game to the next level. There are many effective drills out there that athletes can work on, so this week we caught up with Coach Colby, Coach Corey, and Coach Wes to get their input on what their favorite ball shooting and finishing drills are.
Coach Corey’s Favorite Drill: 1v1 with Dribbling Limit
One of the keys to finishing is being creative. Getting to the hoop and establishing good angles requires quick reaction to the defense and coordination to counteract the defender’s pressure. Honing the reactionary skills necessary to be a good finisher is difficult to do alone, but by simply working with another athlete in a 1v1 setting, an athlete can improve their finishing skills. Coach Corey recommends adding the nuances of a dribbling limit and starting from the post to any 1v1 drill because it forces athletes to be intentional and strategic with their dribbles. By focusing on specific moves and reacting to the defense, an athlete can discover new ways to get to the cup and create easy scoring opportunities.
“1v1 from the mid post challenges you to be creative and use different moves because you can’t really blow by your defender… There’s nothing like live, defended reps,” Coach Corey said.
Coach Colby’s Favorite Drill: 12 Shot Drill
Shooting the rock from all areas of the court is a vital skill to elevate an athlete's game to the next level. Long gone are the days of corner specialists, therefore it is important to get reps from all areas of the court in different scenarios whether it be catch and shoot or off the dribble. Coach Colby’s favorite drill hones this skill of shooting from all areas of the court and making the most out of each shot an athlete takes. The drill requires an athlete to start in the corner behind the three point line and take a shot, then fill up to the wing and take a shot, then drift back to the corner and take a final three, then sprint to the opposite corner and repeat the same three shots until 12 shots in total are taken.
“The good thing about this drill is you can change your shots up. You can do all catch and shoot 3s, pump fake one dribble, fly by 3s, or mid range pull ups,” Coach Colby said. “Another rule I like to add in this drill and all my shooting drills is if you miss two in a row you lose a point so it forces you to make every shot count. It’s also a really good drill since you are constantly moving while shooting, which I think is best to simulate game-like shots.”
Coach Wes’ Favorite Drill: 33 Shooting Drill
There are many nuances to shooting whether it be using legs to get power on a three ball or finishing with touch around the rim. All of these nuances can be trained individually, but putting them together in one drill simulates a realistic in-game feel and develops three-level scoring ability. Coach Wes’ favorite drill, the 33 shooting drill, does just that. In order to do this drill a player will start at the corner behind the three point line shoot and follow their shot, dribble back to the three point line, pivot and take a mid range shot and follow, and finally dribble back to the three point line, pivot and take a layup. The athlete will then repeat this three shot sequence at five areas on the court: the two corner spots, the two wings, and the top of the key. To wrap up the drill, the athlete finishes with three free throws. To add a fun layer to the drill, points are given out for made shots: 3 points for a three pointer, 2 points for a midrange, and 1 point for a layup.
“It’s competitive and gets the shooters tired, so it works on stamina and getting the players legs under their shots. It is great for working on 3-level scoring,” Coach Wes said.
