Erin Hoops

Drill 39 - Shell Drill

Basketball Drill

Greenvale Basketball Club Inc. (A0025777N)

http://greenvalegrizzlies.asn.au/coaching.htm

Type: Team Defense

Description:

Four players assume offensive positions 

at guard and wing or corner positions.

Four players assume defensive positions

based on the following rules:

a) If your man has the ball play him - 

    push to sideline, no penetration.

b) If your man is one pass away -

    play deny stance in passing lane.

c) If your man is two passes away - 

    play in the key in help position.

d) If your man is more than two passes away - 

     play on the split line in help position.

On ball movement all defensive players move to correct position.

On receiving pass offense must always catch and face.

When first teaching shell drill have offense hold ball for two-second count before passing.

Rotate offense to defense.

For an alternate to this printed pages detail on the Shell Drill click this blue link 

http://members.tripod.com/~coacheshome/man.htm and you will be taken to Duke University's famous HELP defense, a detailed variation on this shell drill.  This link is an animated presentation using Marcomedia Flash, hence not all computers may be able to view this page, but this is an excellent presentation on help defense.

Variations:

The shell drill should be run in the following progression. (Build up to latter stages over number of sessions.)

a) Stationary offense - defense allow passes. This stage is so defenders 

    get used to movement into correct positions.

b) Offense move (v-cuts and replace only) - defense allow passes.

c) Offense move (v-cuts and replace only) - deny passes.

d) Allow penetration only - defensive help.

e) Allow offense to exchange positions.

f) Allow screens.

g) Live four-on-four.

h) Add a fifth player on the perimeter.

Depending upon the defensive emphasis you may want high defenders to sag and guard against penetration rather than denying pass.

Points of Emphasis:

1. Jump to the ball - as pass is made - not once it gets there - "fly with the ball".

2. See the ball and your man - point your pistols.

3. Stance, stance, stance - low, low, low. Must be lower than the player you are guarding.

4. Correct footwork - slides, drop step, close-outs.

5. Three main jobs are pressure on pass or shot, stop penetration, help your teammates.