Drills play
Drill: 4v4 Shell
- Court
- Half court
- Length
- 5 steps
About this play
The shell is where I teach the three relationships every man defense lives on: on the ball, one pass away in deny, two passes away on the help line. Why it works: the offense only passes, so the defense gets a clean picture on every catch and I can hold it there and fix feet. Setup: four offense in the slots and corners, four defenders matched up, one ball, a third team waiting on the sideline. The rule I call on every catch: ball, deny, help. Above the free throw line the helper has one foot in the lane; below it he straddles the help line. Hold each catch three seconds, reverse the ball twice, then go live to five baskets or three stops in a row. Common mistakes: denying from too far off the ball, trapping instead of stopping and recovering, and moving after the catch instead of while the ball is in the air. Progression: add dribble penetration, then skips, then cutters and screens with a post. Suits every level. I learned the shell from Coach's Clipboard's shell drill page and the Championship Productions clinic on maximizing the shell drill; give both a look for the live progressions.
