7 variations of the Shell Drill.

Most coaches who teach man-to-man defense appreciate the intrinsic value of the Shell Drill. It enables a team of four defenders to protect the basket by aligning in a shell that forces the attackers to play out on the perimeter.

The drill has become a widely popular tool for teaching the basic fundamentals of man-to-man defense: ball pressure, deny position, help-side defense, hedging (fake-trapping) the basketball, rotating with the movement of the ball, proper vision, and effective communication.

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Diag. 1 shows the most basic form of the Shell--the 4-on-4 perimeter alignment. But its teaching opportunities go way beyond this basic use. Variations of the Shell can increase its value exponentially, allowing you to accentuate the key elements of man defense that you might otherwise be unable to work on.

The accompanying variations are specifically designed to teach different components of man-to-man defense.

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#1

"DIAMOND-SHAPE SHELL"

The diamond shape is created by a point, two wings, and a post player (Diag. 2), enabling the coach to teach all four how to defend the post in different situations--fronting the post, providing backside help in the post, collapsing to the ball on a post-entry pass, and rotating properly on a double team in the post.

It is also a good drill with which to institute a five-pass rule before permitting a shot. The offense's primary goal becomes the feed into the post.

#2

"ONE-DRIBBLE PENETRATION"

A basic 4-on-4 perimeter shape that has the offensive players taking one hard dribble into a gap in the shell and kicking the ball back out to the perimeter (Diag. 3). The drive off the dribble forces the defenders, particularly those one pass away, to hedge (fake-trap) at the dribbler and then recover under control to their player. Proper hedging keeps the shell intact by forcing the dribbler to pick up the dribble.

Teaching players how to hedge and recover is one of those seemingly minor details that produces major results. In this variation, the offensive team should use five one-dribble penetrations, then look for a shot.

#3

"CHARGE DRILL"

Uses the same shape as the One-Dribble Penetration, but with the dribblers now being instructed to continue their attack until a defender steps over to take a charge.

If the hedge fails to force the dribbler to pick up the ball, the defender must continue to rotate over and set himself up to take the charge.

In this drill the offensive player puts the ball into the stomach or chest of the "charge" defender. The defender must take the charge, scramble to his feet, and recover to his player. The dribbler then passes the ball back out and the drill continues in this fashion. The defensive team must take five charges.

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#4

"BASELINE PENETRATION"

Uses the basic 4-on-4 perimeter shape, but adds an unguarded offensive player in each corner (Diag. 4). We run the regular shell but with the corner players being instructed to attack the basket with a baseline dribble.

This will force all four defenders to play help defense against an open dribbler on the baseline. They must rotate together, communicate, stop the penetration, and then recover quickly to their regular players.

This is also a good drill with which to work on taking the help-side charge. In effect, it is a 6-on-4 drill. If you can teach four players to guard six, you are well on your way to developing a good defensive team.

#5

"NO-DRIBBLE SHELL"

One of the most effective tools for teaching off-the-ball defense (and, consequently, how to play offense without the ball). We institute a no-dribble rule and a 5-pass rule for the offensive players. We want them to screen off the ball and use basket cuts to create scoring opportunities.

The defenders must learn how to communicate through screens: when to switch, when to fight over the top, or when to cheat underneath a screen. They must also learn how to anticipate and deny flash cuts.

Taking the dribble out of the equation really makes this a thinking-player's drill. You will enjoy watching it executed this way.

#6

"CHANGE!"

Players really enjoy this variation. The offensive team is instructed to move the ball, but not take a shot. When the coach yells "Change!", the player with ball must put it on the floor. The offensive team will then quickly rotate over to defense and vice-versa.

There is one key rule: Players rotating to defense must find a player to guard other than the one who was guarding them. The team rotating from defense to offense must look to score immediately.

This is a great drill for developing better communication. Whenever players fail to communicate, you'll find two or three of them rushing to guard the same player, leaving someone else wide open for a lay-up. Spend time on this drill. It may be chaotic at first, but then watch the change.

#7

"COMPETITIVE SHELL"

This is my favorite variation of Shell Drill. It turns the drill into a competitive game in which points can be earned only on defense. One point is awarded for a turnover, a defensive rebound, or a tie-up, and two points are awarded for a charge. The game is played to eight.

Since you can earn points only on defense, the offensive team must score in order to get an opportunity to rotate over to defense. The defensive team stays on defense and earns points as long as it continues to stop the offensive team.

The team that loses the game must run sprints. The drill accentuates the importance of playing team defense.

In each of these variations, we see different aspects of man-to-man defense that, when properly executed, form the foundation for good team defense.

As you notice your team's deficiencies throughout practice and in games, you can institute the variations that focus on these deficiencies. For example, if your team is struggling to defend against penetration, you might take some practice time to work on One-Dribble Penetration or Charge Drill.

Another thing these variations allow you to do is avoid monotony and predictability in the daily practice schedule. You can use a different variation every day to maintain the players' interest. You may even devise your own variations to fit your coaching philosophy.

Shell Drill is an invaluable teaching tool. The creation of variations will help you become a better teacher and make your players better defenders.

BY CLINT LOFTIN, Women's Basketball Coach, Freedom High School, Morganton, NC