A continuous pivot, catch, pass or shoot drill.

One of the major difficulties in high school coaching is teaching the players to catch a pass and make a quick decision in traffic.

The high-post area is a perfect cast in point. It is considered a great area in which to flash, receive a pass, and make a play. The problem is that the play must be performed in a heavy traffic area.

Since most zone defenses like to converge on the high post, coaches tend to keep the basketball away from the area.

Offensive-minded coaches won't give up so easily. They believe that the zone defense is vulnerable to the quick inside pass, and that the quick flash pivot/pass/or shot option can become a deadly weapon.

The accompanying drill can be used to teach your players how to: (1) push the basketball up the side of the court, (2) flash to the high-post area for a pass, (3) recognize a triple-threat opportunity, (4) square the body to the basket, and (5) shoot.

As you can see in Diag. 1, we start with five lines:

Line 1 starts in a corner of the baseline; Lines 2 and 4 set up on the baseline under each basket; and Lines 3 and 5 set up on opposite sides of the sideline at midcourt. (See Diag. 1.)

The rotation from line to line is a matter for the individual coach to decide.

DIAG. 1

#1 dribbles with his left hand up the left side of the court at full speed until he reaches half-court, where he comes to a jump stop.

As #1 reaches half-court, #2 flashes to the high-post area for the pass from #1. Upon receiving the ball, #2 will pivot toward the basket and square up with it - the traditional triple-threat position.

At this point, #3 will sprint to the right corner and #I will follow his pass and set up in rebounding position at the side of the basket. #3, upon reaching the corner, will square up to the basket and look for the pass from #2 and possible shot.

DIAG. 2

After #2 hits #3 in the corner, he will follow his pass to contest the shot by #3. #I is in the correct rebounding position for a missed shot.

DIAG. 3

#1 rebounds #3's shot and outlets the ball to shooter #3 moving up the sideline. #3 catches the ball and pushes it up to a jump stop at the midcourt line.

Meanwhile, the drill's starting action is repeated in the opposite corner, with #4 flashing to the high post, receiving the pass from #3 and pivoting around and hitting #5, who has moved down into the corner from midcourt.

#4 follows his pass to the corner to contest #5's shot, as #3 moves down into rebounding position on the opposite side of the basket.

DIAG. 4

The drill then continues in the same fashion, with #3 rebounding #5's shot and firing back to #5 as he moves up the left sideline, and the drill then repeats itself to the other half of the court.