This game is perfect for basketball players of all ages as it works on speed, offense, defense, rebounding, and balance. This drill is a competitive way for teammates to have the opportunity to play against each other in a one-on-one or scrimmage-like atmosphere.
The premise of this game involves dividing your team up evenly and having them on opposite sides of the court under each basket, lying on their stomachs. Moreover, the coach is to assign each player a number for each team and make sure the numbers for each player on the team correspond to the players on the opposite team. The coach puts the ball at center court and calls out a number. The players on opposing teams run to the ball and proceed to play against each other. The coach may call out as many numbers as they would like and it does not just have to be one-on-one.
The goal of this drill is to help players improve their offensive and defensive awareness, working as a team, practicing one-on-one skills, rebounding, speed and agility. As coaches, encourage your players to run to the ball as fast as they can. Coach the offensive player to attack as soon as they get to the ball and the defensive player to get in their defensive stance to prevent their opponent from scoring a basket.
The video below has the same concept as this drill; however, the players are not on opposing sides of the court. Rather the coach just gives them a number and throws the ball to a space on the court. The only difference is that players are on opposite sides of the court (using the full space, instead of just half) and lying on their stomachs with the ball in the middle of the court. Please feel free to take a look at the video posted below, which may be used as a variation given you have smaller spaces to work with.
| DESCRIPTION | Split the players up evenly – send one group to the opposite baseline and the other group stays at the closest baseline. Have each player lie down on their stomachs and the coach assigns each player a number for both groups. For example, if there are 5 players in each group, they will be numbered off 1-5 and do the same with the other group. The ball starts in the middle and when the coach calls a number, the players that are that number race to the ball and play 1 on 1 from there. For example, if the coach calls “1” both players that are number 1 will race to the ball and play against each other. |
| SKILL FOCUS | Defense, footwork, offense, speed, coordination, rebounding, balance |
| AGE (STAGE) | 6+ (FUNdamentals Stage) 9+ (Learn-to-train Stage) |
| PLAYERS | 2+ |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 basketball |
| VARIATION: | Coaches are able to call more than one number out, which would mean that the players will be playing 2v2, 3v3, 4v4, or 5v5 depending on how many numbers are called
Teams are allowed to keep score – each time a member from the group scores on the opponent, the team will get a point – first team to get a specific number of points wins
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| Key Teaching Points | Ensure players are lying on their stomach before the number is called
Ensure players are running to the ball as fast as they can (get there before the opponent) – if they don’t reach the ball first, ensure defensive position, if they are there first, ensure they attack off the dribble
When playing with more numbers called, ensure teammates are communicating with each other about who they have — finding the defenders on the go.
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