Clinics · clinic 3 · P3

Looking before the ball arrives

Proposal · not yet agreed by the TC

Start of P3, Game & tactics, in the week of 22 February after the spring break.

U12 core line

look before the ball arrives. Cuts without the ball (pass & move, flash, basket cut, back cut). Pass to the gap rather than to the body. Players are responsible for being available.

The problem

players decide after the catch, or stand and wait for the ball.

Shared words

see before you catch · be available · ball–you–basket.

On court

Min		Activity
8		Monkey in the middle, no dribble Four against two or three against one, one ball. more Round 1 without pass fakes, so players have to think before they catch. Round 2 without pivoting, so they have to use the pass fake.
15		3-on-3 cutting game Half court, no dribble in the first round. more After every pass the passer cuts (basket, flash or back cut) and the other two fill the space left behind. Later, allow one dribble. Cue: pass and move. Defense at U12 level runs inside this game: who do you have, where is the ball, ball–you–basket and ball–you–man. Help and recover only as far as the group can manage. Switching and doubling are not used to cover weak one-on-one defense.
10		Continuous catches with a different first step Start at the high 45. more After each catch, a different first step, finishing with a pull-up or a lay-up. Then add a closeout defender who picks a side, so the attacker has to read the defender before the ball arrives. Cue: look, catch, go.

Min

Activity

Monkey in the middle, no dribble

Four against two or three against one, one ball.

Round 1 without pass fakes, so players have to think before they catch. Round 2 without pivoting, so they have to use the pass fake.

3-on-3 cutting game

Half court, no dribble in the first round.

After every pass the passer cuts (basket, flash or back cut) and the other two fill the space left behind. Later, allow one dribble. Cue: pass and move. Defense at U12 level runs inside this game: who do you have, where is the ball, ball–you–basket and ball–you–man. Help and recover only as far as the group can manage. Switching and doubling are not used to cover weak one-on-one defense.

Continuous catches with a different first step

Start at the high 45.

After each catch, a different first step, finishing with a pull-up or a lay-up. Then add a closeout defender who picks a side, so the attacker has to read the defender before the ball arrives. Cue: look, catch, go.

Watching, avoiding, other groups

Watching

does the player move before the ball arrives, or after?

To avoid

judging only the result. Ask what the player saw. If the read was right, say so, even when the shot missed.

For other groups

X8 and X10: move to the ball to be available, time and place, stride stop next to the jump stop. X14 and VU14: read the closeout before the catch, blast cut and backdoor, spacing relative to the defender rather than a fixed spot, first help and rotate. MU16: think two actions ahead; ball screens only once timing and spacing are there, within the club's screening rules.

Take home

ask "what did you see?" at least five times in one session and listen to the answers.

Question back
which cut already shows up in your games without you calling it?