Man in the Middle
Purpose
To work on being strong with the basketball in order to make accurate passes while being pressured defensively. To improve quickness and reaction time to the basketball.
Organization
Split players into groups of three. An offensive player stands at each end of the foul line. One of the offensive players has a ball. The third player is between them and is on defense. If the groups are uneven, a manager or coach can step in.
Procedure
- Player X1 guards O1 and tries to deflect the pass from O1 to O2.
- Player O1 works on ball fakes and steps through the defense to make the pass.
- When O2 receives the ball, X1 runs over to contest O2’s pass back to O1. Player O2 must hold the ball for two seconds before passing it back to O1.
- Player X1 stays in the middle and defends both passes until she gets a deflection.
- Once X1 gets a deflection, she rotates out to become an offensive player. The player that made the bad pass rotates in on defense.
Coaching Points
- Players that are passing the basketball should be in triple-threat position and ready to make a sharp pass.
- The offensive passers should not drift outside of the foul lane as the drill continues. The space between the passers and defender should be tight, which makes it more difficult for the passers.
Variations
- Incorporate different passes, such as curl pass, hook pass, and step through.
- Make the defender stay in the middle until five passes are thrown.
