Drill of The Week

Here’s another idea for adding some pressure to the shooter with a closing out defender. This time, we’re simulating an east-west closeout, similar to what shooter might face playing against a zone defense.  Coach Tony Miller is bringing a great drill for players to work on their contested shooting. As well as practicing controlling the closeout as the defender. Checkout the full drill breakdown below.


Partner Closeout Shooting Tony Miller

Partner Contested Shooting Drill

  • The defender stands at the free throw line in the middle of the lane, while the shooter stands behind the 3P line on the wing.
  • On the Dish’s pass out to the shooter, the defender touches the elbow (opposite the shooter) then runs to closeout to the shooter.
  • On the catch, the shooter must first complete some sort of crossover or between-the-legs dribble before shooting.”