Whether you are down at the end of a game or looking to go on a run, getting consecutive stops in a row is a must for high-level defensive teams. To get successive stops in a row, your team needs to not only have the defensive foundations and skills to get it done, but they also need to have the mindset that it can be done. One without the other is not going to go very far.
This defensive basketball drill is not super complicated, but it is essential because it will force the defense to get multiple stops in a row. This will help with team defense, but it will give your players the mindset and belief that they can get it done when required of them in actual gameplay.
Along with working on defense, this team basketball drill will also work on competing and learning to fight to get the job done. There will be defensive possessions in games where there is a breakdown on a screening action, cut, etc. This doesn’t mean that the offense should automatically get a bucket; it does mean that the defense needs to find a way to communicate and fight to get a stop.
Basketball Drill Overview
Drill Name: 4 on 4 Consecutive Stops Defensive Basketball Drill
Equipment Needed: 12+ players, a basketball, and a basket.
Similar Basketball Drills and Resources
- Basic and Cutters Shell Drill
- Down Screens and Baseline Drive Shell Drill
- 5 on 4 + 1 Transition Defensive Basketball Drill
- Four Square Basketball Rebounding Drill
Goals of the Drill
- Defensive Goals
- Work on communicating and working together to get stops.
- Develop the team’s mindset to be able to get multiple stops in a row.
- Learn to compete on the defensive end of the floor, even when the situation is stacked against you.
- Offensive Goals
- Work on creating for one another, moving the ball, and getting high percentage looks.
- Work on whatever type of offensive action that you want to put in.
- General Goals
- Learn to compete at a high level on both sides of the ball.
- Become better at live-action basketball and being able to score in the half-court or get stops in the half-court.
Coaching Points
- The defense needs to be communicating on every possession, not give excuses.
- Focus on emphasizing all of your team basketball defensive keys: rotations, having active hands, and anything else that you are stressing with your team.
- Use this drill to see which players are going to compete and fight on the defensive end.
- This basketball drill is as much mental as it is physical. So really stress the mindset of buying into being able to get multiple stops in a row.
- The defense needs to bring energy and fight even when they are tired. This will bring excitement to playing defense and will lead to more stops.
- This can be just as good of a drill for the offense as well. Work on different sets and actions that your team runs and allow your players to get quality repetitions at them.
- Encourage the offense to be aggressive and go at the defense; it will be a trial of fire for a team to get four stops in a row.
Basketball Drill Instructions
- You will break your team up into three different groups of at least four (you can have subs on a team).
- Team 1 will be on offense, Team 2 will be on defense, and Team 3 will be on the sideline, ready to step in.
- Everything is in the half-court, and the offense (Team 1) can do whatever they want to try and score.
- Team 2 must work together to get a stop.
- If the offense scores, they go to defense, and the defense steps off.
- If the defense gets a stop, they stay on defense, and the offense steps off.
- Either way, the team on the sideline will come in on offense, and either the current offense or defense will have to step off.
- The goal of this competition basketball drill is for one team to get a set number of consecutive stops.
Recommended Time, Scoring, and Repetitions
- The scoring for this basketball drill is pretty straight up in that one of the teams needs to get four stops in a row to win. However, if your team struggles with defense, you may want to work your way up to four stops in a row. Maybe start with two or three stops in a row first.
- Another great way to do this drill would be to block out a set amount of time. Use this drill for 15 minutes (up to you on time) and tell your players that there is only this set amount of time to get the four stops. If one of the teams reaches the number of stops, make a big deal about it, and celebrate. If one of the teams doesn’t get the needed stops in a row before the time ends, talk about how you will continue to work on this moving forward in practices and how important it is. This way, you don’t end up doing this drill for a considerable chunk of your practice time.
4 on 4 Consecutive Stops Defensive Basketball Drill Conclusion
Runs are a big part of basketball, and teams that can put together multiple runs during a game, are going to put themselves in an excellent position to win games. To go on a run, though, your team defense must be able to get multiple stops in a row. They must be able to buy into the discipline of great defense and bring great defensive effort and energy to every possession.
With the 4 on 4 Consecutive Stops Defensive Basketball Drill, you will be able to work on all of these things with your team. You will create an environment in practice where it is fun to play defense and compete to get stops.
