The Improvement of Movement - Getting to the Net

In this session we look at ways that you can get your players to run, cut, receive and shoot in this more advanced giving and going session.

The give-and-go, often called pass-and-cut, is an offensive play in which a player simply passes (gives) to a team-mate and cuts (goes) towards the basket. The use of the cut, a sharp change of pace and direction, is how attackers can break free from their defender and then look to receive a return pass from their team mate in space.

Sounds simple, and when performed correctly it is. Annoyingly though you will often find that players do not make these sharp cutting runs but instead run around like headless chickens, following the ball which doesn't create space. To ensure your team are wiser than headless chickens on the court we've designed this session to highlight to them just how effective giving and going can be in creating goal scoring opportunities.

To start with your players will run a drill where they must offload the ball and make a V cut run before receiving a return pass and then going on to shoot. However, we know your players are better than that and so once they've mastered the basics we're going to step up the intensity, changing the type of cuts your players are using and even applying pressure to them when they go to shoot. In a game situation the ball will not necessarily always go to the player who has made the run but what will happen is that this manoeuvre will pull defenders out of position and create space for your other players to run into.

Come the end of this session in the final game you should find yourself with a team full of skilful cutters, players who are skilled at losing their markers and creating space in which to receive the ball.