JV Basketball Drills

Junior varsity basketball training drills will help a coach teach the players the fundamentals of basketball. A coach usually conducts drills for half of the JV practice, then has the players split up into two teams to scrimmage against each other. The players who demonstrate the most skill during drilling sessions often end up in the starting lineup once the season begins.

  1. Shooting

    • Have the players work on shooting from a variety of spots on the court.

      Split the squad in half and send each group to a different basket. Have each group line up in single file behind the free throw line. Give the first player in line a basketball. Tell the player to make a free throw, then to retrieve the ball and make a layup. Next, have the player dribble to the left corner approximately 10 feet from the basket and make a shot. After the third shot goes in, tell the player to make another layup and then to pass the ball to the next player in line. Time each player during the drill, to make it a competition. The fastest player from each group does not have to run sprints at the end of practice.

    Passing

    • Show a player the proper passing technique.

      Tell the JV basketball players to form groups of three. Give each group one ball to use during the drill. Tell one of the groups to spread out under the basket along the baseline. Start the drill by having the players run up the court and make them pass the ball back and forth, without letting it hit the ground. Once the three players reach the opposite basket, make them turn around and continue the passing drill until they return to the starting point. Repeat the drill with the rest of the three-man groups.

    Rebounding

    • Teach the players to anticipate where the ball will go after it hits the rim.

      Have the JV squad form two lines behind the free throw line. Tell the players in the left line that they are the shooters, while the players in the right line are the rebounders. Have the shooter dribble to the right, then take a shot from the middle of the free throw line. Tell the rebounder to wait until the ball is in the air, then to quickly move forward to roughly five feet in front of the basket. If the player anticipates the carom correctly, he should be able to grab the rebound while the ball is still in the air. Run the drill until each player is able to consistently rebound the ball before it hits the ground.

    Dribbling

    • Use a dribbling drill to work on a player's hand speed.

      Give each player a ball and have the team spread out on the court. Tell them this basketball drill is going to be a competition to see which player has the fastest hands. Instruct each player to dribble the ball while standing still. Have them dribble the ball twice, then bounce it over to the opposite hand to dribble twice. Make them continue this dribbling move for 30 seconds, then have the players increase the speed of the dribble. Losing possession of the ball eliminates a player from the drill. Make the players dribble faster every 30 seconds, until one player wins the drill.