In this guide
- 1.What Success Looks Like Today
- 2.How We’re Teaching Motion Without Overloading
- 3.How To Keep Reps High (So They Don’t Stand Around)
- 4.The 90-Minute Practice Plan
- 5.What You'll Need
- 6.How To Run The 3v3 Guided Motion Block
- 7.Breakdowns You’ll See (And Exactly What To Do)
- 8.Adjustments For Gym Constraints And Skill
- 9.What To Do Next Practice
- 10.Frequently Asked Questions
If your kids bunch up and dribble in circles, today we’re fixing it with one simple solution: 5-out spots + pass-and-cut as the default, then we’ll layer in one DHO read and one basic down-screen action against man-to-man.
Today is a 90-minute middle school practice built to teach motion offense without overloading players. We’ll go walk-through to guided reps, then small-sided games so they learn spacing and timing while actually playing.
What Success Looks Like Today#
By the end, I’m looking for three things: (1) players can name and hold the 5-out spots without bunching, (2) after every pass, the passer either cuts hard or replaces to space, and (3) in 3v3/4v4 they can create a good shot without dribbling in circles.
- Spacing standard: if two offensive players are inside the lane at the same time (and neither is cutting), we stop and reset.
- Movement standard: the ball should not stick—catch, chin it, and decide in 2 seconds: shoot, pass, or drive.
- Decision standard: on a DHO, the ballhandler reads “turn the corner” if the defender trails, or “keep it” if the defender jumps out early.
How We’re Teaching Motion Without Overloading#
We’re not installing a playbook. We’re teaching habits that make any motion offense work: spacing, timing, and moving after you pass. We’ll teach it in small chunks (walk-through → guided reps → small-sided games) so they learn the “why” with the ball in their hands, not standing in a line.
Our Vocabulary For The Day#
- Five-out spots: corners, wings, top. (If you don’t know where to go, fill an empty spot.)
- Pass-and-cut: pass, then cut hard to the rim looking for the ball; if you don’t get it, clear out to an open spot.
- DHO: dribble at a teammate, hand the ball off, then either roll to the rim or pop back to space.
- Down screen: screen for a teammate coming up from the corner to the wing (or wing to top), then the screener opens to space.
How To Keep Reps High (So They Don’t Stand Around)#
If you have two hoops, we’ll run the same teaching block at both ends. If you only have one hoop, we’ll keep the pace by having one group play live while the next group is at half court doing guided spacing reps (pass, cut, replace—no shots). Your biggest coaching job today is stopping the “magnet ball” problem by freezing the rep, pointing to the open spots, and restarting fast.
The 90-Minute Practice Plan#
10-period beginner middle school practice · 90 min
Customize this plan in PracticePlan →| Time | Period | Min | Coaching Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:08 | Warm-Up And Ball-Handling Flow | 8 | Use half court (full court if you have space). Ideally each player has a ball; if not, partner up and alternate. • 30 seconds each: jog, high knees, defensive slides to half, then ball-handling in place (right/left pound, crossover, between-legs if they can). • Finish with 2 minutes of layups: right side only, then left side only. Keep lines under 5 by using both sides. What you’ll see: players drifting into each other and losing their ball. Fix it by: putting cones/discs down as “lanes” and stopping the group if they cross lanes. Coaching cues: “Eyes up.” “Outside hand.” “Two steps—up.” If we need to simplify: stationary dribbles only + form layups. If they’re ready, add: a change-of-direction every 3 dribbles before finishing. |
| 0:08–0:18 | Five-Out Spot Check And Passing | 10 | Put 5 flat discs on the five-out spots (two corners, two wings, top). Work in groups of 5 when possible; if you have extra players, run a second group on the other half. • Players stay on the discs and pass around the perimeter: corner → wing → top → wing → corner. • After each pass: call the receiver’s name, point, and be ready to move. • Add “fill the empty spot”: one player steps off their disc; nearest player replaces so all spots stay filled. Coach it like a spacing check, not a passing drill. If spacing shrinks, freeze, walk them back to the discs, and restart with “feet touch the disc on the catch.” Progression: add a light “shadow” defender who can tip but not steal. |
| 0:18–0:30 | Pass-And-Cut Timing Breakdown | 12 | On one side of the court, set three lines with cones: top, wing, corner. One ball starts at the top. • Top passes to wing and immediately cuts hard to the rim with hands ready. • Wing looks to hit the cutter; if it’s not there, wing passes to corner. • Cutter clears out to the opposite corner and fills. • Rotate each rep: top becomes cutter, wing becomes top, corner becomes wing. What you’ll see: cutters jogging or stopping in the lane. Fix it by: letting them touch a disc on each block but not stand on it—keep moving through. Progression: add a coach as a light defender on the cutter to force timing and a real target window. Management note: keep the next group ready with a ball so the rep starts immediately on your whistle. |
| 0:30–0:33 | Water Break And Quick Reset | 3 | Fast water, then bring them in on the sideline. In 60 seconds, lock in the three words for the day: “Wide. Cut. Replace.” Tell them the next block adds a handoff, so we need space and strong catches. Then send them straight to the DHO spots—no wandering. |
| 0:33–0:45 | Dribble Handoff Basics And Reads | 12 | Setup: two lines—one at the top, one at a wing. One ball starts at the top. Put a cone just outside the three-point line as the “meeting point.” How it runs: • The top player dribbles at the wing. The wing times it by stepping up to the cone. • Handoff is a clean exchange: ballhandler stops with a wide base and presents the ball; receiver takes it with two hands and goes immediately. • Receiver read vs a trailing defender: if the defender trails, turn the corner to the rim. • If the defender jumps out early, keep it (reject) and go straight-line/backdoor. • After the handoff, teach the original ballhandler to roll two steps toward the lane, then pop back to the top (show both options). What you’ll see: the ballhandler dribbles past the teammate and they collide, or the handoff turns into a toss. Fix it by: making the ballhandler stop at the cone every rep until timing is consistent, and walking the exchange at 70% speed. Coaching cues: “Dribble at—meet it.” “Two hands on the take.” “Trail = corner.” “Jump out = keep it.” Progression: add a second defender at the rim so the receiver must jump stop and make a kick-out pass. Management note: if you have an assistant, have them run the defender/closeout so you can stay on the exchange and footwork. |
| 0:45–0:55 | Down Screen Teaching Reps | 10 | Use corner and wing on one side. Put a disc where the screener’s feet go (outside the lane line, near the block area) and a cone at the wing catch spot. • Screener sprints to the disc and gets stopped (wide base, hands protecting). • Cutter waits a beat, then runs shoulder-to-shoulder off the screen to the wing cone with hands ready. • Coach/passer at the top hits the cutter. Keep the finish simple: one dribble pull-up or attack for a layup. • Rotate: cutter becomes screener; screener goes to the corner line. Common issue: cutter drifts away from the screen. Fix it by: adding a cone “gate” right next to the screen—if they don’t run through the gate, the rep doesn’t count. If we need to simplify: catch and freeze in triple-threat (no shot). Progression: add a trailing defender so it becomes a quick catch-and-shoot decision. |
| 0:55–1:10 | 3v3 Guided Motion From Five-Out | 15 | Setup: play 3v3 in the half court (one or two hoops). Put discs on the five-out spots. Even with only three offensive players, they must start on spots to learn what “wide” looks like. Defense is man-to-man. Transition/management (make this clean): • Pre-make three teams of 3 (pinnies on). One team plays, one team is on deck at half court, one team rests on the baseline. • Every possession starts with a check at the top. If the defense gets a stop, they keep the ball and go the other way (or check it back in if you’re staying half court). • Rotate teams every 3 minutes on your whistle no matter what—don’t let one group sit. Rounds (one rule at a time): • Round 1 (3 min): pass-and-cut only. No screens. One dribble max. • Round 2 (3 min): add one DHO per possession. • Round 3 (3 min): add one down screen per possession. • Round 4 (3 min): coach’s choice—any of the three actions, but the passer must move. • Final 3 min: play it live with the same spacing standard (no bunching). What you’ll see: players pass and stand, or three kids end up on one side watching. Fix it by: blowing it dead and replaying the same possession; if the passer doesn’t cut or replace, it’s an automatic turnover. Coaching cues: “Wide corners!” “Pass—CUT!” “Fill behind the cut.” “Catch—2 seconds!” Progression: allow defense to deny one pass and require a backdoor cut on the denial. |
| 1:10–1:13 | Water Break And Team Points Challenge Setup | 3 | Quick water. Set the scoring for the next game so they chase the right habits: • 1 point for a basket • +1 bonus for a paint touch off a cut • +1 bonus for a score created by a DHO or down screen You decide bonuses fast and move on—no debates. |
| 1:13–1:25 | 4v4 Advantage Game To Reward Ball Movement | 12 | Play 4v4 in the half court. Offense starts in five-out spacing (use the spot discs as reminders). Defense plays man-to-man. • Possession rule: you must get two passes and one cut before any shot. After that, they can play. • Use the same bonus scoring from the previous period. • Rotate: play 3–4 possessions, then sub a full team in (or rotate one player per team if numbers are tight). Common issue: they forget the rule and shoot the first time they touch it. Fix it by: no basket counts unless the rule is met—take the point off immediately and give the ball to the other team. Progression: add “no dribble for the first 5 seconds” to force quick passing and cutting. |
| 1:25–1:30 | Cool-Down Free Throws And Recap Huddle | 5 | If you have two hoops, split the group. If you have one hoop, make two short lines and keep it quiet. • Each player shoots 2 free throws, then rotates. • While they shoot, pull small groups and ask: “Name the five-out spots.” “What do you do after you pass?” “On a DHO, when do you turn the corner?” • Finish with a 60-second huddle: praise one thing (spacing, cutting, or sharing), then give one homework cue: practice catching with two hands and getting to triple-threat fast. What you’ll see: rushing and flinging the ball. Fix it by: making them hold their follow-through until the ball hits the rim. |
What You'll Need#
- basketballs (about 1 per 2 players)
- flat agility discs (10–12)
- cones (6–8)
- two pinnie colors (enough for 3v3/4v4)
- whiteboard or clipboard
- whistle
- stopwatch
How To Run The 3v3 Guided Motion Block#
This is the money period. Don’t let it turn into random 3v3. Start each rep with players standing on five-out spots (even though it’s 3v3) so they understand what “space” means. I like to say: “Start wide, cut hard, replace fast.” Give the offense one rule at a time: first “pass-and-cut only,” then add “one DHO allowed,” then add “one down screen allowed.”
- Coach position: stand at the nail (middle of the free throw line). You can see spacing, cuts, and who’s ball-watching.
- Freeze points: freeze only for clear teaching moments—two kids in the same spot, a lazy cut, or a great cut that deserves praise. Then restart immediately.
- Shot quality rule: if the first shot is a contested runner, call it “no shot” and keep playing until they create a catch-and-shoot, layup, or clear lane drive.
Breakdowns You’ll See (And Exactly What To Do)#
- Breakdown: Everyone follows the ball to the wing. Why it happens: new players think being close means being helpful. Fix: stop the rep, point to an empty corner, and say, “If you can touch your teammate, you’re too close.” Make them restart with feet on the three-point line or volleyball line as a spacing guide.
- Breakdown: Passer watches their pass and doesn’t cut. Why it happens: they’re proud they completed the pass and forget the next job. Fix: add a rule: “If you pass and don’t cut, it’s a turnover.” Enforce it twice and it disappears.
- Breakdown: DHO turns into a moving screen or a toss. Why it happens: they don’t know where to put the ball and feet. Fix: teach the handoff like a “football exchange”: ballhandler dribbles at the teammate, stops with a wide base, holds the ball out; receiver takes it with two hands and goes. If they’re slapping at it, make them walk it first, then add speed.
- Breakdown: Down screen is soft and the cutter runs too close. Why it happens: kids avoid contact and don’t understand angles. Fix: put a flat disc where the screener’s feet go, and tell the cutter: “Run shoulder-to-shoulder, then show hands.” If the cutter drifts wide, reset and make them do it again at 70% speed.
Adjustments For Gym Constraints And Skill#
- One hoop only: run the live game on the main hoop. The next team waits on the baseline as “on deck.” Possessions start with a check at the top. Play make-it-take-it to 3 points, then the losing team comes off and the on-deck team comes on. Keep it moving—no coaching speeches between games.
- No assistant coach: keep one clear station at a time. During guided reps, you coach from the nail and use one player as the passer to keep lines short. During games, coach only two things: spacing and cut after you pass.
- Odd number of players: use a permanent “ghost passer” (offense-only) at the top who can pass but can’t shoot or dribble. Rotate the ghost every 60–90 seconds so everyone plays.
- Mixed ability: give your newer players a simple job: “catch, chin, pass, cut.” Give your stronger players one constraint: two-dribble max and they must create a paint touch for a teammate (cut, DHO, or drive-and-kick) before they score.
- Limited balls: protect the balls for the DHO and game blocks. In walk-throughs, use one ball per group and make off-ball players “show target hands” instead of holding a ball.
What To Do Next Practice#
Next time, keep the same structure but add one defensive constraint so the offense learns timing: teach defenders “ball-you-man” positioning and light denial on the wings. The first thing that will break down is still spacing—so start with a quick five-out spot check, then go right back to 3v3 with the same pass-and-cut rule before you add anything new.
Frequently Asked Questions#
What if we only have one basket available?
Run 3v3/4v4 on the main basket and put the next group at half court doing guided five-out: pass, cut, replace (no shot). When the live group scores or turns it over, they sprint to half court and swap in. You’ll keep everyone moving without long lines.
How do I keep the DHO from becoming a mess of travels and dropped balls?
Walk it first: dribble at teammate, stop with a wide base, hold the ball out like an exchange, receiver takes it with two hands and goes. If they’re still fumbling, remove the dribble and do a stationary handoff, then add the dribble back.
We have a couple kids who dominate the ball—how do I force movement?
Put in two rules for the small-sided games: 2-dribble max per touch and the passer must cut. If a player breaks either rule, it’s an automatic turnover and the other team gets the ball right away.
How many reps of down screens do we need for beginners?
You’re not chasing perfection—aim for 8–12 good reps per player where the screener is set and the cutter runs tight with hands ready. If reps are sloppy, slow it down and shorten the pattern rather than rushing through.
What’s the quickest way to teach five-out spots without a long talk?
Put flat discs on the two corners, two wings, and top. Start every live rep with players standing on a disc. If they drift, freeze and physically point them back to a disc, then restart immediately.
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