Basketball Pick-and-Roll Practice Plan: Offense and Ball-Screen Coverage (90 Minutes)

Basketball·High School·Competitive·90 min·Install·OffenseDefensePassingTeam CommunicationLate Shot Clock

By the Practice Plan App Coaching Team · Published September 2026

1.How do you teach the pick-and-roll in practice?
2.How many players and coaches does this practice need?
3.What is the difference between drop, hedge, and switch coverage?
4.Terms Used in This Practice
5.The 90-Minute Practice Plan
6.What You'll Need
7.How do you run the 3-on-3 coverage circuit?
8.Common Pick-and-Roll Mistakes and Fixes
9.Which ball-screen coverage should a high school team use?
10.Adjustments for Roster and Gym
11.What to Run Next Practice
12.Frequently Asked Questions

This 90-minute basketball practice teaches a competitive high school team how to run the pick-and-roll and how to defend it, with offensive reads and three ball-screen coverages (drop, hedge, and switch) built up from 2-on-2 to 5-on-5.

Practice flow at a glance: warm-up and screen footwork (10), 2-on-2 against drop (12), 2-on-2 against hedge (12), water (3), 3-on-3 coverage circuit (22), controlled 5-on-5 (17), late-clock pick-and-roll (10), closing huddle (4).

How do you teach the pick-and-roll in practice?#

Teach the offense and the defense together, one coverage at a time, and add players only after the two-player read is clean. Each coverage gives the ball handler one main answer:

Against drop: the screener's defender sits back in the lane. The ball handler gets downhill and either takes the open pull-up, or throws the pocket pass to the roller when the big steps up.
Against a hedge: the screener's defender jumps out above the screen. The ball handler takes one retreat dribble to stretch the hedge, then hits the screener on the short roll or swings the ball.
Against a switch: the defenders trade players. The offense finds the mismatch: the guard attacks the bigger defender with space, or the screener seals the smaller defender and posts up.

How many players and coaches does this practice need?#

The timing assumes 12 to 15 players, two coaches, and a full court with two baskets. The 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 periods run at both baskets at the same time, with one coach at each end.

With 8 to 10 players, keep the 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 periods as written and play the two team periods 4-on-4 with both corners filled: ball handler, screener, and a shooter in each corner. That keeps the help defender's tag and the corner kick-out in the drill, which are the reads this practice is built around. With 9 or 10 players, the extra one or two replace a player on defense after every three possessions.

With one basket, one group plays live while the other walks through screen angles and coverage footwork on the sideline with the second coach. Swap every 3 minutes.

What is the difference between drop, hedge, and switch coverage?#

Drop: the on-ball defender fights over the screen and chases from behind. The screener's defender stays below the screen, between the ball and the basket, and gives up the contested mid-range shot.
Hedge: the screener's defender steps out above the screen for two slides to turn the ball handler toward half court, then sprints back to the screener. The on-ball defender goes over the screen and under the hedging teammate.
Switch: both defenders call "switch" early and trade players at the screen, with no gap between them for the ball handler to split.

Pick the coverage your team will use most this season and treat it as the base. The other two are changes you can call by name from the bench.

Terms Used in This Practice#

Pocket pass: a bounce pass to the roller through the gap between the two defenders.
Short roll: the screener catches near the free-throw line instead of rolling all the way to the rim.
Reject: the ball handler drives away from the screen when the defender jumps to the screen side early.
Tag: the weak-side help defender steps into the roller's path in the lane to slow the roll, then recovers to a shooter.

The 90-Minute Practice Plan#

8-period competitive high school practice · 90 min

0:00–0:10

Dynamic Warm-Up and Ball-Screen Footwork

▾

Players line up in four lines on the baseline.

Dynamic warm-up (5 minutes): jog, high knees, walking lunges with a twist, hip openers, side shuffles, and backpedal to half court and back, then two build-up runs at 70 and 90 percent.
Screen footwork without a ball (5 minutes): partners stay in their lines. One player sprints to a disc at the wing, jump stops with feet wider than the shoulders and arms tucked in, and holds the screen for a two-count. The partner walks the defender into the screen and brushes shoulder to hip. The screener then opens to the ball with a reverse pivot and rolls with a hand up. Switch roles every rep. Four reps each on both sides of the floor.

Safety and legality: screeners are set before contact and do not lean or stick out a hip or knee. Anyone setting a moving screen repeats the rep.

0:10–0:22

2-on-2 Pick-and-Roll Reads Against Drop

▾

Run this at both baskets, one coach at each. Make pairs of one ball handler and one screener. With 12 players there are three pairs per basket: one on offense, one on defense, one waiting at half court. Rotate offense to defense to off after every three possessions. Extra players form a fourth pair at one basket.

Setup: the ball starts at the slot, above the three-point line. The screener comes from the elbow to set the screen on the side the coach calls.

First 2 minutes, teach: walk through drop at half speed. The on-ball defender goes over the screen and chases. The screener's defender stays a step below the screen, between the ball and the basket.
Next 10 minutes, live: the target is 9 possessions on offense for each pair, in three turns of three. The coach alternates the screen side each turn.

Reads for the ball handler:

The big is deep in the lane: take the pull-up jump shot at the elbow on balance.
The big steps up to the ball: bounce the pocket pass to the roller.
The on-ball defender jumps to the screen side early: reject the screen and drive the other way.

Common mistake: the ball handler dribbles sideways and never threatens the lane. Cue: "Turn the corner and get downhill."

0:22–0:34

2-on-2 Hedge Coverage and Offensive Counters

▾

Same pairs, same baskets, same rotation after every three possessions. Switch which pair starts on offense. The target is again 9 possessions on offense per pair.

First 2 minutes, teach: walk through the hedge. The screener's defender calls "hedge," steps out above the screen with the chest facing the ball, takes two slides to turn the ball handler toward half court, then sprints back to the screener with hands high. The on-ball defender goes over the screen and under the hedging teammate.
Next 10 minutes, live: the coach calls "hedge" before every possession.

Reads for the offense:

Take one retreat dribble to pull the hedging defender away from the basket, keeping the dribble alive.
Hit the screener on the short roll near the free-throw line. The screener catches, faces the basket, and attacks.
Split the two defenders only if there is a clear gap between them.

What counts as a good hedge: the ball handler's second dribble after the screen goes toward the sideline or half court, not toward the basket. If the second dribble goes downhill, replay the possession. A ball handler who picks up the dribble with no pass available has turned the ball over.

0:34–0:37

Water Break and Coverage Review

▾

Players get water, then gather at the whiteboard. Write the three coverages in one column and the offensive answer to each in a second column. Ask two guards and one post player to say the rule for one coverage out loud. Introduce the word "switch" here, because it is taught on the floor in the next period.

0:37–0:59

3-on-3 Coverage Circuit: Drop, Hedge, Switch

▾

Make groups of three: one ball handler, one screener, and one shooter. With 12 players there are two groups at each basket, so everyone plays every possession. With 13 to 15 players, the fifth group waits at half court and replaces the defense at basket A after every three possessions, and the group that comes off waits for the next turn.

Setup: ball handler at the slot, screener at the elbow, shooter in the weak-side corner. The third defender guards the corner shooter and is the help defender.

Schedule:

Drop (6 minutes): three possessions on offense, then switch offense and defense.
Hedge (6 minutes): same rotation.
Switch (8 minutes): teach for 2 minutes, then play for 6. On a switch, both defenders call it before the screen arrives and meet shoulder to shoulder so the ball handler cannot split them. The bigger defender gives the guard one step of space and keeps hands back. The smaller defender fights to get in front of the screener.
Changeovers (2 minutes total): about 40 seconds between coverages to reset and get the next call.

Help defender rule (the tag): when the screener rolls, the help defender steps into the lane early and stands in the roller's path with the chest square and hands high, so the roller has to slow down or go around. Arms stay in. Extending a forearm or pushing the roller is a foul, and that possession is replayed. On the pass to the corner, the help defender sprints back and closes out. Call "tag" out loud.

Scoring: the offense gets 2 points for a layup, a finish from the roll, or a catch-and-shoot three from a kick-out, and 1 point for any other basket. The defense gets 2 points for a stop with a rebound. Groups keep their own running score across all three coverages.

0:59–1:16

5-on-5 Controlled Pick-and-Roll With Called Coverages

▾

Use one basket, half court. Two teams of five are on the floor. Extra players wait on the baseline and replace the player at their position after every three possessions.

Spacing walk-through, 5-on-0 (3 minutes): the ball screen is set at the slot. The other three players fill both corners and the opposite slot. As the screener rolls, the player in the opposite slot lifts toward the top to give the ball handler a pass behind the play. Each team runs it twice on each side.
Controlled 5-on-5 (14 minutes): the coach calls the coverage before each possession and the defense repeats it. The offense runs three possessions in a row, then the teams switch. Change the coverage every three possessions in this order: drop, hedge, switch.

Stop and replay when the defense runs the wrong coverage or nobody tags the roller. Keep the correction to one sentence, then replay the same possession.

On a kick-out to the corner, the nearest defender closes out to the ball and the defender who tagged takes the next closest player. Players call the name of the player they are taking.

Scoring: same as the 3-on-3 circuit. Play to 10 or until time is up.

1:16–1:26

Late-Clock Pick-and-Roll Execution

▾

Stay 5-on-5 at the same basket. Every possession starts with 12 seconds on the shot clock and the ball in the point guard's hands at the top. Use the scoreboard shot clock, or have a manager count down out loud.

The offense goes straight into a ball screen and is allowed one re-screen.
The defense chooses any of the three coverages and must call it out loud before the screen is set.
The goal is a paint touch or an open catch-and-shoot look with 5 seconds still on the clock.

Scoring: 2 points for a basket, 1 point for the offense if it gets a shot from the approved list that misses, and 2 points for the defense for a stop or a shot-clock violation. Teams alternate possessions. Substitute extra players in after every four possessions. First team to 9 wins, or the team ahead when time runs out.

Common mistake: the ball handler is still dribbling with 5 seconds left. Cue: "Use the screen on the first dribble, make the read by 6."

1:26–1:30

Closing Huddle and Review

▾

Bring the team to center court.

Offense check: ask one guard to name the read against each coverage: drop, hedge, and switch.
Defense check: ask one post player to describe the footwork for the hedge, and one wing to explain the tag.
Next practice: tell players which coverage will be the team's base coverage and that the next practice opens with tag-and-recover work.

If you filmed the 3-on-3 circuit, pick one possession per coverage to show before the next practice.

Time	Period	Coaching Notes
0:00–0:10	Dynamic Warm-Up and Ball-Screen Footwork	Players line up in four lines on the baseline. Dynamic warm-up (5 minutes): jog, high knees, walking lunges with a twist, hip openers, side shuffles, and backpedal to half court and back, then two build-up runs at 70 and 90 percent. Screen footwork without a ball (5 minutes): partners stay in their lines. One player sprints to a disc at the wing, jump stops with feet wider than the shoulders and arms tucked in, and holds the screen for a two-count. The partner walks the defender into the screen and brushes shoulder to hip. The screener then opens to the ball with a reverse pivot and rolls with a hand up. Switch roles every rep. Four reps each on both sides of the floor. Safety and legality: screeners are set before contact and do not lean or stick out a hip or knee. Anyone setting a moving screen repeats the rep.
0:10–0:22	2-on-2 Pick-and-Roll Reads Against Drop	Run this at both baskets, one coach at each. Make pairs of one ball handler and one screener. With 12 players there are three pairs per basket: one on offense, one on defense, one waiting at half court. Rotate offense to defense to off after every three possessions. Extra players form a fourth pair at one basket. Setup: the ball starts at the slot, above the three-point line. The screener comes from the elbow to set the screen on the side the coach calls. First 2 minutes, teach: walk through drop at half speed. The on-ball defender goes over the screen and chases. The screener's defender stays a step below the screen, between the ball and the basket. Next 10 minutes, live: the target is 9 possessions on offense for each pair, in three turns of three. The coach alternates the screen side each turn. Reads for the ball handler: The big is deep in the lane: take the pull-up jump shot at the elbow on balance. The big steps up to the ball: bounce the pocket pass to the roller. The on-ball defender jumps to the screen side early: reject the screen and drive the other way. Common mistake: the ball handler dribbles sideways and never threatens the lane. Cue: "Turn the corner and get downhill."
0:22–0:34	2-on-2 Hedge Coverage and Offensive Counters	Same pairs, same baskets, same rotation after every three possessions. Switch which pair starts on offense. The target is again 9 possessions on offense per pair. First 2 minutes, teach: walk through the hedge. The screener's defender calls "hedge," steps out above the screen with the chest facing the ball, takes two slides to turn the ball handler toward half court, then sprints back to the screener with hands high. The on-ball defender goes over the screen and under the hedging teammate. Next 10 minutes, live: the coach calls "hedge" before every possession. Reads for the offense: Take one retreat dribble to pull the hedging defender away from the basket, keeping the dribble alive. Hit the screener on the short roll near the free-throw line. The screener catches, faces the basket, and attacks. Split the two defenders only if there is a clear gap between them. What counts as a good hedge: the ball handler's second dribble after the screen goes toward the sideline or half court, not toward the basket. If the second dribble goes downhill, replay the possession. A ball handler who picks up the dribble with no pass available has turned the ball over.
0:34–0:37	Water Break and Coverage Review	Players get water, then gather at the whiteboard. Write the three coverages in one column and the offensive answer to each in a second column. Ask two guards and one post player to say the rule for one coverage out loud. Introduce the word "switch" here, because it is taught on the floor in the next period.
0:37–0:59	3-on-3 Coverage Circuit: Drop, Hedge, Switch	Make groups of three: one ball handler, one screener, and one shooter. With 12 players there are two groups at each basket, so everyone plays every possession. With 13 to 15 players, the fifth group waits at half court and replaces the defense at basket A after every three possessions, and the group that comes off waits for the next turn. Setup: ball handler at the slot, screener at the elbow, shooter in the weak-side corner. The third defender guards the corner shooter and is the help defender. Schedule: Drop (6 minutes): three possessions on offense, then switch offense and defense. Hedge (6 minutes): same rotation. Switch (8 minutes): teach for 2 minutes, then play for 6. On a switch, both defenders call it before the screen arrives and meet shoulder to shoulder so the ball handler cannot split them. The bigger defender gives the guard one step of space and keeps hands back. The smaller defender fights to get in front of the screener. Changeovers (2 minutes total): about 40 seconds between coverages to reset and get the next call. Help defender rule (the tag): when the screener rolls, the help defender steps into the lane early and stands in the roller's path with the chest square and hands high, so the roller has to slow down or go around. Arms stay in. Extending a forearm or pushing the roller is a foul, and that possession is replayed. On the pass to the corner, the help defender sprints back and closes out. Call "tag" out loud. Scoring: the offense gets 2 points for a layup, a finish from the roll, or a catch-and-shoot three from a kick-out, and 1 point for any other basket. The defense gets 2 points for a stop with a rebound. Groups keep their own running score across all three coverages.
0:59–1:16	5-on-5 Controlled Pick-and-Roll With Called Coverages	Use one basket, half court. Two teams of five are on the floor. Extra players wait on the baseline and replace the player at their position after every three possessions. Spacing walk-through, 5-on-0 (3 minutes): the ball screen is set at the slot. The other three players fill both corners and the opposite slot. As the screener rolls, the player in the opposite slot lifts toward the top to give the ball handler a pass behind the play. Each team runs it twice on each side. Controlled 5-on-5 (14 minutes): the coach calls the coverage before each possession and the defense repeats it. The offense runs three possessions in a row, then the teams switch. Change the coverage every three possessions in this order: drop, hedge, switch. Stop and replay when the defense runs the wrong coverage or nobody tags the roller. Keep the correction to one sentence, then replay the same possession. On a kick-out to the corner, the nearest defender closes out to the ball and the defender who tagged takes the next closest player. Players call the name of the player they are taking. Scoring: same as the 3-on-3 circuit. Play to 10 or until time is up.
1:16–1:26	Late-Clock Pick-and-Roll Execution	Stay 5-on-5 at the same basket. Every possession starts with 12 seconds on the shot clock and the ball in the point guard's hands at the top. Use the scoreboard shot clock, or have a manager count down out loud. The offense goes straight into a ball screen and is allowed one re-screen. The defense chooses any of the three coverages and must call it out loud before the screen is set. The goal is a paint touch or an open catch-and-shoot look with 5 seconds still on the clock. Scoring: 2 points for a basket, 1 point for the offense if it gets a shot from the approved list that misses, and 2 points for the defense for a stop or a shot-clock violation. Teams alternate possessions. Substitute extra players in after every four possessions. First team to 9 wins, or the team ahead when time runs out. Common mistake: the ball handler is still dribbling with 5 seconds left. Cue: "Use the screen on the first dribble, make the read by 6."
1:26–1:30	Closing Huddle and Review	Bring the team to center court. Offense check: ask one guard to name the read against each coverage: drop, hedge, and switch. Defense check: ask one post player to describe the footwork for the hedge, and one wing to explain the tag. Next practice: tell players which coverage will be the team's base coverage and that the next practice opens with tag-and-recover work. If you filmed the 3-on-3 circuit, pick one possession per coverage to show before the next practice.

Running a program? Share this as a template across your coaches.

Practice Plan App lets program directors turn plans like this into shared templates for every coach, team, or age group — so your curriculum stays consistent without sending PDFs and group texts.

See Youth Program Features →

What You'll Need#

Basketballs (1 per pair minimum)
Practice jerseys or pinnies in two colors
Flat discs (8-10) to mark the screen spot, corners, and slots
Whiteboard and marker for the coverage rules
Scoreboard shot clock or a phone timer with a loud buzzer
Whistle
Phone or tablet on a tripod for filming (optional)

How do you run the 3-on-3 coverage circuit?#

The 3-on-3 circuit is the most important period of this practice, so script it. The coach at each basket calls the coverage out loud before every possession, and the defense repeats the call. One coach watches the two players in the screen, and the other coach or a manager watches the help defender and the corner.

Keep possessions short: the offense gets one ball screen and one re-screen. If nothing has been created after that, blow the whistle and start the next possession.
Count the right shots: a layup, a catch-and-shoot three from a kick-out, or a finish from the roll or short roll. A contested pull-up early in the possession does not score.
Rotate on a count: three possessions on offense, three on defense, then the waiting group steps in. Nobody stands for more than three possessions.

Common Pick-and-Roll Mistakes and Fixes#

The ball handler goes before the screen is set. This causes moving-screen fouls. Rule: the ball handler waits until the screener's feet are set, then takes the defender into the screen shoulder to hip.
The ball handler dribbles sideways instead of downhill. The drop defender never has to choose. Cue: "Turn the corner and get your shoulders to the free-throw line."
In drop, the on-ball defender goes under the screen or gets stuck on it. Cue: "Get skinny, stay attached to the hip, contest from behind." The big stays between the ball and the rim and does not lunge at the ball.
In a hedge, both defenders chase the ball and the roller is open. Freeze the possession, point to the help defender, and have that player call "tag." The hedge is two slides and a sprint back, not a trap.
In a switch, defenders leave a gap or foul the mismatch. Both defenders call the switch before the screen arrives and meet shoulder to shoulder. The bigger defender gives a step of space and keeps hands back. The smaller defender fights to get in front of the screener in the post.

Which ball-screen coverage should a high school team use?#

Choose based on your post players. If your center is a good rim protector but slow on the perimeter, make drop your base. If your bigs are mobile and the opposing guard is the main scorer, hedging takes the ball out of that player's hands. If your lineup is close to the same size at every position, switching is the simplest to teach. Most high school teams are better with one base coverage and one change than with three coverages run at an average level.

Adjustments for Roster and Gym#

Only one or two true post players: use forwards and bigger wings as screeners, and have them pop to the three-point line or short roll instead of rolling to the rim. Rest your centers during part of the 2-on-2 periods so they are fresh for the team periods.
Defense cannot run the coverage correctly yet: slow the 2-on-2 periods to half speed for the first three possessions and have the defenders talk through each step.
Day before a game: run every period at walk-through speed with full communication, skip the late-clock scoring game, and finish in about 60 minutes.
No shot clock: a manager counts down out loud from 12 in the late-clock period.

What to Run Next Practice#

Keep the same three coverages and add one action after the first ball screen, such as a re-screen with the angle flipped or a weak-side player lifting behind the roll. The first thing to break down is usually help-side timing, so open the next practice with 3 minutes of tag-and-recover work before going live.

Frequently Asked Questions#

What is a good pick and roll practice plan for high school basketball?▾

A good pick and roll practice plan teaches the offense and the defense together and builds from 2-on-2 to 5-on-5. Start with one coverage and one read, add a help defender and a corner shooter in 3-on-3, and finish 5-on-5 with a short shot clock so players have to make the read at game speed.

What are the best ball screen drills for high school players?▾

Start with 2-on-2 where the coach calls the coverage, so the ball handler and screener learn one read at a time. Then move to 3-on-3 with a corner shooter and a help defender, which adds the tag on the roller and the kick-out pass. Rotate after every three possessions so nobody stands for long.

How do you guard the pick-and-roll when your center cannot play drop?▾

If your center is too slow to contain the ball in drop, hedge for two slides and recover, and have the help defender tag the roller early. If your center is small but quick, switching is usually simpler. In both cases the on-ball defender has to fight over the screen so the ball handler does not get an open three.

What do you do when the screener slips the screen against a hedge?▾

A slip beats a defender who jumps out early. Teach the hedging defender to stay connected to the screener until the screen is actually set, and have the help defender tag any early cut to the rim. In practice, let the offense slip once every few possessions so the defense has to react to it.

What is the difference between drop, hedge, and switch coverage?▾

In drop, the screener's defender stays back near the lane while the on-ball defender chases over the screen. In a hedge, the screener's defender steps out above the screen for two slides to turn the ball handler, then recovers. In a switch, the two defenders trade players at the screen.

How do you practice the pick-and-roll with only one or two post players?▾

Use forwards and bigger wings as screeners and have them pop or short roll instead of rolling to the rim. The reads for the ball handler stay the same, and your true post players can rest during part of the 2-on-2 work so they are fresh for 5-on-5.