1 v 1 Triangle High Post Drill

The 1 v 1 Triangle High Post Drill helps players develop the skills needed to be efficient and effective in the high post position. Playing in the high post can be a very challenging area play as the offensive player must learn to not only deal with interior defenders, but also content with help defence from the defensive guards which are often in a closer proximity to this position.

To compound the challenge of playing in this position further, is there is often a void of time that players have during training sessions to perfect their play in the high post. Players who play within the high post often have to contend with refining their skills during multiple player breakdowns or 5 v 5 situations. This can be both a good and bad scenario.

Firstly, in learning to play the position during “live” play the high post player will learn to see and feel what works and want does not sooner.

The bad in this situation is that this type of learning can take longer for the player to master. This strategy also requires a coach to have a much more focused input around the player’s development by coaching on the run and giving plenty of feedback.

The 1 v 1 Triangle High Post Drill starts with an offensive player in the weak side short corner. A defender is positioned on the front of the basket ready to impede the progress of the offensive player as soon as the high post drill starts. Finally two people are placed at the strong side elbow and foul line extended. These positions in the diagram above have been filled by a coach but they can just as easily be filled by players.

The high post drill starts with One (1) in short corner and cuts to adjacent high post. One (1) must look to create a lead take to defender away from the intended catching position. Once enough time has passed so the offensive player becomes comfortable and competent with creating space to catch the ball in the high post. The offensive player can then be allowed to also dive to the basket if being overplayed.

Two (2) will attempt to bump the cutter away from high post. Once contact is initiated they should be encourage to maintain a good defensive stance and if possible deflect or deny the pass into the high post.

Coaches are positioned at the elbow extended and foul line extended and can pass the ball to one another in an attempt to create a good or challenging angle. The pass can be made at any time into the post, even before the offensive player reaches the high post.

Once the offensive player has received the ball in the high post drill then they are in a one on one situation. The drill continues until the offensive player scores or the defensive player secures position.

Variation

One of the ways to make the 1 v 1 Triangle High Post Drill more defensively focused is to introduce a rule that the offensive player (One) cannot receive the ball until passers have passed the ball back and forth three times. This will allow the defence to learn adjustments.

Another option is to have the passers guarded by defenders as well so they become accustom to the demands of passing into the high post while under pressure.

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