Backdoor Cut
Beat an over-playing defender with a backdoor cut to the rim.
What this drill teaches
Punishing a defender for over-playing. The cut only works because of the set-up — walking the defender high as if wanting the ball — so kids learn that getting open is about deception and timing, not just running fast.
In games: Gives your team an answer to denial pressure — the aggressive defence that suffocates young teams becomes a layup machine for yours.
- A convincing move up toward the ball before the cut
- An explosive change of speed on the cut itself
- Bounce passes delivered to the hand away from the defender
U12: no defender — just groove the timing between cutter and passer. U14–U16: expect the cutter to read a live defender choosing deny or sag, and pick the right response.
Equipment
1 ball, 1 hoop
Setup
A passer at the top, a cutter on the wing, and a defender over-playing the passing lane.
Steps
- 1Cutter takes their defender high, as if coming to get the ball.
- 2When the defender over-plays, cut hard backdoor to the rim.
- 3Passer hits them with a bounce pass.
- 4Finish the layup.
Coaching points
- Sell the first move up.
- Change speed to explode backdoor.
- Bounce pass to the hand away from the defender.
Why kids love it
A smart, unselfish play that punishes aggressive defenders — kids feel clever pulling it off.
Variations
No defender — just time the cut and pass.
Add a live denying defender so the cutter has to read the deny before she goes.
Defender chooses deny or sag on each rep — deny means backdoor, sag means pop out for the catch.