Closeouts
Teach how to sprint out and stop under control on a shooter.
What this drill teaches
The hardest movement in defence: sprinting at a shooter, then stopping in balance. Splitting the run — sprint the first half, chop the second — teaches bodies to arrive under control instead of flying past.
In games: Fewer blow-by drives and fewer shooting fouls — the defender who arrives balanced can contest the shot and still stay down on the fake instead of jumping into a foul.
- Short choppy steps on arrival, not one long lunge
- High hand up while the feet stay under the body
- Nobody leaving the floor on a shot fake
U12: walk it first and expect fly-bys once speed comes in. U14–U16: live closeout into 1-on-1, containing the drive after the contest.
Equipment
1 ball per pair
Setup
Defender starts under the hoop, offensive player waits at the wing with a ball.
Steps
- 1Coach (or partner) passes to the offensive player.
- 2Defender sprints out, then chops their feet to break down.
- 3Close out with a high hand, staying balanced (don't fly by).
- 4Contest, then switch roles.
Coaching points
- Sprint first half, break down second half.
- High hand, but stay on balance.
- 'Short, choppy steps' as you arrive.
Why kids love it
Frame it as 'don't get faked out' — add a shot fake and the whole thing becomes a fun read-and-react game.
Variations
Live 1-on-1 after the closeout — defender must contain the drive too.
Walk the closeout at half speed first so they feel the chop-step before adding the sprint.
The shooter must shot-fake every time — the defender has to stay down and contest without leaving the floor.