5-Lane Fast Break

Scrimmage/finisher

Run a full five-player fast break with proper lanes and spacing.

10 min 5 Full court
PassingTeamworkU12U14U16

Step-by-step walkthrough

5 players · 1 ball, full court

Get everyone ready

Outlet and fill lanesQuick outlet to the guard; wings sprint the sidelines, trailers fill behind. 12345

● Player / attackGold: ball

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

After a rebound, five players sprint the floor in assigned lanes.

Look for: Outlet fast and run wide.

Playback options
Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×
Coach’s notes & group organisation

After a rebound, five players sprint the floor in assigned lanes.

  1. Rebounder makes a quick outlet to a guard.
  2. Guard pushes the middle; two wings sprint the sidelines.
  3. Trailers fill behind for the drag or the pull-up.
  4. Attack with numbers — layup, corner three, or trailer jumper.

Suggested reset

The finisher retrieves the ball. Regroup at that end, change who handles, runs wide and trails, then start the next trip on the coach’s signal. Extra groups wait outside the court and enter between trips, with only one group using the finishing lane.

Coaching cues

  • Outlet fast and run wide.
  • Fill the middle and both sidelines.
  • Pass ahead — the ball beats the dribble.

Adapt the challenge

Harder: Add two defenders sprinting back to make it 5-on-2.

Easier: Walk it 5-on-0 and freeze on the whistle to check all five lanes are filled.

Safety rule: Stop the drill and rerun it any time nobody has stayed behind the ball.

What this drill teaches

Running the floor as five, not one. Assigned lanes — outlet, middle, both sidelines, trailers behind — turn transition from a solo sprint into a team shape, and 'pass ahead' teaches that the ball moves faster than any dribbler.

In games: Turns rebounds into easy game-day baskets — instead of one kid dribbling into three defenders while four watch, five players arrive in shape with numbers.

What good looks like
  • Quick outlet, then wings sprinting wide outside the lanes
  • Ball passed ahead to open runners instead of dribbled up
  • Trailers filling behind the play, someone staying behind the ball

U12: walk it 5-on-0 and freeze on the whistle to check lanes. U14–U16: full speed against recovering defenders, finishing with the right read.

Equipment

1 ball, full court

Setup

After a rebound, five players sprint the floor in assigned lanes.

Steps

  1. 1Rebounder makes a quick outlet to a guard.
  2. 2Guard pushes the middle; two wings sprint the sidelines.
  3. 3Trailers fill behind for the drag or the pull-up.
  4. 4Attack with numbers — layup, corner three, or trailer jumper.

Coaching points

  • Outlet fast and run wide.
  • Fill the middle and both sidelines.
  • Pass ahead — the ball beats the dribble.

Why kids love it

Teaches the whole team to run the floor together and convert numbers into easy baskets.

Variations

Harder

Add two defenders sprinting back to make it 5-on-2.

Easier

Walk it 5-on-0 and freeze on the whistle to check all five lanes are filled.

Safety rule

Stop the drill and rerun it any time nobody has stayed behind the ball.

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