4-on-4 Half Court
Play team basketball with spacing, movement, and help defence.
What this drill teaches
Team offence and team defence made visible. With one fewer pair than a real game, the floor opens up enough for kids to actually see spacing, gaps and help rotations — concepts that vanish in the crowd of 5-on-5.
In games: Fixes the game-day bunch — five kids in a ten-foot circle around the ball — by making good spacing and side-to-side ball movement something they've seen work.
- Players spread and re-spacing after every cut or drive
- The ball swinging from one side to the other before a shot
- Helpers sinking in on drives, then recovering to shooters
U12: freeze play often — the teaching stops are the drill. U16: expect self-organised spacing and an eight-second clock forcing decisive attacks.
Equipment
1 ball, half court
Setup
Four vs four in the half court; sub teams in on rotation.
Steps
- 1Play live with a 'pass before you shoot' rule.
- 2Space the floor — don't bunch up.
- 3Move the ball and cut with purpose.
- 4Coach freezes play to teach spacing or help defence.
Coaching points
- Keep good spacing — fill the gaps.
- Move the ball side to side.
- Help and recover on defence.
Why kids love it
It's close to a real 5-on-5 but simpler, so team concepts are easier for kids to see.
Variations
Coach-guided, stop-and-teach often.
Cap the shot clock at eight seconds so they have to attack the first opening.
Defence must keep every drive out of the lane — a drive down the middle gives the offence a free point.