Three-Gate Gauntlet

Fun game

Take one scorer the length of the floor against three fresh defenders, one per third.

12 min 8+ Full court

DefenseFootworkBall-handlingU12U14U16

Game guide

8+ · 1 ball, full court, 4 cones

Speed

Get everyone ready

● Player / attack■ DefenceGold: ball

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

Cone the court into three zones. A defender waits in each zone and may not leave it. A line of attackers on the baseline.

A coached example. In live play, players make their own decisions; the outcome can change.

Look for: Defenders: force the ball to a sideline and make the attacker change hands.

Playback options

Pause between chaptersIllustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Coach’s notes & group organisation

Cone the court into three zones. A defender waits in each zone and may not leave it. A line of attackers on the baseline.

The attacker starts with the ball and must reach the far basket.
Each defender guards only inside their own zone, then peels off once the ball leaves it.
A score is two points for the attacker; a steal or a forced out-of-bounds is two for that defender.
Everyone gets one turn as the attacker, then defenders rotate zones.

Suggested reset

Stop on a score, turnover, ball out or controlled rebound. Retrieve the same ball and return it to the next attacker at the start. Waiting attackers advance; rotate the defenders through the gates after the agreed block so everyone attacks and defends.

Coaching cues

Defenders: force the ball to a sideline and make the attacker change hands.
Take the angle early rather than reaching once they are past you.
Attackers: change speed at each gate, and use the whole width.
Nobody gets beaten twice in the same direction — remember what worked.

Adapt the challenge

Easier: Defenders must keep their hands behind their back, so it is pure footwork.

Harder: The attacker must finish within eight seconds of leaving the baseline.

Switch it: Let a beaten defender chase into the next zone, creating a two-on-one.

Two balls: Send a second attacker from the other baseline at the same time.

What this drill teaches

One-on-one containment in the open floor. Splitting the court into thirds gives every defender a fresh, honest contest at game speed, and teaches them to steer the ball with angles and feet rather than reaching once they're beaten.

In games: Containing the ball in transition is what decides whether the other team's fast break ends in a layup — and it keeps your team out of the chase-down reaching fouls.

What good looks like

Defenders taking the angle early and forcing the ball to a sideline
Attackers made to change hands and change speed at each zone
No reaching from behind once the ball is past

U12: attackers will win most trips and defenders will reach — try the hands-behind-back version. U14–U16: expect the ball turned twice per zone and add the eight-second finish limit.

Equipment

1 ball, full court, 4 cones

Setup

Cone the court into three zones. A defender waits in each zone and may not leave it. A line of attackers on the baseline.

Steps

1The attacker starts with the ball and must reach the far basket.
2Each defender guards only inside their own zone, then peels off once the ball leaves it.
3A score is two points for the attacker; a steal or a forced out-of-bounds is two for that defender.
4Everyone gets one turn as the attacker, then defenders rotate zones.

Coaching points

Defenders: force the ball to a sideline and make the attacker change hands.
Take the angle early rather than reaching once they are past you.
Attackers: change speed at each gate, and use the whole width.
Nobody gets beaten twice in the same direction — remember what worked.

Why kids love it

Full-court one-on-one containment is the skill that decides whether a fast break becomes a layup. Splitting it into thirds means three real contests every trip and no long queue.