3-on-2 Continuous
Attack a numbers advantage and then transition to defence.
What this drill teaches
Fast-break decisions with no pause button. The continuous format means every player attacks, defends and sprints back within seconds — advantage basketball on one end and scramble defence on the other, over and over.
In games: Builds the two transition habits games reward most: attacking a numbers advantage before it evaporates, and sprinting back after your own shot instead of admiring it.
- The ball moving ahead by the pass, wide lanes filled
- The shooter turning and sprinting back without being told
- Defenders talking and protecting the middle two-on-three
U12: reset between possessions while the pattern settles. U16: expect the continuous version to flow for minutes, plus the classic 3-on-2 into 2-on-1.
Equipment
1 ball, full court
Setup
Three attackers vs two defenders. New players wait on the baseline.
Steps
- 1Three attack the two defenders and try to score quickly.
- 2On a make or defensive rebound, the two defenders + one new player break the other way.
- 3The player who shot and the next player off the baseline sprint back to defend.
- 4Keep it flowing continuously.
Coaching points
- Move the ball ahead quickly.
- Fill the lanes — wide and deep.
- Talk on defence and take away the middle.
Why kids love it
Non-stop action and constant decisions — it feels like a real game and conditions at the same time.
Variations
Reset after each possession instead of continuous.
Add a trailer so it becomes 4-on-3 coming back the other way.
Run the classic full version: the two defenders break back as a pair against the shooter alone.