Closeout & Swing (2 Wings)
Close out under control, then recover across to close out the other wing.
What this drill teaches
Closeouts with no rest between them. Because the ball keeps swinging, the defender must sprint, break down, contest, then do it all again — building the controlled arrival that a single-rep closeout drill never tests.
In games: Cuts the two classic closeout sins on game day — flying past a shooter into a foul, or arriving so carefully the shot is long gone.
- Short, choppy steps in the last two metres
- High hand and square chest on the contest
- A full sprint across on the swing, then breaking down again before the catch
U12: catch-and-shoot only, so the closeout is the whole job. U14–U16: expect live drives, a third wing, and paired defenders talking through the scramble.
Equipment
1 ball, half court
Setup
Two offensive players on opposite wings, one ball between them. One defender starts in the paint in help position.
Steps
- 1Ball starts on one wing; the defender sprints out and closes out — short, choppy steps with a high hand.
- 2Offence may catch-and-shoot or drive one dribble; the defender contests.
- 3The ball is swung (skip pass) across to the far wing.
- 4The defender sprints to recover and closes out the other side. Repeat, then rotate the defender.
Coaching points
- Close out under control — break down with short, choppy steps, don't fly by.
- High hand to contest, chest square, force your player one way.
- Sprint the recovery, then break down again before the catch.
Why kids love it
Turns the most-tested defensive skill — closing out a shooter — into a two-sided, game-like rep the defender never gets a rest on.
Variations
Catch-and-shoot only, no drive.
Add a third wing and swing both ways.
Add a second defender so the pair must talk and rotate on every swing.