Hustle Drill focuses on defensive positioning From Mark Adams, Brookfield Central High School, Wisconsin

We use the Hustle Drill to teach our players how to get into good defensive position, quickly recover on the defensive end, and how to take an offensive charge.

DIAGRAM 1: The drill starts with two players at the top of the formation holding basketballs (1 and 2). 1 passes to 3. 3 drives toward the goal (there is a crash pad or mat between 3 and the goal). 4 must get into proper defensive position to take a charge on 3’s drive. 4 sells the contact and takes the charge (falling into the pad or mat on the court). He then gets off the pad and 2 rolls a ball toward the wing on 2’s side of the court.

After 4 takes the charge and gets off the mat, the extra players along the baseline pull the mat out of the way so 4 doesn’t get hurt finishing the drill, which concludes at the rim.


DIAGRAM 2: 4 sprints to the wing, dives for the rolling ball, and passes it back to 2 at the top of the formation. 4 gets off the ground and runs into the lane. 2 throws the ball off the backboard. 4 must grab the rebound and make the put-back layup to get out of the drill.