Hustle and Focus like Geno Auriemma’s Huskies

Hustle and focus are required in this drill teaching your players how to get down the floor quickly and score before a transitioning defense recovers.

Why use this drill

• Ten-time national champion Geno Auriemma uses this drill with his team as it works as a conditioner while players build on-court skills.

Set up

• The middle line starts with the ball.
• There is a wing on each side.
• Have another group of three ready to go once the first group completes the up-and-back.

How to play

• 1 passes to 3 on the wing.
• 5 sprints toward the opposite basket.
• 3 fires a long pass to 5 in stride [1].
• 5 scores the layup as 1 sprints the length of the floor.
• 1 is the rebounder and needs to get the ball out of the net before it hits the ground. 3 crosses the court, goes behind the cone and begins transitioning in the opposite direction [2].
• 3 pushes hard setting up a good layup angle.
• 1 grabs the ball out of the net and outlets to 5, who curls to the wing after making the layup.
• 5 throws the long pass to 3, who shoots the layup [3].

Here’s a simple diagram for setting up this screen-and-roll play

How to perfect the technique for this play

• The goal is for the three players to sprint through the end line before the ball goes through the net on the layup. As the layup is made, the next group enters the court and begins right away.