Every good closeout drill starts with one idea. You have to get there in time, but you can’t arrive out of control. Most young players only do one of those things. Either they sprint at the shooter and fly by, or they jog out and give up an open shot. Both cost you points.
So I always treated closeouts as their own skill, not something kids would just pick up in scrimmages. When we taught it step by step, our defense got better almost overnight. Here’s how I break it down.
Why a closeout drill matters so much
Think about how many shots come off a kick out pass. The ball goes inside, the defense collapses, and then somebody has to fly back out to a shooter. That moment decides a lot of possessions.
If your players close out well, the shooter either passes again or puts it on the floor into help. However, if they close out poorly, he either shoots a wide open three or drives right by. That’s why I spent real time on this every week.
1. Sprint first, then chop
The first two thirds of the distance is a sprint. Then, the last few feet are short, choppy steps. We called it sprint and chop. Because the defender is slowing down, his weight stays back and he can still slide if the shooter drives.
For example, I’d put a line on the floor about six feet from the shooter. Players had to be chopping by the time they hit that line. It sounds simple, but it fixes most fly bys right away.
2. High hand, balanced feet
When the defender arrives, one hand goes up to contest the shot. Meanwhile, the other hand stays low to discourage the pass or the drive. Feet stay shoulder width apart with the butt down.
Also, I didn’t want kids leaving their feet. A pump fake is the oldest trick there is. If your defender jumps, the shooter just takes one dribble and goes by. So keep your feet on the floor and let the high hand do the work.
3. Take away the strong side
Most players drive to their strong hand. So we’d close out with a slight angle that forces the shooter toward his weak hand, or toward our help. Then the next defender knows where the ball is going.
This takes some scouting at the high school level. Still, even with young players, you can teach the basic idea. Make him go where you want him to go.
4. Talk on the way out
A closeout should never be silent. The defender calls “ball” or “I’ve got shooter” as he goes. As a result, teammates know he’s there and can recover to their own players.
Closeout drill progressions I used
These build on each other, so I’d usually run them in this order during the preseason.
1 on 0 closeouts.** A coach holds the ball at the wing. The defender starts in the lane, sprints, chops and contests. Then he slides back and does it again. Just footwork, no offense yet.
1 on 1 closeout and contain.** Now the coach passes to a live offensive player. The defender closes out, and the offense gets one or two dribbles to try to score. As a result, the defender has to stay balanced or he gets beat.
2 on 2 closeout drill.** Two defenders start in help. The coach skips the ball, and both have to rotate and close out. Because there’s a second offensive player, now the talk and the help matter too.
Shell with closeouts.** Finally, put it into your 4 on 4 shell. Every pass is a closeout for somebody. Stop it often at first and fix the feet.
Common mistakes
- Flying by the shooter with no chop steps
- Jumping at pump fakes
- Closing out with both hands up and no balance
- Arriving silent
- Standing straight up instead of staying low
I’d watch for these during every closeout drill. Then I’d stop the drill right away when I saw one. Because the habits form fast, you want to catch them early.
Make the closeout drill a weekly habit
You don’t need much time for this. Even ten minutes twice a week makes a difference by December. Over time, players who close out well make every defense better, whether you play man, zone or something in between.
We have more defensive drills and our full Funnel Down Defense system at TeachHoops.com if you want to build on this.
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