The point guard runs the show on the basketball court. Her responsibilities include handling the ball, running plays and setting up her teammates so that they can score more easily. Being a successful point guard requires many skills, and it takes lots of training and drills to help her to develop those skills.
Practice
A point guard must be a superb ball handler, and she must be able to dribble with either hand. "Whether it is standing still, sitting down or in drill format, the most important thing is ... just practice, practice, practice, obviously with both hands and a variety of moves," says Tim Shae, the women's basketball coach at Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts.
Start Simple
The point guard must have a repertoire of dribbles: the speed dribble, crossover dribble, spin dribble, step-back dribble, hesitation dribble and hitch dribble, also known as an in-and-out dribble. Practice these moves in full-court layup lines, and have coaches jump in to distract the dribblers.
Mix It Up
Have players line up on the baseline, speed dribble up to half court, then do a spin dribble at the elbow before taking a layup. Change the moves to incorporate other types of dribbles, such as a hesitation or pull-back move. Have them take different types of shots as well. "We give them a little variety to keep their interest while we show them these different things," says Shae, who led Salem to the NCAA Division 3 national title in 1986.
NBA Style
Shae says one of the most important moves a point guard should have is what he calls a dribble pick, a move often seen in NBA games. "We want to train our point guards to dribble right at a defender who is guarding your team's best shooter," Shae says. rnrnThe point guard should stop right before she gets to the defender and then give the offensive player a quarterback handoff. In this scenario, the passer becomes a back pick. It is important to work on the footwork. If the point guard is dribbling right-handed, she crosses over to the left as she hands off the ball and sets the pick on the defender.
Passing
To emphasize passing skills, use layup lines, but have the shooting line move out to the elbow extended or wing area. "If a player is open, the point guard needs to get the shooter the ball at shoulder height," Shae says. "If she isn't open, she should get it at her outside shoulder. For a layup, the last pass is a bounce pass. It should be a little slower to allow her teammate time to gather herself." rnrnVary the shot: layup, outside shot, backdoor move for a layup, or shot fake and take a pull-up shot or layup. You can do the drill with a coach jumping in to cover the shooter.
Big Picture
As the team leader on the court, the point guard must have confidence in her ability, and her teammates must have confidence in her. These types of drills help achieve that goal.
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