Auriemma 3-on-0 Transition Basketball Drill
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UConn Women's coach Geno Auriemma uses this simple full-court drill. It's good for conditioning, passing and catching on the run, and a speed dribble followed by a pass and lay-up.
Groups of 3 line-up at one end. In diagram 1, 3 players start on the endline, the middle player with the ball. All 3 sprint up the court staying in their lanes with the O2 and O3 running wide up the sidelines. Passes are made back and forth from O1 -> O2 -> O1 -> O3 -> O1 etc. Once the ball reaches the opposite end, the middle player O1 speed dribbles back up the court (diagram 2) to the top of the key, and passes to either O2 or O3 cutting to the hoop for the lay-up.
The next 3 players start as soon as the lay-up is made. Coach Auriemma's team has to complete 13 successful trips in a row without any muffs, fumbles, bad passes or missed layups. The drill isn't over until 13 are completed. Miss a layup or fumble the ball and you start over at zero. Younger and less skilled teams may have to set the bar lower than 13 trips.
Pointers: O1 should use as few dribbles as possible to reach the top of the key - 3 or 4 dribbles. O1 ends the dribble with a jump-stop, and makes a bounce-pass to a cutter, who finishes. Passers call out the name of the receiver.
