The 4 Spot Keyway Rebounding Drill sets up a very specific scenario with regards to the game of basketball. The 4 Spot Keyway Rebounding Drill focuses on the interior confinement of the keyway as the staging area for a close contact rebounding activity. This is the strength behind the drill, it focuses on making the players involved in defending work very hard to start and secure possession.
If a team is struggling with their defensive rebounding assignments then the 4 Spot Keyway Rebounding Drill might be just the drill to help with this type of issue. The limited space for movement involved in the drill means those players looking to box out, need to work very hard in quickly stopping the offensive rebounders momentum, and then securing space between the basketball hoop and themselves. It is this gap that if large enough improves the percentages in favour of the defender securing the rebound time and time again.
Once contact has been made and the offensive players path to the basketball hoop has been sealed off, the defender must keep up contact and attempt to move the offensive player away from the basketball hoop. It is this last stage in the sequence that will bring the most reward for the defender, with the limited space the box-out must include an action that increases the possible drop area for the ball to fall into.
The 4 Spot Keyway Rebounding Drill starts with four players inside the keyway acting as the defenders. Opposite these players on the outside edge of the keyway are four alternative players acting as offensive rebounders.
Diagram 1: 4 Spot Keyway Rebounding Drill
The coach or another player starts with the basketball and places themselves at the top of the keyway. The coach initiates the starting sequence for the drill by asking players to assume a defensive stance (Verbal Cue: Stance), Pitter Patter (Verbal Cue: Patter) and then finally instruct the defenders to rotate in a clock wise direction (Verbal Cue: Rotate). Once the coach is happy with the movement they can then shoot. The players then perform the technique of the box-out. A verbal cue of “Shot” can be called by the coach initially to trigger players into action for the contest.
Points of Emphasis
The most important technique practiced in the 4 Spot Keyway Rebounding Drill is the boxing-out sequence of Hit, Seal and Bury. While the overall technique is utilised, the drill rewards those defensive players that work hardest to bury their player away from the basketball hoop and ultimately space within the keyway.
Variation
There are a number of different variations that can be undertaken within the 4 Spot Keyway Rebounding Drill. One option is to have the coach add in a verbal cue to reverse the rotation of the players so they have to be listening as well as able to spring into action. This can be simply put into action by the coach calling out “Reverse”.
Another option is for the coach to refrain from calling out “shot” when the ball is being put into play for the rebounding contest. This will force the defensive players to maintain better visual contact with the ball. Defenders can then communicate with each other by calling out “Shot” when the ball is live or in play.
An additional change to the drill can be simply varying where the ball is shot from. The coach or designated player shooting the ball can move around the three-point line to offer different angles for players to compete for.
Overall this drill works on close contact and limited space while focusing on the technique of rebounding.
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