Practicing the daily dozen and become a better finisher at the basket

Practicing the Daily Dozen and Become a Better Finisher at the Basket -by Coach Dave Stricklin http://www.hoopskills.com

I watch several middle school and high school basketball games every week and I must admit that I am amazed at how many missed layups I see!

In fact, I don't know if I can remember the last game I saw where both teams playing made every single layup from start to finish.

With that in mind I am going to quickly review some important steps that describe the proper way to shoot a layup and then will explain the "Daily Dozen," which is a skill development drill that will help you become a consistently effective finisher around the basket. 

Always jump off of your inside foot but always land on both feet and on balance. To shoot a right handed layup you jump off of your left foot. To shoot a left handed layup you jump off of your right foot.



Always jump as high as possible and remember to jump up not out. Extend your shooting arm and shoot the ball at the very top of your jump.



Focus on the exact spot on the backboard where you want the ball to hit.



Regardless of how fast you are going towards the basket, lay the ball up softly each and every time. After hitting the backboard the ball should drop gently through the net - not bounce out to the free throw line!



Learn to shoot layups with both hands so you can better protect the ball from nearby defenders.

The Daily Dozen

1 Practicing the Daily Dozen and Become a Better Finisher at the Basket-hoopskills.com

This layup finishing drill can be down by yourself or with your teammates. There are 6 layups from the right side and 6 layups from the left side for a total of 12.

Each layup move should be done twice for a total of 24 shots.

1. Right hand over hand - a right handed layup from the right side of the basket.

The palm should be placed behind the ball as if you were shooting a jump shot.

2. Right hand under hand - this time the hand is placed underneath the ball as it is shot 3. Right hand reverse - coming in from the right side, dribble until your head is directly underneath the net and shoot with your right hand back over your head.

4. Right hand step over - driving in from the right side, jump stop and then step over in front of the basket and shoot the ball with your left hand.

5. Right side floater - driving in from the right side execute a crossover dribble and shoot a left handed floater going down the middle of the key.

6. Right hand power dribble - after driving down to the right baseline take two long slide dribbles towards the basket and shoot a power layup off of both feet.

7. Left hand over hand - a left handed layup from the left side of the basket. The palm should be placed behind the ball as if you were shooting a jump shot.

8. Left hand under hand - this time the hand is placed underneath the ball as it is shot 9. Left hand reverse - coming in from the left side, dribble until your head is directly underneath the net and shoot with your left hand back over your head.

10. Left hand step over - driving in from the left side, jump stop and then step over in front of the basket and shoot the ball with your right hand.

11. Left side floater - driving in from the left side execute a crossover dribble and shoot a right handed floater going down the middle of the key.

12. Left hand power dribble - after driving down to the left baseline take two long slide dribbles towards the basket and shoot a power layup off of both feet.

2 Practicing the Daily Dozen and Become a Better Finisher at the Basket-hoopskills.com

I'm convinced that most layups are missed simply because they are not practiced enough, and they are not practiced enough because they are considered too "easy," This drill solves that problem. I know several college teams that start nearly every workout with this drill and the results speak for themselves.

3 Practicing the Daily Dozen and Become a Better Finisher at the Basket-hoopskills.com