Bruce Weber's Defensive Cut Throat Drills

I think most coaches have used some variation of the cut throat drill -- a continuous game of 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 with three or more sets of players. In most cut throat drills, when the offense scores they stay on offense, and a new defensive team rotates in.

I went through some older notes and came across these 2 drills which are basically defensive cut throat where instead of the offense staying on, the defense must gain 3 stops in a row to win. Of course you can add some kind of incentive for the team that gets 3 stops first. You can make sure players are working on their defensive assignments and responsibilities by enforcing "perfection rules":

1. Emphasis of the day
2. High hands, Jump to the ball, Block all cuts, Talking
3. Coach watches and if defense does not do the emphasis they are out.

3-on-3 Defensive Stops Cut-Throat:



1. Defense must get 3 shut-outs in a row to win
2. Coach checks
3. If defense stops they stay
4. If you score on offense you get to play defense

4 on 4 Full Court Defensive Stops Cut-Throat:


1. Play 4 on 4 cut-throat. If the defense stops the offense, they must get back. The B’s will be the new offense and bring it at them.
2. The team that was just the offense must run to the other end so that they can be ready to come in.
3. If the offense scores, they hustle back and play defense.
4. 3 stops in a row wins

If you want to see this and other great defensive drills run live, check out Bruce Weber's DVD on 20 Competitive Drills. Coach Weber is the head coach of the Illinois men's basketball team.