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Click here to see the video: Basketball Dribbling: Protecting the Ball Drill

Coach Bill Thom: Here's a great drill to work on dribbling the ball while being closely guarded. For this drill, we're going to use the center circle. You could use the key, the 3-point line, you could take any significant markings on the court and use them to measure a defined area. What we're going to do right now is Ian's going to start to dribble, go ahead. Shaun is going to try to tip the ball away from him. If he tips it out of the circle, he goes on offense and Ian goes on defense. So, Ian, try to move around the circle a little bit, Shaun try to get the ball. Ian's working on protecting the ball without fouling – Ian, you can't push away. Try to tip it, Shaun, try to get to it. Good, Ian's outside the circle, Shaun goes on offense, Ian goes on defense. Hurry up, come on, quickly.

We're going to transition in our drill. Good, protect the ball, try to go around him, good. Stay low, Shaun, stay low, good. Ian's ball. Ian, face him, you have to stay facing him the whole time. Hold on, Ian hit it out, Ian gets the ball. OK, now, Ian, you have to stay facing him, you can't turn your back now. We'll try it with a little twist. So, you have to work on crossover, you got to face him, go through your legs, around your back, hard crossover in front. Good, Shaun, try to get the ball. Face him, Ian, you can't turn your back. Good, Shaun's ball.