Rebounding and Hustle Through Grit and Second Effort
Objective
Establish a team culture grounded in effort, physical toughness, and second-chance execution. This practice plan trains players to compete on the glass, dive for loose balls, finish through contact, and rotate with urgency. Your team will learn how to turn hustle plays into winning plays.
00:00 – 00:15 | Warm-Up
Drill: Defensive Slide Drill – Competitive Movement
Players perform lateral slides with controlled stops, then immediately sprint to loose-ball recovery or rebounding stance.
Key Focus:
Quick feet and body control
Sprint out of slides
Defensive posture into rebounding form
→ [Defensive Slide Drill: Lateral Quickness and Competitive Edge]
00:15 – 00:40 | Rebounding Technique + Contact
Drill: Superman Drill
Teaches players to extend, absorb contact, and rebound outside their area with aggression.
Key Focus:
Explosive two-hand rebounds
Contact absorption and recovery
Immediate chin and outlet habits
→ [Superman Drill: Elite Rebounding and Physical Skills]
Drill: 3v3 Creighton Rebounding Drill
Live rebounding in small-sided settings. Defensive players must box out, rebound, and finish the play to rotate out.
Key Focus:
Low, wide box-outs
Pursuit and second jump
Finishing defensive possessions
→ [3v3 Creighton Rebounding Drill for Basketball: Build Toughness & Defensive Grit]
00:40 – 01:10 | Hustle + Recovery Drills
Drill: Charge to Scramble Drill
One player takes a charge while others rotate and scramble to recover mismatches or cover space.
Key Focus:
Defensive sacrifice mindset
Hustle rotation after breakdown
Recovering under fatigue
→ [Mastering Defensive Hustle with the Charge to Scramble Drill]
Drill: Disadvantage Drill – Build Defensive Urgency
Team plays 4-on-5 or 3-on-4, forcing high-energy help rotations, rebounds, and scramble recovery.
Key Focus:
Hustle closeouts
Communicating help
Fighting through numerical disadvantage
→ [Disadvantage Drill: Build Defensive Urgency]
01:10 – 01:40 | Competitive Finish Drills
Drill: Fast Break Rebounding Drill
Players rebound a live shot, sprint out, and immediately start a fast break or transition into defense if ball is lost.
Key Focus:
Securing defensive boards
Fast outlet decisions
Transition urgency
→ [Fast Break Rebounding Drill: Catching and Outlet Passing]
Drill: Around the Cones Drill – Hustle & Finish
Players race around cones into a contact finish or rebound-and-score scenario. Encourages footwork and second-effort mentality.
Key Focus:
First to the ball
Finishing through contact
Reacting with urgency
→ [Around the Cones Drill: Improve Speed and Finishing]
01:40 – 02:00 | Live Competition + Cool-Down
Drill: 5-on-5 Rebounding Consequences Scrimmage
Live scrimmage where the only way to score is by getting a rebound and scoring off second effort. No fast breaks. No make-it-take-it.
Key Focus:
Competing on every shot
Boxing out under pressure
Winning ugly, effort-based plays
Stretch Routine
Team cooldown with light mobility work (hips, shoulders, back) and a team huddle to reinforce the day’s physical mindset.
Why This Practice Plan Works
Rebounding and hustle are effort skills, but they still need to be taught, drilled, and emphasized daily. This plan builds the mental and physical toughness your team needs to win loose-ball battles, dominate the glass, and impose their will in physical matchups.
Players learn to crash the boards with purpose, rotate when outnumbered, and compete through fatigue. Drills like 3v3 Creighton, Disadvantage Defense, and Charge to Scramble go beyond technique, they build a team identity.
By the time this session ends, your players won’t just want rebounds, they’ll expect them. They’ll chase every possession like it’s the game-winner.
