Circle Touch Transition

How to run the drill

1. 1Setup: use three pairs on a full court. Pair A starts with the ball in the backcourt attacking pair B at the far basket. Pair C waits off the court behind the starting basket. Before each trip, nominate one defender in the defending pair as the circle toucher.
2. 2Start: as soon as the ball crosses halfway, the nominated defender must run back and touch the centre-circle line with a foot, then recover. The other defender protects the basket. The attackers have eight seconds from crossing halfway to score.
3. 3Rules: both attackers can dribble or pass. The recovering defender becomes live immediately after the circle touch. Play through offensive rebounds within the same eight seconds; a basket, defensive rebound, turnover or time expiry ends the trip.
4. 4Scoring and reset: the attacking pair earns 1 point for a basket. On a stop or made basket, the defending pair takes the ball and immediately attacks the other end. After a made basket, inbound normally; after time expiry or a dead-ball turnover, check at the baseline before leaving.
5. 5Rotation: the waiting pair steps on to defend the next trip, while the pair that just attacked leaves by the sideline and waits behind that basket. The new defenders nominate a toucher before the ball reaches halfway. Alternate which teammate touches on each defensive trip. Stop briefly if the next pair is not ready.
6. 6Progression: require a pass across halfway, or end the attacking trip if the recovering defender reaches the paint before a shot is released. With eight players, two pairs can alternate at each end.

Coaching points

• Attack the temporary numbers advantage quickly
• Lone defender: protect the rim while buying recovery time
• Circle toucher: complete the touch, then sprint back