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The European ball screen offense is not only complex, but also requires precise execution, understanding, and coordination among players. 

These drills below allow players to internalize the core concepts of the European ball screen offense. This is why we’ve pulled four effective drills from three veteran coaches who have successfully installed European ball screen offensive principles into their teams with great success. 

Lason Perkins - Post Drill

Lason Perkins - Post Drill

Lason Perkins has worked at the high school, college, and semi-pro level for over 20 years. 

In Coach Perkins’ ‘European Ball Screen Offense’ course, he details a drill that’s meant for post players to work on their screening action on the roll and fill to the top of the key quickly to be in position to reverse the ball. 

The drill begins with two coaches, once on each elbow, each holding a basketball. The post player starts at the top of the key and then sets an imaginary ball screen at the near-side wing. That player then rolls off of that screen to the basket and receives a pass from the closest coach for a layup. 

After making the layup, they immediately fill back to the top of the key where they started, receive a pass from the other coach, and shoot the open jump shot. 

Matt Hackenberg - 3 on 3 Wave Drill

Matt Hackenberg - 3 on 3 Wave Drill

Matt Hackenberg is a basketball coach with more than 12 years of experience. His most recent coaching position was at Glen Oak High School. 

In his ‘Wave - The Euro Ball Screen Offense’ course, Coach Hackenburg discusses what he calls a 3 on 3 Wave Drill, which begins with two forwards and one guard. 

If the guard can’t make a play off the dribble against their defender, they should reverse it to one forward while the other forward sets a ball screen before sealing their defender off in the paint. 

This drill is great for programs that are new to ball screen action and want to get repetitions in on what the offense will look like at different stages, along with nailing down the fundamentals of the high/low seal action. 

Matt Hackenberg - 1 on 1 Lift Drill

Another valuable drill that Coach Hackenberg discusses is the 1 on 1 lift drill, which begins with a player in the corner and a coach at the top of the key. The coach passes the player the ball as they cut to the wing. 

From here, a screener along the baseline will set screens from three different positions (around the corner, the mid-baseline, and the block), so give both offensive players an idea of what opens up on the court as a result of each screening position. 

Brendan Ware - Penetration Passing Drills

Brendan Ware - Penetration Passing Drills

Brendan Ware is currently the assistant coach at Dickinson State University. 

Coach Ware’s ‘Reversal Options - Euro PnR’ clinic conveys some vital passing penetration drills, such as one that begins in a 3 vs. 3, with the ball handler along the wing and two shooters positioned on the weak side. 

The ball handler will first attempt to penetrate into the paint, which will force a post defender to help. 

This will force the other defender on that weak side to play passing lanes, which should leave one of the two players on the perimeter open for a shot if the guard doesn’t give away their intended passing location too obviously. 

Never get out coached, 

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