Animal Relays (Dribble Animal Walks)
A playful Mini Hoopers relay game that builds coordination, imagination, and early movement skills through simple, kid friendly animal themed races.
A high-intensity 3-on-3 drill that builds closeout technique, recovery defense, and team communication under live pressure.
Everything starts from a standard 3-on-3 Cutthroat setup. You can view the full breakdown of 3-on-3 Cutthroat by clicking here or by watching the video below. Once you are familiar with the drill, you can then add this variation to your daily practices.
Start with three offensive players spaced around the perimeter and three defenders inside the paint. A coach begins each rep with a pass to any offensive player. On the pass, the nearest defender must close out under control while the other two defenders read the drive or next pass and rotate accordingly.
Offense plays live on the catch. Defenders work to help, recover, and communicate through each rotation. Keep rounds short so players can reset quickly and get multiple clean reps. This defensive scramble mirrors the quick decision moments players see in competitive games like 3-on-3 Cutthroat.
Vary your starting pass locations to force different closeout angles. As players improve, speed up the ball movement or require offense to make one extra pass before shooting. These layers connect well with movement-based drills such as 3-on-3 Pass, Cut & Replace, and the scramble rotations help prepare players for transition pressure moments similar to 3-on-2 Drive & Dead.
• Require offense to make one pass before attacking
• Start defenders in different help positions
• Add a “no paint touch” rule for defense
• Offense must score within five seconds
• Close out under control and chop the feet
• High hand on the catch to take away rhythm shots
• Communicate early through every rotation
• Help the helper, then sprint back to recover
3-on-3 Closeout & Recover blends live play with defensive teaching so players learn to guard the ball, rotate with purpose, and communicate through breakdowns. It builds game-like scramble habits without overcomplicating the concepts. The 3-on-3 Closeout & Recover drill is an effective way to teach youth defenders how to adjust, help, and recover in real game situations.
3-on-3 Cutthroat is one of our absolute favorite small-sided practice drills. It can be tweaked infinitely to teach specific game-like skills. Click here to see all 11 variations of 3-on-3 Cutthroat that you can add to your practices today.
