Basketball · Lay-ups

Finishing through contact

Players drive, gather with two hands as a coach bumps them with a pad, and stay balanced to finish at the rim.

O1O2CO
Start / 4
Time
10 min
Players
3–10
Age
U12+
Area
Half court
Equipment
4 basketballs (size 6 or 7)1 contact pad1 cones

Setup

  1. A line on the right wing, each player with a ball.
  2. A coach holds a contact pad beside the lane, near the block.

How it runs

  1. The player drives at the basket and gathers with a legal 1-2 step.
  2. As they gather, the coach gives a firm bump with the pad to the hip and shoulder, never the head.
  3. The player keeps their line, jumps straight up and finishes with the outside hand off the glass.
  4. Five reps from the right, then five from the left.

Coaching points

  • Two hands on the ball at the gather, tight to the chest, elbows out.
  • Wide, low last step so the bump doesn't knock you off line.
  • Go up, not into the pad: jump vertical and keep the ball away from the coach.
  • Land on two feet, balanced.

Common mistakes

  • Fading away from the contact and missing short.
  • Swinging the ball low and one-handed where it gets knocked loose.
  • Lowering a shoulder into the pad, which is a charge in a game.

Say it: “Two hands, go up, finish strong.”

Make it harder

  • Finish with a euro-step away from the pad.
  • The coach chooses when to bump, so it can come early or late.

Make it easier

  • A gentle touch with the pad, from a standing start two steps out.
  • No dribble: catch, gather and finish.

Pairs well with

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.