Four Drills For Sharpening the European Ball Screen Offense

• By Grant Young

Having effective drills is fundamental for any basketball coach looking to implement the European ball screen offense effectively within their team. This offensive system is not only complex but also requires precise execution, understanding, and coordination among players. 

Since the European ball screen offense demands a high level of skill from all players involved, practicing these skills repeatedly in a structured manner, players gain the confidence and competence necessary for executing the offense efficiently during games. 

Drills allow players to internalize the core concepts of the European ball screen offense. Through targeted practice, players learn not only how to set screens and read defenses but also how to move effectively without the ball. 

By experiencing various defensive alignments during drills, players become adept at making split-second decisions, whether that means driving to the basket, passing to an open teammate, or taking a shot. And as they become more proficient in their skills and familiar with the system, players are more likely to take initiative and assert themselves during games, leading to a more aggressive and dynamic offense. 

These are just some of the reasons why effective drills are a cornerstone of successfully installing the European ball screen offense within a basketball team. But, as all coaches know, there are so many drills out there to choose from, it’s difficult to know which ones to devote invaluable practice time to. 

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 is the head boy's Basketball Coach at Cary Academy. Coach Perkins has worked at the high school, college, and semi-pro level for over 20 years. He has also created over 20 instructional DVDs and 5 books on basketball offenses. He has built a reputation for being an expert on international offenses and styles of play.

In Coach Perkins’ ‘European Ball Screen Offense’ course, he details an excellent drill for post players, which is meant to work on their screening action on the roll and filling 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 closer 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 then shoot the open jump shot. 

Matt Hackenberg - 3 on 3 Wave Drill

Matt Hackenberg is a basketball coach and content creator, with more than 12 years of experience leading young men through the game of basketball. His most recent coaching position was at Glen Oak High School, where he led the boy’s varsity basketball team for five seasons. 

In his ‘Wave - The Euro Ball Screen Offense’ course, Coach Hackenburg discusses what he calls a 3 on 3 Wave Drill, which is intended to help break down the side ball screen to its most basic form and emphasize pure, game-like reads. 

The drill 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 teaches players how to read a defense and attack off a lift, as this is valuable in order to create shots and advantage situations.

The drill 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 is currently the assistant coach at Dickinson State University, a school that is located in Western Dakota. 

Coach Ware’s ‘Reversal Options - Euro PnR’ course conveys some vital passing penetration drills any European ball screen offense can benefit from. 

One drill 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 passing location too obviously. 

Getting repetitions in this scenario will teach the penetrating guard which passes they can and can’t get away with when presented with this advantage.