Small-sided games library
1-on-3 Statues
Ball handling and finishing in crowded space, from the beginners chapter of the Routledge book.
- 4 players
- 1 basket
- Finishing
- U10
Setup, constraints and explanation
Setup
- Three defenders are statues, each holding a ball.
- Offensive players drive to score.
- To start, the statues can't move.
Constraints
- Let the statues take one or two steps.
- Challenge the offense to find space for a finish inside the paint.
- A gold medal finish (a layup at the rim) scores 3 points.
- Send two offensive players at the same time.
From our guide to U10 Basketball Practice Plan.
Make it easier or harder
Change one constraint at a time, watch what it does, then decide what comes next. The book's test is that the challenge point should be “just right” as opposed to being too easy or too hard. If players can't find a solution, take a constraint away rather than taking the defense away.
Guides that use this game
Related games
Playing With Advantage
$39 USD
An on-court clinic on creating, keeping and extending advantages — spacing, zero-second decisions and the Floor Is Lava.
Transforming Membership
More games, rules and video in the membership
378 games filmed on court. Browse by area of the game, or tell Transform AI what your team is struggling with.
378 activity videos
Games filmed on court across nine sections, from warm-ups to defensive principles of play.
The Success Pathway
Ten pathways from the foundations of the constraints-led approach to game coaching, with assignments, peer review, graded quizzes and a shareable certificate.
Live every month
A masterclass and a coaches’ roundtable on the calendar, with every recording in the archive.