Around the Arc 1-on-1

Setup, Constraints and Explanation

Setup

The aim of this activity is to enhance dribbling and finishing solutions, specifically for deceiving a primary defender, while the defender works on recovering from a disadvantaged start. The offense and defense begin by starting in the deep corner. The offense has both feet outside the three-point (3PT) line, facing the half-line. The offense dribbles around the 3PT arc, with the defender trailing them. The defender can only enter the 3PT line when the offense breaks the arc, which they can do at any time. The defense attempts to recover and get back to neutral, while the offense looks to keep their advantage.

Constraints

• Manipulate the advantage based on the level of players. For beginner or novice players, the defender can have both feet outside the 3PT, or even dribble a basketball and attempt to score their layup before the offense in front of them. For more advanced players, they could have one foot or both feet inside the arc.
• Additional points are awarded for receiving an uncontested layup, or if the offense deceives the defender by faking and getting the defender to move inside the arc before they actually drive. Another good example is awarding points based on the number of dribbles taken, for example, 3 points for a one dribble rim finish, 2 points for a two dribble rim finish.
• Change from an offensive to defensive focus through only scoring defensive stops or particular behaviors, for example, forcing the offense into taking a non-rim paint shot.
• Constrain where the offense can shoot from; for example, shoot below the FT line, only shoot a 3PT in order to gain separation, only shoot a midrange to provide affordances for rearview contests, and so on.
• Specify where offense have to break the arc in a particular area, for example, between corner to 45, 45 to 45, and so on.
• Provide a shot clock of three to seven seconds after breaking the arc.
• Add extra offensive and defensive players, using the same around the arc start but to initiate a 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 from varied spacings.

Explanation

The offense starts with a ball in the deep corner, with a defender behind them. The offense can drive at any moment from outside the arc, but the defender can only enter the arc when the offense steps inside.

Talk the demo using this language, showing the configuration of the offense and defense. Avoid showing one idealized technique, making it clear that the offense can drive however they like and at any moment in time. Once players see the task activity, introduce the scoring system: The offense gets a bonus point each time the defender enters the arc first. Finish the 1-on-1 within the five-second shot clock, and then change roles. Each basket is 2 points, play until one player gets to 8 points.

From Transforming Basketball (2024) by Alex Sarama, chapter 8, pp. 259 to 261.