Pivot and Pass Keep-Away in Threes

Two passers in fixed boxes try to pass the ball without dribbling while a defender in the middle tries to touch it. Students learn to pivot without lifting the pivot foot, to use fakes, and to choose between bounce, overhead, and chest passes.

How to play

1. Groups of three with one ball: two boxes of flat disc cones 4 yards apart, a passer in each, defender in the middle. Review the pivot foot; no dribbling (2 min).
2. Phase 1: the defender may only touch passes in the air. Passers pivot and fake before passing; 5 passes in a row earn 1 point (3 min).
3. Phase 2: the defender pressures from an arm's length. A touch means switching roles with the passer who threw it (3 min).
4. Phase 3: the receiver may step out of the box with one pivot; completed bounce passes count double (3 min).
5. Rotate every 90 seconds and finish with a question: which pass worked best against high hands? (1 min).

Rules

• No dribbling, and don't lift the pivot foot before releasing the ball.
• The defender touches only the ball, never the passer.
• Safety: chest-height or bounce passes, never at the face; groups stay 3 yards from their neighbors.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students who use wheelchairs: play as a passer, turning the chair as their pivot; the defender keeps an arm's length away.
• Students with low vision: use a high-contrast ball and have the passer call ball before each pass.
• For less experienced students, allow one pause dribble; for advanced students, one-hand passes only.

Learning goals

• Pivot while keeping the pivot foot down to protect the ball.
• Choose the type of pass based on the defender's position.
• Use fakes to open passing lanes.

Equipment for a class of 25

• basketball: 9
• flat disc cones: 36

Teacher tip

The common mistake is lifting the pivot foot while turning; tell them to keep it glued to the floor. If a defender can't touch the ball within a minute, move the boxes closer together.

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