The 3 man weave is, in my opinion,primarily a transition drill geared at developing the finer points of the primary break. It is not simply a passing drill where a player passes and goes behind the person he or she passes to.

Since it is a transition drill,the three man weave should be run with specific rules in place that emulate the primary break.

#1 The first and most important rule is: The weave should be completed in no more than three passes. Why? If more than three passes are completed, players are no longer emulating game conditions: they are simply “passing and going behind” in a pattern that will never be used in a game. Have you ever seen a team advance the ball up the floor using a three man weave, as in figure A.? Advancing the ball in that way would lead to a turnover in

every game I’ve ever coached or played, period. Even if there wasn’t a turnover, weaving the ball up the floor and that manner would certainly never be part of a structured attack.

Have you ever seen a team advance the ball in a game situation using a 5 man weave, as in

figure B.? If not, I think it is important to ask yourself if running a five man weave has any real value being run in a practice. Some might argue that running a five man weave is a good way to loosen up before practice and that it is a good warm-up drill; this may be so,but I can think of dozens of drills of the top of my head that can loosen the team up while also working on fundamental game skills.

Have you ever seen a team advance the ball using 3 passes during a game, as in figure C.? Aggressive fast break teams routinely score in this manner because it emulates game conditions. If the weave is completed in 3 passes, then the player who started the drill in the middle line (1 in fig. C.) will always score.

1 emulates grabbing a rebound, completing a quick outlet pass, sprinting the outside lane, and being

rewarded for his efforts with a fast break

Players 2 and 3 emulate receiving the outlet pass, centering the ball in transition by passing to a cutter up the middle, and sprinting the entire length of the floor on the fast break - which provides the opportunity or an offensive rebound in the event of a missed shot.

#2 The second rule for running the 3 man weave properly is: The ball should never touch the ground. We are working on executing while playing at full speed; we must sprint the lanes, catch the ball on the move, and lead the receiver with the pass (pass the ball ahead of the receiver so that he/she catches it in stride without breaking momentum).

For the return trip down the floor (Figure d.) to emulate a fast break situation, 2 must rebound as the ball leaves the net in order to be successful (On made shots, to emulate game situations, 2 can rebound as the ball leaves the net, step out of bounds and to the side of the backboard (”clearing the glass“) and pass the ball in to the outlet - all within 3 seconds or less.

Fig A. 3 man weave - 4+ passes

Fig B. 5 man weave

Fig C. Weave - 3 passes

Fig D. Weave - return trip

Organization: Players form 3 lines on the baseline as they would in the 3 man weave.

Procedure:

1. The front players in each line perform a 3 man weave to the other end of the floor. Ideally, the weave should be completed in 3 passes and end in a made layup without the ball hitting the floor. As the first team performs the weave, the next player in each line comes to half court preparing to match up defensively.

2. After scoring the layup on the three man weave, the first team comes back to the other end of the floor to play three on three against the players waiting at half court. Full-court three-on-three play continues until one team scores.

3. After one team scores, the team that started the drill on defense runs the three man weave as the drill resets. The team that started the drill running the weave steps off the floor and gets into line.

Coaching Points:

1. This drill is a great conditioner, particularly when run immediately after the three man weave. I will often and the transition segment of practice with three minutes of the three man weave (three passes on every trip down the floor, the ball does not hit the ground) followed immediately by seven minutes of the weave to three on three.

2. When three on three play begins, the point guard can work on initiating the offense and the wings can work on getting open.

3. This drill also provides an excellent opportunity to perfect of the primary break. On every defensive rebound or turnover, the team with possession of the ball should look to quickly advance the ball to the other end of the floor, with the ball handler pushing the ball up the middle and two players running the outside lanes. In transition defense, it is important for one player to always stop the ball and for the other two players to Sprint back to the paint before matching up.

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