If we knew the "best way" to practice, everyone would do it. We constantly evolve by editing and refining practice. We "overemphasize" offense, because we can't compete against good teams and not score. High school teams can't compete without scorers.
We condition within drills and/or scrimmaging. It's hard for me to teach "game simulation" then spend time on suicides. Great conditioning punishes our opponents not us. Most of these drills are competitive against either teammates or ourselves.
Ultimately, what "belongs" in practice reflects the short and long-term needs of our team. But a few points to re-emphasize:
1) Do well what we do a lot.
2) Excel at a few things.
3) Win symmetry - PnR offense/defense, half-court offense/defense, transition. Be able to apply and defeat pressure defense.
I select some practice activities from this spreadsheet. A reader asked me to elaborate; here is part one. Some are self-explanatory, like 5 vs 7 full court play without the dribble. Bounce passes are allowed.
QB layups has the ballhandler snatch the ball from the defender and attack the basket with one dribble. It can be physical...too physical for outdoor practice.
Elbow to sideline (above) combines movement, conditioning, and shooting. Players usual get about ten shots over a minute. Rebounders should make crisp passes to the shooting pocket. Challenge them to make as many as possible.
Bradleys are an excellent warmup drill and are part of Villanova's "Get 50." Each player keeps the ball high and hop, hop into the shot. It's about balance, timing, and consistent release.
Form shooting is another self-evident activity. Shoot to swish each shot.
The Arik Shivek drill (FIBA) emphasizes cutting, passing, and finishing. Players cycle through a give-and-go layup, jump shot, and finish against a closeout.
30 Buckets gives each team of three shooters the obligation to make at least thirty shots over three minutes. By high school, it should be at least 40. On a make, you rotate to a new spot.
Beat the Pro, a.k.a. Bill Bradley, requires a player to make 11 shots before missing 4 (score one on a make and "Bill" scores 3 on your miss). An advanced version requires 15 makes before 2 misses.
Spurs Shooting has four teams of three competing with each other. Win by getting each shooter making five first or a team making eight in a row.
Rollouts are another good practice and pre-game drill. It starts with a closeout into 3 on 3. Defense goes to offense and the next three come out on defense. I got this drill from a successful Indiana high school coach on vacation in Turks and Caicos.
Zig-Zag One-on-One. This is from the late Bert Hammel. It's a zig-zag dribble into a give-and-go one-on-one with aggressive defense.
Lagniappe: Kirby Schepp emphasizes a dramatic increase in scoring through paint touches and ball reversal. John Leonzo illustrates this via the WNBA and offensive phases.
