Spring League, 3-on-3

Spring League is a fun way to get on the court in a relaxed environment, try some new moves and meet some new friends. It is very informal, compared to the fall/winter models.
That makes it perfect for 3-on-3, one of the fastest growing aspects of basketball and one that will be featured in this summer’s Olympic Games.
In the 3 on 3 game, players have the opportunity to practice their fundamentals of the game more.  This is because:
Players get to handle the ball more;
Keeps young players from getting crowded;
Removes presses and zone defenses.

Benefit 1: More Touches
In 5 on 5 games, one or two players can go an entire game rarely touching the ball.  This especially happens in youth basketball where you have one or two dominant players who are by far the best ball handlers on the team.  The team tends to get the ball into those players’ hands and those players tend to take the ball to the basket.  The problem with this is that other players are not developing their skills when they don’t get to touch the ball, and the team isn’t developing as a whole. In 3 on 3, it’s really difficult for two players to monopolize the ball and still play well.  The third player gets involved almost by necessity.  All players get to handle the ball and handle it a lot.  This allows all players to develop their skills in live game play.

Benefit 2: More Spacing
Even with the smaller bodies of young players, 5 on 5 games can be crowded affairs.  Youth basketball isn’t the best time or place for a kid to learn to fight through double teams or pass into multiple coverage.
3 on 3 games loosen everything up  and give young players more room to operate.  This allows them to practice their basketball skills without the overcrowding.  Once the basic basketball skills of dribbling, passing, rebounding, shot selection, etc. are learned and mastered, then they can advance to learn to beat double teams and making passes into tight areas.

Benefit 3: Remove Presses & Zone Defenses
3 on 3 games remove the issue of presses and zone defenses.  They are strictly man-to-man.  This again allows young players to learn and master the basics before moving on to more complex game play.

Here is some information and a link to a video on 3-on-3 and its impact on player development from Jeff Scanlon, who in 2017, was the Coordinator – Grassroots and Domestic Development at Canada Basketball.
Jeff is a Kinesiology & Physical Education major with a graduate certificate in Sport Business Management, and a lifelong basketball enthusiast.

https://snybblog.basketball.ca/2017/09/22/why-play-3-on-3/