2025-12-08 18:33
by
nlpkak
You know, every time the PBA draft rolls around, it’s a fascinating study in potential. I was watching the coverage of the Season 50 Draft, and the move that really got people talking was Barangay Ginebra selecting Sonny Estil in the first round. Frankly, it was a surprise to many. Estil wasn’t the most heralded name on the board, but that pick speaks volumes about a truth we sometimes forget at the higher levels: fundamentals are the great equalizer. Ginebra’s coaching staff, I’d wager, saw something raw but coachable, a foundation they could build upon. It reminded me that no matter how flashy the league gets, the path to elevating your game—whether you’re a rookie like Estil or a weekend warrior—is paved with disciplined, repetitive drilling. That’s the core of what I call "Togashi Basketball," a philosophy less about system and more about the relentless pursuit of mastery through essential, often unglamorous, work. Let’s talk about five drills that I’ve found, through years of coaching and playing, to be non-negotiable for anyone serious about making noise on the court this season.
First, we have to address the engine of everything: conditioning. It’s not sexy, but it’s everything. I’m a firm believer in "17s," or suicides with a twist. Instead of just lines, you sprint from baseline to near free-throw line and back, then to half-court and back, then to far free-throw line and back, and finally full court and back. That’s one. Do seventeen of them. Time yourself. Aim to shave off a total of 10 seconds from your first set to your last by season’s end. A player like Estil, stepping into the PBA, will live and die by his ability to keep up with the pace. Ginebra plays fast and physical; without this base, skill means little. I’ve seen too many talented players fade in the fourth quarter because they skimped on this. Make this drill a ritual, twice a week minimum. Your lungs will burn, but your game will thank you when you’re the one pushing the pace in the final minutes.
Ball-handling under duress is the second pillar. It’s one thing to dribble through cones in an empty gym; it’s another to do it with a hand in your face. My go-to drill is the "Two-Ball, Chair Defense" series. You set up three chairs in a zig-zag. With a basketball in each hand, you navigate through them, but here’s the key: have a partner or coach follow you, actively swiping at the balls with a pad or towel, without fouling. The dual balls force ambidexterity, and the pressure simulates real-game defense. I prefer this over stationary two-ball drills because it incorporates movement and decision-making. For a guard—or any player looking to create their own shot—this builds a level of comfort that is invaluable. I’d estimate that 70% of turnovers at amateur levels come from poor handle under pressure. Cutting that number down is a direct path to more possessions and more points.
Next, let’s talk shooting, but not just spot-up shooting. Game shots come from game movements. The "Catch-and-Shoot off the Hop" drill is timeless for a reason. You start at the wing, pass to a coach or partner at the top, then sprint to the corner. Receive the pass back, but here’s the detail: you must catch it on your inside foot’s hop, square your shoulders in the air, and land ready to rise. Do this from both corners, both wings, and the top. Take 50 makes from each spot, not just shots. The difference between a good shooter and a great one is the speed of the release and the consistency of the footwork. This drill ingrains that. Watching the PBA, you’ll notice the elite shooters like Ginebra’s own shooters are almost never flat-footed when they catch; they’re already loaded. This drill makes that automatic.
The fourth drill is for the bigs, the unsung heroes, and it’s all about finishing through contact. The "Mikan Series with a Pad" is brutal but effective. Start with traditional Mikan layups, alternating hands, but have a coach stand behind the rim and hit your arms or shoulders with a pad as you go up. The goal isn’t to make pretty shots; it’s to finish despite the foul. Do 20 makes with each hand. Then, add a power dribble into a drop step before the finish, again with contact. This builds the core strength and the mental toughness to score in the paint when bodies are flying. For a player like Sonny Estil, making his name as an unheralded pick, his early opportunities might come from garbage points and hard rolls to the rim. Being able to absorb contact and still get the ball on the glass is a priceless skill. I’d argue this single ability can add 4 to 6 points per game for a forward or center.
Finally, we have the connective tissue of defense: the "Shell Drill with Live Triggers." It’s a team drill, but you can adapt it with three friends. You play standard shell defense (four offensive players around the perimeter, four defenders). But instead of just sliding, the coach or an extra player has a ball and will randomly pass to an offensive player, triggering a live close-out and a full defensive possession. The focus is on communication—yelling "Ball!" "Help!" "Switch!"—and on the explosive close-out. The close-out is the most critical defensive skill in modern basketball; a bad one leads to a blow-by or an open three. Do this for 10 minutes, focusing solely on voice and footwork. Defense is about habits, and this drill builds the right ones. A team’s defensive rating can improve by as much as 5 points over a season just by mastering these rotations and communications.
So, as we watch Sonny Estil embark on his PBA journey with Ginebra, his success won’t hinge on one miraculous play. It will be the sum total of thousands of repetitions of drills just like these. The draft night surprise is just the beginning; the real work is silent and daily. Incorporating these five essential drills—the punishing 17s for conditioning, the pressured two-ball handling, the game-speed catch-and-shoot, the contact finishing for bigs, and the communicative shell drill—creates a comprehensive foundation. It’s a Togashi approach: mastering the fundamentals so thoroughly that they become instinct. This season, don’t just play. Build. Drill with purpose. The elevation of your game, much like a promising rookie’s career, is built not in the spotlight of the game, but in the quiet, demanding hours you put in when no one is watching. That’s where you make your own noise.
