Hoop Lab

Hoop Lab Our mission is to build the Complete Basketball Player and to provide year round training options so you will have everything you need to achieve your goal!

09/13/2026

5 stages to get Trent shooting a true jump shot.

The goal: high jump + high lift point.

Jumping high is one skill. Getting the ball to a high lift point is another. Getting both to happen together, with the right timing, is what we’re building here.

Each stage gives Trent a little more responsibility until he can connect the entire movement into one fluid shot.

The ZL Shooting Ball gives him a consistent reference for his hand placement throughout the progression, so while we change the jump, timing and release point, the feel of where his hands belong stays consistent.

Rise with the ball with the arms. Delay the release.

Don’t just tell a player to jump higher. Give them a progression that teaches them how.

Comment “SHOT” and I’ll DM you more info on the ZL Shooting Ball. 🎯🏀

09/12/2026

Not everything has to look “game like” to have a purpose.

Here Ant is driving with the heavy ball, throwing a behind the back bounce pass through a specific target, then immediately relocating into a 3.

The target creates a clear standard: don’t just make the pass, place the pass.

The added weight forces him to create enough force while still controlling the direction, angle and bounce point. The behind the back back delivery challenges his ability to manipulate the ball without seeing the target through the entire release.

Then he has to go from producing force on the pass to immediately controlling his body, relocating and getting organized into his shot.

Will this exact sequence happen in a game? Maybe, maybe not.

But the qualities being challenged absolutely will.

Comment “Heavy” and I’ll send you more information on our Heavy Ball!

09/11/2026

40 minutes.

That’s how long he struggled with this before it finally clicked.

Not 5 minutes. Not a couple attempts and then we moved on.

40 minutes of getting it wrong.

And that’s exactly why I didn’t change it.

Because sometimes the biggest thing a player needs to develop has nothing to do with basketball.

Riq is already an accomplished player. It would’ve been easy to get frustrated. Easy to question the drill. Easy to say, “When am I ever going to do this in a game?”

That’s where most people look for an easier answer.

Riq didn’t.

He stayed there.

He obsessed over the problem until he found the solution.

Your feet won’t cooperate? Figure it out.

Your hands and feet won’t connect? Figure it out.

Your timing is off? Figure it out.

You’ve failed 20 straight times? Good. Now figure it out on 21.

Because the goal isn’t always whether this EXACT movement shows up in a game.

The goal is putting you somewhere uncomfortable and seeing what you do when you can’t immediately solve it.

Do you get frustrated?

Do you make excuses?

Do you need someone to make it easier?

Or do you keep going until your feet, hands, body and mind finally understand?

There’s a different level of confidence that comes from struggling with something for 40 minutes and finally getting it.

Nobody gave you the answer.

You earned it.

And once you learn how to stay in that uncomfortable place long enough to find the answer, that carries into everything.

Anybody can work when they’re good at what they’re doing.

I want to see who you become when you’re not.

09/11/2026

Two basketballs. Two completely different demands on each hand.

The MiniHandle 🔴 challenges precision, touch and clean ball placement because there’s less surface area to control.

Add the Heavy MiniHandle ⚫️ in the opposite hand and now the player has to manage a completely different feel and force without allowing it to change the timing or rhythm of the other hand.

That’s where this gets interesting.

Each hand has its own responsibility but they still have to work together.

Hand independence. Timing. Rhythm. Touch. Force control. Precision.

It’s not just about keeping two basketballs bouncing. It’s about being able to control what each hand is doing independently without losing the overall pattern.

Comment “MiniHandle” and I’ll send you the information on both. 🔴⚫️

09/10/2026

A player should have two different types of shots.

One where they jump higher and release later. This is going to show up more in the midrange and closer to the basket, where that extra elevation and delayed release helps control the power while also creating a higher release point.

Then they need a lower, quicker jump shot where the ball is getting out of their hand around the time their feet leave the floor.

Less elevation. More flow. Less dependent on the legs and more freedom through the upper body. This is typically what we want as we get farther away from the basket.

Think about the misses that usually happen when those two get mixed up.

Jump too high from long distance → SHORT.
You spend so much energy going UP that it becomes harder to transfer enough energy OUT toward the basket.

Jump too quick and release too early close to the basket → LONG.
Now all that flow and energy that helps you shoot from distance becomes too much for a shorter shot.

That’s why I don’t believe every shot should look exactly the same.

The foundation stays consistent but the amount of elevation, release timing, lift points and flow have to adjust based on where you are on the floor.

Different distances require different solutions.

09/10/2026

Break the backboard up into 6 different pieces 🎯

Instead of teaching players to just “use the backboard,” give them specific places to put the ball.

For this challenge I had 6 targets:

🔴 High left corner
🟣 Low left corner
⚫ High floater
⚪ Low floater
🔵 Reverse low right corner
🟡 Reverse high right corner

5 IN A ROW at each before moving on.

Each spot forces a different angle, touch, placement and spin.

The goal is to make the backboard feel bigger.

If a player only knows how to use the square, they’re limiting the angles they can finish from.

Learn to use all 6 areas and give yourself more solutions around the rim. 🎯🏀

09/10/2026

Another shot fixed ✅ with the ZL Shooting Ball!

This ball is such a phenomenal tool to help players understand hand placement, visual aid on their rotation and understanding where their fingers need to line up!

Ren drives over 90 minutes to from New York for skill work and shot work! There’s no excuses! If you are a player that needs help or wants to put in real skill work, hit me up and let’s get in the lab!

Comment “Hooper” and I’ll send over more information on our ZL Shooting Ball!

09/10/2026

Added accountability gives players more to focus on than just completing the drill.

Now they have to pay attention to the details. How they move, how wide their stance is, how low their shoulder is and how much control they actually have over each movement.

The more control a player has over their movements, the more options they have when the game gets unpredictable.

Don’t just move. Learn how to control how you move.

09/10/2026

UMBC Guard Dagny Slomack working with Zach Leach with the ZL Women’s Shooting Ball

09/10/2026

The ZL Heavy MiniHandle doesn’t let you get away with loose hands, lazy dribbles or bad placement.

You’ve gotta be precise. You’ve gotta be aggressive. You’ve gotta control it.

Then when you grab a regulation ball, everything just feels different.

Faster hands. Tighter control. More confidence with the ball.

Make the training harder so the game feels easier. 🎯

Comment “Heavy” and I’ll DM you more information!

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525 Okerson Road
Freehold, NJ
07728

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Tuesday 2pm - 9pm
Thursday 2pm - 9pm
Saturday 2pm - 9pm
Sunday 2pm - 9pm

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+17325105701

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