How to coach basketball defense

Basketball Defense Coaching Guides (Advanced)

One of my favorite things about basketball is that there are many different defensive strategies your team can use to defend against an opponent.

From the man-to-man defense which is the staple for many teams all over the world, to a zone defense which can be useful to shut down an opponent with specific strengths.

Which basketball defense you select will depend on a number of factors regarding the team you're coaching:

• Age
• Skill Level
• Height
• Speed
• Coaching Style
• Offensive System
• Opponent
• etc

Below I've linked to 10 complete coaching guides (comprising of over 42,000 words!) that will show you exactly how the defense works and how to implement it on your team.

I plan to continually update this page as we create more complete coaching guides!

Let's get started...

When playing half-court defense, you essentially have three different categories of defense.

• Man-to-Man Defense
• Zone Defense
• Junk Defense (A combination of both)

(Important Note: We don't recommend using zone defense in youth basketball. Here's why.)

The man-to-man defense is the most common basketball defense at all levels and for a very good reason...

It's the best defense for development and preparing your players to defend against anyone and in any competition.

It involves all 5 defensive players being assigned one opponent and then attempting to lock them down while also helping their teammates.

Developing player who can play the man-to-man defense at a high level is one of the most important things a youth coach can do.

The Pack Line defense was created by Dick Bennett and can be better thought of as a 'sagging' man-to-man defense.

This means that instead of the players one-pass away denying the basketball, they're defending in the driving lanes.

Using this defensive strategy does a better job of preventing the opposition from driving the ball into the key.

Along with the man-to-man defense, I do recommend this defense to all youth basketball coaches.

The 3-2 zone defense is a disruptive zone that forces the opposition to attack in ways they're not used to.

While most people believe this defense is primarily to stop outside shooting, it's actually very good for guarding the low and high post.

Along with that, this is a great zone to use if your struggles to rebound the basketball effectively.

Make sure not to get the 3-2 zone confused with the 1-2-2 zone which sags in on the wings instead of denying.

The 1-2-2 zone defense is the defense most people are thinking of when they talk about a 3-2 defense.

It involves one player at the top of the key, two players on the elbows, and two players on the low posts.

This is a great defense to use against teams who shoot a high percentage from behind the three-point line.

Players must keep their hands up at all times, move on the air time of the pass, and make sure to crash the boards.

The 2-3 zone defense is the most common type of zone defense that will be played during youth and high school competition.

It involves two players guarding the top and three players spread out along the baseline to cover the key and the corners.

The main strength of this zone is that it locks down the key with multiple defenders and forces the opposition to shoot from the outside.

​While very popular (and effective), I don't recommend playing zone defense at the youth level.

The 1-3-1 zone defense is an aggressive and unique defense that's incredibly difficult to play against.

This is because the 1-3-1 cuts off the regular passing lanes and forces the opposition to completely change how they look to score.

It works best if you have long and athletic players, but can be utilized by any team at all levels.

If you choose to implement this defense on your team, be prepared to play a lot of fast break basketball.

The box and 1 defense can be utilized when you're competing against a star opposition player surrounded by weaker teammates.

It involves 4 defensive players setting up in a box zone while 1 defender plays man-to-man defense on the opposition's best player.

As most teams will be used to their best player doing most of the scoring, this defense forces the opposition's weaker players to score.

If you're looking for a disruptive junk defense, the box and 1 is a great option to consider.

When playing full-court defense, there are two main categories:

• Man-to-Man Press
• Zone Press

The ‘Run and Jump Defense’ is a full-court man-to-man press with rules that encourage jump-switching and trapping.

This defense is best used by a team that wants to play man-to-man full court and wants to increase the speed of the game.

Unlike most defenses, the run and jump relies on players reading the opposition and then making decisions when to trap by themselves.

If you want to catch the defense off guard and play up-tempo basketball, this is definitely a defense to consider.

The 2-2-1 press is a three-quarter court press that will provide great trapping opportunities for any team who utilizes it.

It is the one of the most popular presses and can be used by teams at either the youth level or high school level.

The 2-2-1 press can be played aggressively or conservatively depending on your team and how you want the rotations to work.

I highly recommend this press for any coach and team because of the variations available.

The 1-2-1-1 press is an aggressive full court press with many different variations to suit any team that wants to run it.

The press starts by trapping the basketball immediately after it's been inbounded and then attempts to pick off the next pass.

This gives your team a lot of time to recover back in defense if a steal or deflection wasn't made.

If you want to put your opponent under immediately pressure in the full court, give this press a shot!

​

Man-to-Man Defense - Complete Coaching Guide

The traditional man-to-man defense is by far the most common defense in the game of basketball today.

This is especially true as players progress to a higher level of competition. In fact, due to the great outside shooting of professional players, every NBA team almost exclusively plays man-to-man defense.

The man-to-man defense involves all 5 defensive players on the court being allocated one opposition player who they’re accountable for defending whenever they’re on defense.

Of course, there will be times when players switch opponents or help each other on defense, but for the most part, each player is responsible for one player from the opposition.

Learning to be a great man-to-man defender is perhaps the most important skill for a player to learn during their years of youth basketball.

No matter what defense a player goes on to play at the next level or on another team, the skills they learn playing man-to-man defense will transfer. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for players that solely learn zone defense.

If you’re coaching youth basketball, taking the time to teach your team man-to-man defense will go a long way to preparing them for the next level.

1. Every player needs to learn man-to-man defensive principles – It’s crucial that all youth players develop good man-to-man habits and understand man-to-man defensive principles.

2. Many Variations – There are many different ways to run your man-to-man defense depending on the team you’re playing against and what the strengths and weaknesses of your team are.

3. Preparation for future basketball – The better players get at man-to-man defense during their youth, the more opportunities they’ll get as they advance to higher levels of play.

1. There’s a lot to teach – Players will need to learn more defensive skills than if they were to play Pack Line defense or a zone defense. A lot of situations a player must know how to defend and where to position themselves.

2. It will take time for your players to successfully run – One of the most common reasons for youth coaches running a zone is that they don’t have enough time to teach a man-to-man defense. They’re right. There’s a lot to learn and it will take time. But it’s definitely worth it.

3. Unable to hide weak players – In the man-to-man defense, everyone is held accountable for their role defending the basketball and being able to help and rotate when needed.

While I’ve listened to coaches name hundreds of rules associated with the man-to-man defense, there are only 5 key rules that you need to teach to your players.

If you plan to run the man-to-man defense with your team, the next sentence is the most important thing you need to teach them…

Not allowing the opponent to into the middle of the lane from the top or the wings is the most important rule of man-to-man defense.

Instead, defensive players must use their stance and position themselves in such a way that the opposition can only dribble down the sideline and the baseline.

When an opposition player has the basketball at the top of the key, we direct them towards the sideline.

When an opposition player has the basketball on the wing, we direct them towards the baseline.

“Why the baseline instead of the middle?”

The reason we direct opponents towards the sideline and baseline is because it’s much easier to defend and rotate on a baseline drive than it is when a player drives into the middle of the lane.

This is because the help defenders roles and responsibilities are clear in regards to who is meant to help and rotate when the basketball is on the wings or in the corners.

When the basketball is driven into the middle, however, who is meant to help and who is meant to stay on their player becomes difficult to define which often leads to open scoring opportunities for the opposition.

How many times have you heard a coach scream out “Reverse the basketball!” to their players?

A lot, I bet. Perhaps you’ve even done it yourself.

There’s a good reason for it if you have… it works for the offensive team!

The more you can get the defensive team to move and rotate, the more gaps will open up in the defense and the number of open scoring opportunities will rise.

So when you’re playing man-to-man defense, once the basketball has been passed to one side of the floor, we never want to allow it reverse back to the top or the opposite side.

The players defending the ball-reversal should be in 100% deny the entire time.

3. No Help from Defenders One-Pass Away

This is the biggest difference between the Pack Line defense and the man-to-man defense.

In the Pack Line defense (which I often recommend), the players one-pass away from the basketball are helping in the driving lanes by taking away dribble penetration. This allows the basketball to be passed around the perimeter.

In man-to-man defense, since the players one-pass away from the basketball are denying the pass to their player, this leaves driving lanes open and means the on-ball defender is more accountable for keeping the player with the basketball out of the lane.

If an opposition player does attempt to drive down the middle, the player one pass away can quickly ‘stunt’ in their direction to get the offensive player to pick up the dribble, but they can never fully help.

If they do, it will often lead to an in-rhythm jumper or an offensive drive after a difficult closeout.

4. No Face Cuts

A defensive player must never allow their opponent to cut across their face in-between them and the basketball.

The ‘no face cuts’ rule will most commonly occur when the offense performs a ‘pass-and-cut’.

When an offensive player makes a pass to a teammate (they will still happen even if we’re denying them), the player defending the passer must immediately ‘jump to the basketball’ to force their opponent to cut behind them instead of in front.

This rule is also important when playing defense off the ball to stop players from flashing to the ball to receive a pass.

To put it simply, a defender must always stay between their man and the basketball whenever they’re playing off-ball defense.

The final rule is to ensure that players are playing correct off-ball defense.

Whenever the basketball moves, every defensive player on the court should be adjusting their positioning on the court.

By keeping the importance of this in mind, players will learn that they must stay alert at all times and anticipate passes that they may be able to deflect.

As the great Don Meyer puts it…

“Positioning, anticipation, and technique create quickness. Therefore, you can always get quicker.” – Don Meyer

This is incredibly important because the difference between a steal and an open layup or a missed steal and a break down of the defense can be a fraction of a second.

There are 3 roles you can be in when you’re on the court playing man-to-man defense…

1. On-ball defense
2. Deny defense
3. Help defense

In this section I’m going to talk about each of them in detail and what’s required of a player when they’re in each role.

Each player understanding all of these roles is crucial to good team defense. Being out of position by even a small amount can be the difference between blocking a shot or giving up an easy layup.

Positioning is everything.

The role of the on-ball defender in a man-to-man defense is to contain the offensive player while influencing them towards the sideline and baseline.

While containment is the ultimate goal regardless of where the ball is on the floor, if the defensive player is going to get beat, we want it to be towards the baseline instead of the middle. This is why the on-ball defender slightly overplays the middle.

It’s imperative that all defenders on the court have the ability to contain their man consistently. If not, dribble penetration will break down your defense very quickly.

In fact, I never encourage on-ball defenders to reach in for steals unless the offensive player mishandles the basketball. There’s a far higher chance of them getting called for a foul than getting a steal.

Here are the 5 keys to playing great on-ball defense:

1. Desire to be a great defender.

The biggest differentiator between a great defender and an average defender is that a great defender wants to be a great defender.

All coaches must emphasize the importance of learning how to be a great defender and the benefits your players will get from the skill as they progress to a higher level of competition.

A player who desires to be a great defender is willing to stay down in a stance the entire possession, chase their opponent around the court, dive on any loose basketball to gain possession, take a charge if they’re in the proper position, etc.

2. Stay in a balanced stance.

An on-ball defender must stay in a balanced stance at all times so that they’re ready to react to the offensive player as quickly as possible.

This means they should stay low, keep their chest up, and place an even amount of weight on each leg.

3. Slightly overplay the middle to force the offensive player sideline or baseline.

The player defending on the basketball should have their head in line with the opponent’s shoulder on the side you don’t want them to drive.

4. Keep an arm’s length distance at all times.

The defender should be able to stick out their arm full length in front of them and just be able to touch the player they’re defending.

5. Keep your eyes on the opponent’s chest.

It’s very easy for an offensive player to fake with their head, eyes, or body. The spot on a player that is most difficult to fake with is their chest.

As per rule #3, any player one-pass away from the basketball should be in a denial stance to deter any pass to their player.

A denying defender should have one hand and one foot in the passing lane at all times, their chest should be facing their direct opponent, and they should be looking over their lead shoulder to see both the basketball and their man.

This is important to note because I see far too many coaches teaching their players ‘ball-you-man’ stance when one-pass away.

The reason this is the wrong stance is because if your opponent was to suddenly backdoor cut, the denial defender would need to do a full 180-degree turn to defend it.

However, if your defender backdoor cuts when your chest is towards the player and you have a hand and leg in the passing lane, all it requires is the defender flicking their head around and the sliding in the deny position towards the rim.

The purpose of this is that we want to remove all easy passing options from the player with the basketball. This is why the man-to-man defense is an aggressive defense.

The distance a denial player should be from their man will depend on the distance the offensive player is away from the basketball. A good rule of thumb would be close enough to ensure you can close the distance and pick off the pass if a lob is thrown over the top.

Once again, the 3 keys to great denial defense are:

1. One hand and foot in the passing lane.
2. Chest towards your direct opponent.
3. Eyes over lead shoulder to see both.

Any defender two or more passes away from the basketball is playing help defense.

This requires the defender to be in ‘ball-you-man’ stance.

The ‘ball-you-man’ stance means that the defender is pointing one hand at their opponent and one hand at the basketball. They must be able to see both with their peripheral vision at all times.

The position of a help defender will vary depending on where the basketball is on the court and where their direct opponent is on the court at that time.

When the basketball is on the weak-side and below the free-throw line, the players two passes away will often be in either ‘High-I’ or ‘Low-I’.

This is an important concept to understand for the article so I’ll give you a brief introduction here…

When the basketball is on either of the wings or in one of the corners, there should always be 2 help defenders with at least one foot on the split-line (the line down the middle of the court).

1. A help defender close to the rim in the paint (low-I)

2. A help defender near the free-throw line (high-I).

By establishing these two help defenders, it makes it much easier for the defensive players to know their understand their roles and rotations on drives to the rim by opposition players.

Here are a couple of diagrams to give you an example…

Now, let’s get into how your team will actually run the man-to-man defense during a game!

First, I’ll talk about the positions the players should be in when the basketball is in different areas of the court.

After that, I’ll break down what rotations must occur on the floor when there is dribble penetration from the offensive team.

Whenever the basketball is within the lane lines at the top of the key, the team has one goal: Get it out of there!

As soon as the basketball is dribbled over the half-court line, the point guard defender (x1) immediately starts forcing the dribbler to the sideline by angling their defensive stance.

At the same time, the wing defenders (x2 and x3) pinch in and allow the pass to be made to a player on the wing.

(Note: When the basketball is at the top of the key is the only time that players one pass away don’t deny the pass.)

As for the help defenders (x4 and x5), both of them have a foot on their respective lane line.

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The goal when the ball is at the top is to get the basketball committed to one side of the court.

This can happen either with the point guard dribbling to one side or passing to a player on the wing.

Let me take a minute to explain why we allow the basketball to get from the top to the wing…

When the basketball is at the top of the key, the man-to-man defense is at its most vulnerable.

The reason for this is because on a drive through the middle of the lane, the defenders can be confused on who should help and who should stay attached to their player.

The confusion will often lead to easy layups and open shots.

This is because ball-side and weak-side has not been established.

However, when the basketball is established on one side of the floor, players on the floor know whether they’re in help or deny and what their responsibilities are making help and rotations much quicker and easier.

When the basketball gets to the wing, the most important thing is that you don’t allow the basketball to be reversed back to the top of the key.

The player defending one pass away towards the top (x1) must be in complete denial position.

The on-ball defender (x2) should be playing on the high foot of the player with the basketball to take away the middle drive and force them to drive towards the baseline if they choose to dribble.

If the offensive player does attempt to dribble middle, the on-ball defender should only slide vertically to force them to the top of the key.

As for the corner defender (x4), they should be in full denial as they’re one pass away from the basketball.

(Side note: Although I don’t recommend it for youth teams, there can be a benefit to allowing the pass to the corner to occur since it removes even more offensive options.)

Looking at the help defenders, x3 and x5 should have a foot on the split line as the basketball is at the free throw line extended or lower.

This puts them in the best position to help, but still gives them time to recover and perhaps get a deflection if the players with the basketball decides to throw a skip pass.

Once again, when the basketball is passed to the corner, the most important thing is that we don’t allow the basketball to be reversed to the wing.

The player one pass away to the wing (x2) must be in complete denial and not allow the pass to be made to the wing.

The on-ball defender (x4) must aim to contain the player in the corner. But by overplaying the high side, if x4 is beaten off the dribble, it must be towards the baseline because there is help waiting.

The player in low-I (x5) is in help position anticipating the drive from the player with the basketball.

The player in high-I (x3) is in help position and is preparing to drop down and rotate if 4 drives the basketball and x5 needs to help.

The final player (x1) is in ball-you-man position and are as low as possible while still being able to intercept a pass to 1.

If your players aren’t able to make the correct rotations when an offensive players drives the basketball, you will have a very ineffective man-to-man defense.

Make sure you constantly drill the following rotations each and every practice.

As explained in the previous section, dribble penetration from the top of the key through the foul line is the hardest penetration to defend when playing man-to-man defense.

We never want to let it happen.

This can often occur against a great point guard, if the player defending the dribbler is playing too close to their man, or if we allow ball reversals and rotations and closeouts are poor.

But knowing this will occasionally happen, your players must know how to best defend it.

Here’s how to do it:

When the defender at the top of the key is beat and the dribbler gets into the lane, whichever defender is the lowest on the weak-side must step across to defend the basketball.

X3 doesn’t help on the drive since they’re one pass away. They can quickly stunt to try to make the driver hesitate or pick up the basketball, but they must not leave their direct opponent.

Since help always comes from the weak-side, x4 must step out and take away the corner three-point attempt.

The player that must help is x5 since they’re the lowest on the weak-side.

When x5 steps up to help, x1 must immediately rotate down and will now be the player that closes out on the basketball if the pass is made across court to 3 or 5.

When the basketball is on the wing our ball-side and weak-side are clearly established which is great for the defense.

On the baseline drive from the wing, if there’s an offensive and defensive player in the corner (x4), they do not help off a ball-side corner player.

Remember: Help always comes from the weak side.

The player at the top of the key (x1) is denying the ball reversal.

Then since the basketball is on the free-throw line or lower, we have high-I and low-I established in the key.

Low-I (x5) helps on the drive and meets to trap the dribbler just outside the paint. X5 and x2 trap the offensive player if they pick up the dribble.

High-I (x3) must rotate down and prevent the pass to 5 in the corner.

The final defender (x1) drops down and positions themselves so that they can intercept a lob pass made to either 3 or 1 or defend either of them if the skip pass is made over the top.

The middle drive from the wing is a bit more difficult and not a drive the defense ever wants to give up.

If the on-ball defender is correctly playing on the high side of the player with the basketball, they should be able to take a large slide or two vertically and cut off the drive or draw a charge.

If the on-ball defender has been caught out of position, the next goal is to force the offensive player to dribble to the top of the key.

If the on-ball defender has really been caught out of position and the drive is inevitable, the lowest weakside player must step across and challenge the shot and the correct rotations must take place.

X3 can quickly stunt on this drive with their back to the basketball in an attempt to make the offensive pick up the ball as long as they can quickly close out on their player without giving up the shot. They should never fully commit to a trap as it will leave the wing shooter open.

This can be a difficult rotation as if the dribbler crosses over the split line with their dribble, the help defender (ball-side and weak-side) changes.

Take a look at the following diagrams to see the differences and the rotations…

As you can see, allowing the middle drive ends up very problematic and confusing for the defense.

So make sure it never happens!

The rotations on baseline penetration from the corner are very similar to wing penetration.

The defender playing on the wing player (x2) makes sure to deny the easy reverse pass back outside.

The player in low-I (x5) is responsible for stepping across to set a trap with x4 if the player with the basketball decides to drive baseline to the basket.

If this occurs, x3 drops down and cuts off the passing lane to the player x5 was defending.

Finally, x1 drops and now has two offensive players they must position themselves in-between. If the interception pass is there, go for it. If not and the skip pass is made, x1 is responsible for closing out on either 1 or 3.

Dribble penetration from the corner or wing, while there’s an offensive player in the low post, isn’t common but can happen.

Here are the rotations when it does occur:

Since we 1/2 front on the low side when there’s a player in the low post, it’s easier for the low post defender (x5) to take one step across and trap the dribbler on the baseline with the on-ball defender (x4).

To take away the pocket pass to the low post player, the defender in low-I (x3) must step across and guard the pass to the low post player.

The defender in high-I (x1) must then drop and they’re responsible being in position to either intercept a lob pass or closeout on either 1 or 3.

To not give 4 an easy pass out of the trap, x2 must continue complete denial of the outlet pass to 2.

When there are offensive and defensive players in the high post, the defender does not help out on the drive as they’re too far away and all it takes is a pocket pass for an open jumper.

Instead, low-I (x3) steps across as traps the dribbler with the on-ball defender (x4) just below the low block.

The defender in the high post (x5), denies the pass to the high post player and doesn’t help.

The player denying the retreat pass (x2) continues to deny the pass outside.

This leaves high-I (x1) to drop in and is now responsible for intercepting the pass or closing out on 3 or 1.

On any skip pass, the most important thing is that the player closing out on the player who receives the basketball closes out in a banana cut so that there’s no middle penetration.

Every player on the team must be committed to sprinting to their next position on the flight of the basketball.

Often it’s not the closeout player who is too slow, it’s the players who were previously on the ball-side not sprinting into help positions quick enough.

Also, depending on what level you’re playing, you might want to run the shooter off the three-point line if they’re a good shooter.

Here are a few diagrams to show you close out rotations:

In the guide above, I break down the variation allowing the pass from the top of the key to the wing because I believe it to be the most effective way to play man-to-man defense.

Since the man-to-man defense is most vulnerable from the top, why would we want to keep the ball there by denying the pass to the wing?

But there are other ways to do it…

Is it easier to simply make a denying one pass away a universal rule including from the top?

Here are a few ways why you might consider denying this pass to the wing:

1. Players can sometimes get confused when exactly they should allow the pass and when they should deny.

2. It’s another rule for players to remember.

3. Sometimes putting more pressure on the point guard is a good thing!

4. Most teams begin their offense with a top to wing pass. By denying it, you will often disrupt the opponents offense.

Since there is no right or wrong answer to choosing to deny or allow the pass, each coach must decide individually after looking at the pros and cons.

It’s up to you!

Knowing how your team is going to defend the post is crucial to a great man-to-man defense.

You must have a consistent system that’s based on the strengths and weaknesses of the post players on your team.

But before we get into any of that, here’s the main rule for defending the post…

Don’t let it get there!

Allowing the basketball to get into the post is bad news for any defense. It will often lead to part of the defense collapsing or a silly foul by a post defender.

Before we discuss the ways to defend the post, here are 3 tips to keeping the basketball out of there in the first place…

1. Beat them down the floor

By beating the opposition post player down the floor, it takes away their ability to establish strong early position that can result in a quick pass inside and an easy score.

2. Great on-ball defense

Guards pressuring the player with the basketball can go a long way to discouraging the pass inside to the post player. Every on-ball defender should be active with their hands in the passing lane and tracing the ball.

3. Push them off the block

If a post player does establish position on the block, a post defender can move them further out by keeping their arm bar locked still while pushing the offensive player out with the strength of their lower body.

There are many different ways to deny the pass into the post, but here are my preferences:

(I’m not a fan of fronting the low post)

1. Basketball above the free-throw line.

When the basketball is above the free-throw line, the post defender should 3/4 front keeping themselves on the line between the basketball and their opponent.

For the offensive team to make this entry pass, it would have to be very accurate and the post defender will still have time to establish position between them and the basket.

Also, keep in mind that there is a player in low-I who can pick off any passes made over the top.

2. Basketball below the free-throw line.

When the basketball is below the free-throw line, the post defender should 1/2 front from the baseline side.

By doing so, they’re in perfect position to help on any baseline drives.

Also, since the pass is now shorter, only half fronting the offensive player will allow the defender to still be able to establish position behind if they’re unable to get a deflection on the pass inside.

There will be times when you come up against such a dominant low post player that you have no choice but to send help and trap them in the post.

When this happens, I recommend sending trapping with the player in the low-I help position.

Here’s how it works:

When 4 receives the pass in the post, x4 must immediately establish position behind.

Immediately, x5 will sprint across and set a trap on the high side with x4.

X2 drops to defend 5 and then x1 drops and becomes the interceptor.

Their role is to pick off any passes made to 1 or 2. If none are available for steal or deflection, they’re the first to close out to whoever receives the outlet pass.

On the ball-side, x3 never allows the simple pass out and is in complete denial while the basketball is in the post.

You can never have a great man-to-man defensive team if you’re not a great transition defense team.

Educate your players on the importance of this and then get them to buy-in and commit to transitioning back quickly after each offensive possession.

The secret to being a great transition defense team is that your players must know how many people are going to the offensive boards and how many people are to immediately retreat on any shot attempt.

The worst possible thing a player can do after an offensive shot is to stand and watch. Neither transitioning back on defense or attacking the offensive glass.

Most coaches refer to this as being in ‘no man’s land’.  A place a player never wants to be!

Here’s what I recommend when running the man-to-man defense:

Send three players to the offensive glass and send two players back on transition defense immediately after the shot.

As the two players transition back, the goal is to establish a top defender and a bottom defender.

The bottom defender protects the rim while the goal of the top defender is to slow down the basketball and give the players that were competing for offensive rebounds time to recover on defense.

This is the method I’ve found the most success with, but it might not necessarily be the best option for your team.

For instance, if you have a very small team that never gets offensive rebounds, you could send all 5 players back immediately after each shot in an effort to never give up any transition baskets. There are numerous NCAA teams that currently do this.

Inbounds plays often provide great scoring opportunities for the offensive team.

They have well-thought-out plays and are in the perfect position to run them.

The main goal when defending a baseline in-bounds plays is to get the opponent to throw the ball to the top and set up their main offense.

If you can do that, you’ve successfully defended the BLOB.

Defending a baseline in-bounds while playing man-to-man defense can be done in two ways:

If you’re going to stick to the man-to-man defense on baseline inbounds, there are a few things you must be prepared to do to stop the opponent from getting an easy score.

a. Position the in-bounds defender near the rim

The main goal here is to take away the easy pass and score under the rim and force the opponent to pass out to the wing.

Depending on where the in-bounds pass takes place, the in-bounds passer’s defender should position themselves along the lane line connecting to the baseline to take away the under the rim pass.

b. Switch Everything

Since the up-screens and cross-screens can be difficult to defend on BLOB plays, I often recommend that teams switch everything.

The key is for defenders to stay below the offensive players and keep themselves on the basket side of their opponents.

Depending on the level of basketball you’re coaching and the rules of your league, you might consider running a 2-3 zone on inbounds plays.

Once the play has been in-bounded to either the wing or the top, players switch straight back into their man-to-man defense.

The reasons the 2-3 zone works so well on BLOB’s is because it floods the key with defenders and doesn’t allow the easy baskets under the rim that can often occur when playing man-to-man defense.

The pick-and-roll is arguably the toughest action in basketball to defend against.

When playing man-to-man defense, there are a few ways you can choose to defend this action…

1.  

This is my recommended method of defending against the pick-and-roll.

This requires the screener’s defender ‘hedging’ out high and forcing the dribbler to take a few extra vertical steps which allows the on-ball defender to fight over the screen and recover back in front.

This can be difficult for youth players, but hedging and fighting over screens are great habits for players to get into at a young age as it will be a very important skill when they’re older.

Another option a coach has at their disposal is to switch on any pick-and-roll.

As the name implies, this simply means that the defenders hold their positions and swap the offensive player they’re guarding.

This can be problematic if you end up with small player defending a big player or vice versa, but at the youth level players aren’t often smart enough to take advantage of it.

3.

To go under the screen, the screener’s defender can take a quick step back to give the on-ball defender room to squeeze past the screen and immediately establish position in front of the dribbler.

While this is probably the easiest way to do it, I do believe players are missing out on the important skill of learning to fight over screens and how to hedge.

The 5 main man-to-man defense rules:

1. No middle penetration.
2. No ball reversals.
3. No help one pass away.
4. No face cuts.
5. Move when the ball moves.

The man-to-man defense is one of the best defenses you can run with your team no matter what level you’re coaching.

With nearly all high-level basketball teams using this defense, the skills that are learned in man-to-man defense are crucial for all players to develop from the earliest age possible.

Sure, it can be difficult to teach. But they payoff for your players will definitely be worth it in the long run.

If you’re a coach that puts developing players over winning youth basketball games, then this defense is for you!

Training to improve protection

Training to improve protection

Learning how to move in defense.

1. Move in a defensive stance diagonally backwards. After 3-5 steps, turn around and change direction. Then do the same diagonally forward. 2. Do the same but add hand movements. The far hand works to protect against the transfer, the near hand imitates the capture of the ball. 2-3 sets of 5 diagonals forward and backward.

DETAILS : Increase and decrease your movement speed. Keep your back, don't jump in the move. The back leg drags along the floor.

CHIPS : Emphasis on the first step, it must be fast and taken with the lead foot.

Improving protective actions.

1. Five attackers stand on the perimeter and pass the ball to each other, each of them has a defender. Defenders must change their stance and shift to the correct position depending on the ball. 2. The same, but with active defense, try to intercept or take the ball away. 3. At the signal of the teacher, the player with the ball goes into the aisle. For 30 seconds, then change roles, 3 times.

DETAILS : Defenders must always see the ball, keep their distance, actively use their hands.

CHIPS : The drill will be especially effective if performed without fouls.

Improving protective actions.

1. Stand opposite each other with a partner. The attacker stands still and performs turns, moving the ball to the side. The defender reacts to the attacker's movements and moves accordingly, making defensive movements with both hands in front of the ball. 2. The defender tries to knock out or take the ball away from the attacker. 30 seconds each, 3 sets.

DETAILS : Low stance, keep distance, back straight.

CHIPS : The drill will be especially effective if performed without fouls.

Improving protective actions.

One player (playing) has the ball, two other players - a defender and an attacker. The striker makes movements (forward / backward, right / left), trying to get a pass from the player with the ball. The defender plays in a closed stance, covering the passing line, making it difficult for the attacker to receive the ball. If the pass is still passed, then the attacker must perform turns (one circle forward or backward) and give a reverse pass to the playing along, and the defender must actively interfere with him, try to knock out or take the ball away. 30 seconds in each role, 3 times (change in a circle).

DETAILS : The defender must always have a view of the ball, keep his distance, actively use his hands. The attacker must perform turns without running.

Learning the basic defensive stance.

From a standing position, take a protective stance at the signal. At the next signal, return to the starting position. 10-15 times.

DETAILS : Feet slightly wider than shoulder width and parallel, arms in line with legs, shoulders relaxed, arms half-bent, palms open towards attacker.

CHIPS : The stand must be very stable. To check this, you can knock a little.

Improving protective actions.

1. Three attackers stand in a triangle and pass the ball to each other, each of them has a defender. The defensive stance varies depending on the ball. If your player has the ball, then a parallel stance with active hand work; if the ball is in the possession of a nearby player (in one pass), then a closed stance with overlapping of the transfer line; if the far player has the ball (in two passes), then the stance is open. 2. The same, but with active defense, try to intercept or take the ball away. For 30 seconds, then change roles, 3 times.

DETAILS : Defenders must always see the ball, keep their distance, actively use their hands.

Learning how to move in defense.

Get into a protective stance and move around: 1. Small steps to one side and the other. 2. Small steps to one and the other side with greater speed. 20-30 seconds each exercise.

DETAILS : Leading foot turned slightly in the direction of travel, the "back" foot does not approach the leading, the distance between the legs is maintained.

CHIPS : Emphasis on the first step, it must be fast and taken with the lead foot.

Learning how to move in defense.

1. Move backwards in a defensive stance in a zigzag from the beginning to the middle of the court, quickly, without stopping. Come back with an easy run. 2. Do the same in alternation with acceleration. Start with 2-3 times, and later increase the number of times or distance.

DETAILS : Keep your back, don't jump in the move.

CHIPS : Emphasis on the first step, it must be fast and taken with the lead foot.

Learning how to move in defense.

Move in a protective stance: 1. Back and forth, adding a normal run every three steps. 2. In one direction and in the other, adding the usual run at the command of the coach. 20-30 seconds each exercise.

DETAILS : Leading foot turned slightly in the direction of travel, the "back" foot does not approach the leading, the distance between the legs is maintained.

Improving protective actions.

1. Stand opposite each other with a partner. The attacker dribbles the ball in place with cover, the defender tries to knock out or take the ball away. If he succeeds, then the defender gives the ball back to the attacker. 2. The same, but the attacker moves left and right along the line in 3-5 steps. 3. The same, but the attacker moves diagonally back and forth in 3-5 steps. 30 seconds each, 3 sets.

DETAILS : Keep your distance, back straight.

CHIPS : The drill will be especially effective if performed without fouls.

Learning how to move in defense.

Stand opposite each other in protective stances with a partner. One makes movements, the other repeats after him: 1. The host moves in one direction and the other, makes various movements with his hands (raises and lowers). 2. The leader moves in one direction and the other, sometimes adding a normal run. 30 seconds each, 3 sets.

DETAILS : Increase and decrease your movement speed. Keep your back, don't jump in the move. The back leg drags along the floor.

CHIPS : Turn on your imagination, perform different movements.

Learning how to move in defense.

Accelerating forward 1/4 of the landing, at the end of a step with active work of the hands - moving sideways in a protective stance - again accelerating forward with a step and so on. 3 sites.

DETAILS : Keep your back straight, low stance in defensive movements, active arm work

Improving protective actions.

One player (playing) has the ball, two other players - a defender and an attacker. The striker makes movements (forward / backward, right / left), trying to get a pass from the player with the ball. The defender plays in a closed stance, covering the passing line, making it difficult for the attacker to receive the ball. If the transfer still went through, then the attacker returns the ball to the play-by-player and opens again. 30 seconds in each role, 3 times (change in a circle).

DETAILS : The defender must always see the ball, keep his distance.

Protective exercises | Techniques of individual defensive play

Defensive actions are improved in exercises 1X1, 2X2, 3x3 and in team formations. While maintaining balance and good position, the defender is constantly harassing the players he is guarding. He must always have the ball and the player in sight, putting pressure on the ball carrier and potential ball receiver without overstepping the bounds of foul play.

Exercise in improving the work of the legs (Fig. 203). The team is divided into two groups of eight people and lines up as shown in the picture. Each group is supervised by one coach. Two guides from each group enter the platform. The first player takes a comfortable defensive position in front of the second, who dribbles. The defender moves from side to side when the dribbler moves the ball from hand to hand. He constantly moves in front of the dribbler, forcing him to change direction. At first, this exercise is performed slowly so that the trainer can make comments on the technique of movements.

The defender must not spread his legs wide or cross them and be in a low stance, with his body slightly bent forward. In this exercise, he does not have the right to play with his hands. Many coaches force defensemen to keep their hands behind their backs, but we prefer them to keep their hands on their belts or touch their hips. This position of the hands is better for maintaining balance.

The dribbler must be limited to a corridor narrower than half the court. While dribbling, he switches the ball several times from hand to hand and, if he manages to get around the defender, quickly moves towards the basket. The defender turns, goes on the run to overtake the attacker and try to prevent him from throwing the ball into the basket. When moving back, the players change roles.

This exercise should be performed frequently before the start of the season and from time to time during the competition.

One against one on the side of the ball (fig. 204). The exercise is used in pre-season training. The role of player 1 performing the passes is played by one of the back row players or the coach. Defender 1 guards attacker 2, preventing him from getting the ball in a position convenient for attacking. The attacker is trying to change direction and go to the basket behind the back of the defender. If he cannot receive the ball near the basket despite active footwork and feints, he moves back to receive the ball. The defender must push him away from the basket, forcing him to return the ball to player 1. After passing the ball back to the teammate, the attacker continues active actions, and the defender tries to maintain balance and correct position and prevent the attacker from receiving the ball. If the attacker beats the defender and goes behind him to the basket, the defender must make the following maneuver. He transfers the weight of the body to his right foot and, turning on it, takes a step with his left, stepping back facing the player in possession of the ball. During this movement, the defender drops his left hand down, as this situation is usually followed by a bouncing pass from the floor. The turning technique will be reversed on the other side of the court.

The drill is performed on both sides of the court and the players are under a lot of pressure. After the first two players complete the exercise two or three times, they go to the end of the column, and the next pair of players takes their place.

One against one on the side farthest from the ball (fig. 205). The passing player (No. 1) is located on the left side of the court, while the forward 2 and defender 1 are in the corner on the right side. The defender is obliged to prevent the attacker from receiving the ball in a position convenient for throwing. The offensive player is trying to enter the free-throw circle or get the defensive player to turn away from the ball by walking behind him to the basket and receive a pass. The defender takes an open position, such that he can see the ball and the ward at the same time. He steps back far enough from the attacker, parallel to the endline, to prevent him from entering the free throw circle. The defender must be sure that the attacker, if he has received the ball, is in a position that does not pose a big threat - on top of the free throw area or to the side of it. The passing player must not perform long cross passes, but must pass the ball to the attacker after feinting towards the end line and going towards the ball. You need to remember about the possibility of passing over the head of the defender. The defender must not lean too far away from the attacking player.

One against one with a passing dribbler (fig. 206). On the left side of the court, the defender allows the dribbler to go around him. When chasing a dribbler, he switches to a full stride. Starting the movement, he transfers the weight of the body to the right, taking a small step back with his right foot, turns on it towards the end line and switches to a run parallel to the movement of the dribbler. Having regained his balance, usually after two or three steps, the defender tries to deprive the dribbler of confidence by striking from below with the hand closest to the dribbler. An overhand motion should not be made, as it throws the moving defender out of rhythm and leads to a personal reprimand. The punching motion with the hand is optional. First of all, it is important for the defender to keep a good position in order to be able to stop the dribbler. The defender must return to position facing the dribbler as quickly as possible.

The same exercise is performed on the other side of the court. The defender uses the same technique in a mirror image of it.

In the same drill, defenders can practice turning around to regain defensive position and hitting the ball from behind. The latter applies when the attacker has completely bypassed the defender. The defender must hit the ball with his left hand if he is passed on the right, and vice versa.

Exercise "direct the dribbler" (Fig. 207). Defender 9 spots Dribbler 9. The purpose of the exercise is to teach the defender to actively direct the dribbler in the desired direction. The defender moves to one side and, when the dribbler is forced to turn, switches to the other. The coach must ensure that the defender does not cross his legs, maintains his balance at all times and uses arm movements as much as necessary so as not to lose his balance. The defender must force the attacker to turn two or three times. The same task on the other side of the court can be performed by another pair of players. If the dribbler passes the defender, the defender must turn and try to hit the ball from behind, using for this purpose the hand of the same name as the one that is being dribbled.

Change of defensive positions when guarding a post player in the lower and middle zones of the free throw area (dia. 208). The defender guarding post 1 is in the lower left position. The ball held by player 1 can be passed to players 2, 3, 4 in succession. These four players occupy the main positions from which the ball can be passed to the post in the lower or middle zone of the free throw area. In the figure, the defender is indicated by three quarters of a circle (body) and two straight lines (arms). The defender in the bottom zone (a) must move three-quarters of the body forward of the post when the ball is in possession of player 1. When the post moves into the middle zone (b) after passing the ball to player 2, the defender must move forward by half a length. When the ball is passed to player 3 and the post follows the ball to the middle position on the right (c), the defender must take a position in front of the player. Despite the fact that during the movement the defender has his back turned to the basket, he must constantly feel the post in order to have time to retreat with him in the event of a mounted pass. When the post moves to the lower right zone (d) and the ball is received by player 4, the defender must maintain position in front of the post, moving three-quarters of the body to the end line.

This is a very important exercise and is often performed by tall players, especially in pre-season. If the post crosses the three-second zone under the basket (from to to to ) following the movement of the ball, the defender moves between the ball and the player, re-establishing the main defensive position on the other side of the court. He steps forward with his left foot in position a so as to be in front of the post. When the center moves laterally, the defender holds the position in front of him. In position Defender steps back with right foot leaving left arm and foot in front of center player.