Home »
Misc »
How to defend the post in basketball
How to defend the post in basketball
Defending post players from the front
Your resource for building powerful sports programs
February 18, 2019 • Defense • Winning Hoops
by Brian Kissinger, Ferris High School, Washington
Photo: Kevin Hoffman
The way you defend the post dictates how you play everywhere else. This is one of the core covenants of the Pack defense.
In the traditional Pack system, the low post offensive player is not allowed to be fed from up top and is fronted when the ball is on the wing. When the ball is entered to the low post, their defender is expected to jump behind while the ball is in the air and receive double-team help from either the other post defender (double) or from the passer’s defender (choke).
But what about playing the Pack and fronting the low post?
Here are seven reasons for fronting in the Pack defense along with four drills to teach it and some thoughts on when you should, or have to, play behind the post.
1.![]()
Consistency. Fronting the low post is consistent with the Pack philosophy of “no paint,” “no face cuts” and “no feeds from the top.” Staying between your man and the basketball when he or she doesn’t have the ball is a simple principle for players to grasp. Plus, too many times the low post defender gets buried in the paint after they jump behind the offensive post player.
2. Weak-side help positioning is unchanged. The positioning of players for weak-side help in the Pack that supports the double and the choke also puts them in great position to discourage, deflect or intercept any attempted lob pass.
3. Not every team can double effectively. This is a time-consuming concept to teach and requires a higher degree of athleticism and basketball IQ than is typically found. In addition, certain opponent sets make it very difficult for the double defender to arrive on time.
» RELATED: Taking away a dominant post player4.
Kick out 3s from the choke are too easy. The easiest 3-pointer to make is the inside-out pass coming right to a shooter who is already squared up to the hoop. Also, the closeout from the choke is very long.
5. Jamming the baseline drive is easier. We don’t ever want baseline penetration, but it does happen. When playing properly, the fronting post defender can at any moment slide over to the baseline and stop the penetration faster than the weak-side Pack defender. Versus baseline penetration from the corner, the low post defender should already be 3/4 fronting on the baseline side. Weak-side Pack defenders must rotate over and deny the post or drop from the top if the post escapes up the lane.
6. Pouncing on a weak post entry pass. Good ball pressure from the Pack can yield weak entry passes into the post and disrupt lob attempts. But if the low post defender’s first instinct is to jump behind the offensive post player rather than to pounce on that entry pass, it’s a lost opportunity to turn over the opponent.
7. Rebounding. It’s true that you don’t want to make a bad post player a good player by allowing offensive rebounds. However, proper block out technique from the front (See Diagram 3) eliminates any advantage the offensive low post player gains from being fronted. Also, if the other four defenders are doing their part in the Pack, there should be more long rebounds from contested mid-range jump shots than rebounds right under the basket.
Teaching the Pack DIAGRAM 1: Partners post defense. For the first drill, set up three cones at foul-line extended sideline, halfway between foul-line extended sideline and the elbow, and at the elbow. Set up three more cones at the corresponding spots on the other side of the court. Each cone represents the low block.
Players pair up at a cone: one on offense and one on defense. Coach is facing the basket at that end and takes players through the three fronting positions: above, high side and low side.
Offensive players will stay on top of their cone (block). Coach determines which sideline they face (if they are pretending to be on the left block, they face the left sideline, etc.). Defensive players start as shown in the diagram.
Coach walks defenders through the correct footwork for all three positions. Proper above positioning prevents flash cuts to the middle of the lane and prevents the dreaded post feed from up top. High ball-side hand and arm-bar positioning are explained.
Key teaching points are that the defender cannot be level with the offensive player or he or she is essentially beat already, and the defensive player must be within arm’s length of the offensive player to prevent a lob over or losing vision on the player.
Proper high-side positioning is a 3/4 front on the topside with an arm bar used to prevent the low post player from sealing. Proper low-side positioning is a 3/4 front on the baseline side with, again, an arm-bar to prevent the seal. The defender’s back foot should be closer to the middle of the floor than the low post player’s feet.
The defense must keep their belly to the defender at all times but also keep vision on the ball. Attempting an “X-step” is too slow and more sealable by the offensive post player.
» ALSO SEE: ‘The Freak’ defense slows opposing offensesOn the coach’s command, defenders move between the above, high-side and low-side positions. Players will then trade places with their partners. When both partners have played defense on the left block, they switch to the right block.
DIAGRAM 2: 1-on-1 low-post defense. For this second drill, place your passers at the point, wing and corner, with an offensive and defensive player at the block. The ball starts with the passer at the point and post defender as shown in the diagram (X4).
On the coach’s command, the ball is passed between the point, wing and corner and the post defender reacts accordingly while the ball is in the air. To begin with, no skip passes are allowed.
The coach calls “rotate” when they’re satisfied with the defender’s effort and execution.
Rotation is from point, to wing, to corner, to post offense and then to defense before heading to the end of the line. Players not in the drill line up at the point. The drill can be done on both sides at one end of one court or at opposite ends.
DIAGRAM 3: 1-on-1 low-post defense with block out. This has the same set-up as the previous drill but with the additional requirement that when the coach yells “shot,” whichever player has the ball pretends to shoot and the defensive player, whichever position he or she may be in, must execute a proper block out. Each block out involves a reverse pivot, arms up at shoulder height with hands above arms and an aggressive move to push the offensive player out of the lane. This maneuver is very similar to the “spin and seal” technique used by offensive post players.
DIAGRAM 4: 4-on-4 shell with 1-on-1 in the post. In the final drill, all perimeter defensive concepts are tied together with proper low post defensive techniques.
That includes positioning, lob reaction, blocking out, jamming and sinking. As with the basic 4-on-4 Shell Drill, keep things simple and stationary at the beginning before adding movement, complexity and going live.
Behind the post We still play behind an opposing post player on occasion. It works best if that player is a weak offensive player or to simply change up our look. Other times, we are caught behind due to poor effort or just the flow of play. In these instances, we will do one of the following:
- Let our post defender handle the offensive player without any help.
- Choke the post on the catch.
- Drop and dig at the post on the catch.
- Drop and dig at the post when he or she dribbles.
- Hedge (bluffing, playing “cat and mouse,” etc.).
If the passer is a good perimeter shooter, the post defender must “wall up” with high hands, bent knees and active feet to contest any shot without fouling before blocking out.
defense
Post Defense Basketball
Home>Sports>Basketball>Coaching Basketball
PreviousNext
In basketball, an offensive player may “post up” with their back to the basket. The defender in this situation must play post defense to try and stop the offensive player from scoring.
There are two different post areas on each side of the basketball court: the low post and the high post.
Table of Contents
- Basics
- Defending the Low Post
- Defending the High Post
Basics
Post defense may look different depending on the specific players and post areas in question, but there are some basic principles that are commonly-understood to basketball coaches, analysts, and players everywhere.
The first step of playing post defense is to deny the ball to the post. This means getting in front of the post player to block a possible entry pass from a teammate.
If a pass is made that the defender cannot get to, they must adjust their position while the ball is in the air.
Defending the post is all about aggression. This is an area of the game in which pure size and strength usually win out, but using the right techniques will help smaller players succeed.
Defending the Low Post
Post moves, posting up, and post defense are most commonly associated with the low post.
In the low post, the post player will usually try to back down the defender before spinning to get an open shot at the basket. Once an entry pass is received, giving some room to the post player will not allow them to push off for a quick fadeaway or feel the defender’s body lean a certain direction. Post defenders in this situation should use a strong forearm or hand on the back of the offensive player, as well as bending knees and having active hands. The armbar prevents the post player from backing the defender down too easily, but also conceals the defender’s body position.
If the post player faces the basket, the defender must get as close as possible, forcing the offensive player to dribble a certain direction, take a difficult contested shot, or pass the ball out of the post.
Defending the High Post
While defending the high post is very similar to defending the low post, there are a few differences. An offensive player in the high post is unlikely to try and back down a defender from such a far distance, but there is a bigger emphasis on what goes on around the post player. Because the high post is in the middle of the frontcourt, there are more options for the post player in this position. The post defender must be aware of the cuts, screens, and other passing options presented by the offense from this area.
PreviousNext
Pages Related to Post Defense Basketball
- Scrimmage Basketball
- Tempo Basketball
- Matchup Zone Basketball
- Spacing Basketball
- L Cut Basketball
- Motion Offense Basketball
PreviousNext
Playing defense in basketball
Hello, dear visitors of the website basketball-training.
org.ua ! Today I want to share with you my observations and conclusions, which I received as a result of 's desire to improve his game in 's defense.
It so happened that the first few years of playing basketball (mostly on street courts) my defense game consisted of constant attempts to cover the opponent's shot. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t work very well (I ended up either on the opponent’s back or on his head). It's a hell of a defense. A couple of years ago, I reconsidered my vision of playing defense, which I want to share with you.
Defensive Tips for
Basketball Players The first video that gave any hint of developing a basketball player's defensive skills was 's three-minute performance by Bruce Bowen on the TNT Fundamentals series. Then there was a short article on how to play defense against A. Gomelsky. Well, the last, but probably the most important training video was the company's products Better Basketball - Better 1 on 1 Defense .
Even after skipping over half of what was said (some because of the language barrier, something because of banal restlessness) and putting even less into practice, I became much better at defending myself.
By the way, in this article everything will be exclusively about personal defense (and not a word about zone defense, although it is also worth writing about). So, I highlight the following stages of defense in basketball:
Stage 1: Defense against a player without the ball.
The essence of defense is to prevent the opponent from getting the ball . This is probably one of the most difficult stages, but also one of the most effective. Agree, it is difficult to attack without having the ball. So, this stage of defense is incredibly difficult, because you have to give a lot of strength, not to be fooled by movements of the body, head and legs. A good result of such a defense is that the player does not receive the ball throughout the attack.
Also a good result if the ball is received, but: in an awkward position (far from the ring; in the corner of the court) or in the last seconds of the attack. Shitty result - the ball is received quickly and conveniently.
Stage 2: Defense against the player who received the ball.
When a player receives the ball, he is in the classic "triple threat position". This means that he can shoot the ring, pass or start the dribble. This means that we will have to confront all three threats at the same time. So, the best option is to take a position that will minimize the range of movement of the enemy. First of all, close its strong side from the passage by sitting a little to the side of it. As an option - from the side of his supporting leg; those. You will know the direction of his movement (he will not step with his supporting foot).
Let's conditionally divide the opponent's body into 2 levels: the first zone - to the waist; the second zone is above the belt.
So, in order to start dribbling, the ball must be in the first zone. Both zones are suitable for a pass, and for a throw, the ball must go from the first zone to the second. I hope it's clear for now. So, one hand is playing with the bottom zone (preventing dribbling and low passing), the second is defending against a shot and a pass from the upper zone. Remember about the legs: with bent legs it is much easier and faster to make a jerk. If the legs are straight, then for a jerk they must first be bent.
And one more piece of advice: pull the player all the time with your movements. Let the probability that these "ritual dances" help to knock out the ball will be small, but you will be able to knock the opponent out of his usual rhythm. And it's worth a lot!
Excellent defense: the ball is knocked out. Good defense - loss on pass, inaccurate pass, throw from an uncomfortable position.
Stage 3: Defense against the dribbler.
Assume that previous attempts to take possession of the ball have failed and the opponent has started to dribble.
How to defend yourself then?
Let's not consider those situations in which the opponent is obviously weaker than you. It's just not interesting. The opponent is stronger, faster and jumpier than you - that's a good situation. Like I said, close his strong side. But if you don't know its strengths and weaknesses; you don’t know how to hold: from a throw or from a pass - that is, a good solution. We are trying to make sure that you are the leader. One side is obviously closed - and the player is deliberately skipped to the other. So you can not lose in the starting jerk and not guess the direction of movement: it can only go in one direction. Try to push the opponent with the ball to the end line, from where he can no longer comfortably attack the basket. Clamp into a corner, press to the line.
Again: close one side tightly. Better - if it will be his forte; if you don’t know which one is strong, close your weak side and let defenses under your strong side. And a safety net: sometimes it's better not to let a player throw from an average distance.
Allowing him to get under the ring. After all, there will be a safety net in the form of a “big”, which cannot be thrown so easily.
Stage 4: Maintenance completed.
It can be a double step and a throw, a simple throw after a stop, a jump, a pivot (reversal), a series of displays, etc. Let's take a closer look at this.
Double step. Remember: he has 2 steps to complete the attack, and you have 2 steps to hit the ball down, and then another full step to block. I recommend doing this:
- A series of small touches to the ball during a double step (as if you were playing a drum). Thus, you will not knock out the ball, but you will disorientate it accurately. Yes, and in order to keep the ball, you have to make more.
- Trying to hit the ball from below! When hitting from above, there is a very high chance that you will hit your fingers - this is a foul. But from below: few people expect such a blow, few people close the ball from below.
And taking the ball up for a throw, he will receive an additional impulse, the push of the ball - throwing it as it was previously thought would not be so easy.
A little tip: after picking up the ball by the opponent, very often the ball goes down, and this is done strongly and abruptly. Just substitute okay from below at the level of the opponent's lower back: he himself will knock the ball against your hand. This is a very cool and often unexpected trick for the opponent.
- If it was a jump stop, or just a stop, then you need to get as close as possible and raise both hands vertically up. Now you can not be afraid of a foul.
Stage 5: Jump Shot.
It's good if you jump high and sharp - then try to block at the moment when the ball leaves the thrower's hand. You can just try to brush it off at the moment when the supporting hand is no longer involved in the throw, and the ball is on the wrist.
I will not talk about how to block-shot, this is a topic for a separate article.
Remember that you can block the thrower's view with your hand: just don't poke it in the eyes, just bring it closer to the thrower's face. A good way (if you have not already jumped out for a block shot, and the throw is being made) is to simulate contact with various organs of the opponent (guys, you understand what I mean). Belly, solar plexus, groin - all this interferes with concentration at the time of the throw. Well, and often on street sites there is a clap of hands: at games they can give a foul, but on the street it can bring down that very concentration.
And finally, I suggest watching the old film , about the individual protection of basketball players, filmed in the USSR. There are some really useful things in there (the movie is old - so turn up the volume).
[youtube]9GMNCBu0Kes[/youtube]
Well, that's all, the main points that will help you defend better without any drastic changes in the game.
I am sure that each of you found something useful in this article. If you have any questions or comments - write them in the comments, I will be glad to discuss.
And this article is over, I wish you successful training and see you soon on the pages of our site.
Defense in basketball: game tactics, tips
Basketball is a passion for millions of people around the world. Special results in the game to date have been achieved in the United States, it is here that the most powerful NBA league is located. It plays the best of the best. But to get there, you need to work long and hard. Today we will talk about the basics and consider the options for defense in basketball, although the entertainment of the game is the attack, it is the defense that sometimes brings titles in the game! Let's start looking into the issue.
Basketball: defense and attack
The basics of technique are laid in early childhood. It is very important to teach a child who attends the basketball section how to attack and defend in the game.
Moreover, you need to do it in such a way that the player understands that basketball is a team game, and not an individual running around with the ball around the court in an attempt to attack the opponent's basket against all odds. Unfortunately, in the early stages of training, this trend is visible in more than half of the novice players.
A good coach is one who helps a child to develop technique. Defense in basketball is an integral part of the game and should not be ignored or neglected. This is an important point. By the way, it is worth noting that defensive actions can be very spectacular and spectacular. In general, in basketball everything depends on the players, their technique and grace, and not on the tactical scheme or role.
Basketball Defense Tactics
There are three main defensive tactics in modern basketball. Of course, there are various combinations and variations of these tactics, but the fundamental ones are:
- zone defense in basketball;
- pressing;
- personal defensive actions (personal tutelage).
Let's take a closer look at each variant of tactics and identify the features.
Zone
Basketball defense in zone defense tactics implies the game of each defense player in his allotted zone. That is, defense players play only on their own area of the site and do not leave it. Defensive actions are carried out against the opponent who enters this area of the site. Leaving your zone is only possible to secure a teammate who has “failed” in defense.
Amateur teams use this defensive tactic, but not in the very early stages. Zone defense is a rather complex interaction of players even at the aforementioned amateur level of play, not to mention professional teams.
Zone defense is a way to deal with passes under the ring and provoke an opponent to shoot from a distance. Also, this type of protection significantly compensates for the reduced athletic qualities of the players. Zone defense means fewer moves for the defending side, which means more energy reserves for the rest of the game.
If we talk about the weaknesses of such a defense, then this can include the difficulty for inexperienced defenders to determine the joints of zones with a teammate. For this reason, none of the defenders may not reach the ball, that is, the opponent will make a throw without resistance.
Zone defense is an ineffective way of defending against teams with set three-point shots. Also, the opponent's coach can guess such an option when his best player will attack from the zone where the opponent's weakest defender is defending.
Personal defense (personal defense)
In this case, each defensive player plays against the opponent assigned to him, regardless of the location in the attacking actions of the latter. The defending player can switch to another attacking player if a teammate makes a mistake and the opponent goes to the pass. Personal defense is very common at the amateur level of the game, although professional teams also use this defensive tactic.
The personal defense is well proven for defending against teams that like to shoot from medium to long distances. But personal defense is not very good against teams that make a lot of passes under the basket. With the help of passes around the perimeter, the opponent can stretch the defenders around the court, which will be the preparation and release of the zone for the partner's pass. When the defenders are stretched enough, there will be a pass to a player who will make a pass and with a high probability will score the ball into the basket.
Pressing
A very aggressive tactic that requires good physical condition from defensive players. Defense in this case starts from the front line of the opponent. In other words, after a goal is scored, the players do not go to their own half of the court, but begin to actively interfere with the opponent's game right on his territory. To some extent, this defensive tactic in basketball can be considered an aggressive form of personal defense.
Such protection is chosen either by sufficiently trained amateur teams, or by professional ones. This tactic can completely break the opponent's game if we are talking about amateur basketball due to its rare use and lack of experience in playing against such actions. In fact, pressing is not only a defensive tactic, but also an attacking one.
The choice of tactics
The coach is always responsible for the choice of tactics in the game, he sees what is happening on the court from the side and understands in the best way how to act in order to keep the winning score or eliminate the gap from the opponent on points.
Based on his experience, a coach can change tactical actions in basketball defense several times not per game, but per quarter! This exhausts the opponent, gives him problems, because the opponent is also forced to change his style of play for each type of defense.
Modern tactics for professional teams are hybrids of several standard types of defense.
For example, one player on the defending team may use a personal defensive tactic against the offensive leader, while the rest of the players may play a zone defense method. There are a lot of variations and modifications of defense in modern basketball, especially when it comes to the games of professional players in the world's leading leagues!
Tribute to the times
Today, when players have a very high level of training, and equipment and equipment for playing at the highest level, it becomes more and more difficult to defend, as the speed and dynamics of events on the playing floor sometimes go off scale. Defense and offense in basketball are an arms race on the playground.
Some teams prefer to play as the first number, while others play from the opponent and from defense. These are just the features of the tactics and style of playing that the team's mentor promotes. This is not to say that an aggressive attack is always a victory, or a deep defense and toughness of the game is the right path to the championship.
Everything is very complicated and individual, not only for a particular opponent, but even for a particular period of time in the same game. Basketball at the highest level is simply amazing fiction, this applies to actions both in attack and in defense.
Tips
The necessary advice for defensive actions is distributed by the coach and does it during training. In general, training should be such that the defense technique in basketball is brought to automatism. This is achieved by training and more training! But there are some general tips to be aware of, especially in the early stages of teaching basketball defense.
Don't throw too much at a player when you're on the defensive. This can lead to a technical player passing you easily on the dribble. Throw forward to intercept only when you are absolutely sure that you can intercept the ball. Interceptions are best made by nimble and nimble point guards who defend farther from their basket.
Always try to belay your partner.
Basketball is a team game, and it is impossible without mutual assistance. But you need to insure your partner wisely, because when you switch from your player (or from your defense zone) when securing, you throw your player (or your site), and this is a free zone, that is, options for technically playing the ball in attack. Insure wisely, trying to outwit your opponent. For example, advance on an opponent who was being guarded by your partner but failed, and then, if you see that the opponent with the ball is trying to play an extra player, go back to your abandoned opponent and intercept the ball. In general, all this will come with experience.
As a rule, for the very beginning basketball players, the coach does not choose pressing as a style of play in defense, because such a defensive action scheme requires very serious physical preparation and the most well-coordinated team actions. And at the initial level, amateur teams do not have such skills.
Well, perhaps the most correct and best advice is training.
