Ahmet Dedeoğlu
06-16-2008, 02:32 AM
Low Post Fronting Drill
When the ball is on the wing, we 1/2 or 3/4 front the low post from the baseline side (and double-team with our opposite wing player). Fronting from the baseline side stops the baseline drop-step move. The defender straddles the post player with one foot behind and one foot in front with one arm wrapped around the front of the post player.
When the ball is at the point, we then step below and around, and get both feet above the offensive post with an arm bar on him/her and a hand in the passing lane. We step under (rather than in front of the offensive player) because we never give up inside position this way. If you step in front, it is possible for the offensive player to seal you and get inside position for the quick inside pass.
See the diagram. Pass the ball back and forth from the wing to the point. The post defender must quickly re-position with each pass. You can use both low blocks to teach defense on both sides of the court. This is a very simple but important drill in teaching correct fronting and defensive footwork.[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Pass into the Low Post, Double-Team
Sometimes the pass will get into the low post. We double-team this with our post defender on the baseline side (see above drill), and our opposite wing defender (who is already in the paint in helpside) from the lane side. This allows us to keep our opposite post defender on their other "big man".
This drill stresses helpside positioning of the wing defenders and double-teaming the low post, and correct 1/2 - 3/4 front positioning by our low post defender. We start with the ball on the wing, allow the pass into the post and then set the double-team. The ball is skipped passed to the opposite wing, the wing defender sprints out to close-out, the opposite wing slides into helpside and the ball is passed into the opposite post.
Pointer: On the skip pass from the post to the opposite wing, instead of the our helpside wing defender sprinting all the way out to his/her man, we will have our point defender cover this pass and the helpside wing defender jumps out to cover the point guard, who is closer and easier to get to. We call this a defensive "X-cut". You can drill this 5-on-5.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Defending Baseline Dribble Penetration
Baseline dribble-penetration is also double-teamed by the dribbler's defender and the ballside post player. The opposite post must slide over quickly to pick up the post player vacated by the trapping post defender, while in this case, the weakside wing defender drops down to defend the weakside post player. In this situation, the weakside post player is less of a threat since he/she is nearly two passes away.
You can drill this with either a 3-on-3 drill, or by adding the opposite wing defender (4-on-4 drill). You can run this drill in conjunction with the previous drill (Pass into the Low Post drill).
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Post Defense vs Cutter
We want our post defenders to impede or slow-down cutters by getting in the cutter's way and using an "arm bar". We do not grab, elbow or do anything unsportsmanlike here, but simply try to use our strength and footwork to disrupt the cutter's timing or put him/her off the intended path of the cut. This drill also stresses correct helpside positioning when the ball is on the wing, and correct baseline fronting position.
See the diagrams below. Two offensive wing players, one offensive post and one defensive post are used. Start with the ball on the wing opposite the offensive post player. The post defender should now be in helpside with one foot on the helpside line (imaginary vertical line in the center of the paint). The offensive post player cuts to the ballside block. The defensive post tries to impede the cutter with an arm bar and then 1/2 - 3/4 fronts from the baseline side. The ball is passed to the opposite wing, the defender moves into helpside, and the cut and "bump" are repeated going back to the ballside.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Defending Inside (Post) Screens
We "step under" all inside lateral post screens. If the cutter cuts low, we "stay" with our man and do not switch. If the cutter goes high, we "step under and switch" the screen. The screener's man yells "screen, screen, screen!". The defender being screened immediately takes a step back toward the baseline and steps under the screen. Now if the cutter goes low, he/she can just stay with his/her man and both defenders are in good position (see the top two diagrams at the right).
Now look at the bottom two diagrams. Again the screened defender steps under toward the baseline. If the cutter goes high, the defense switches. By stepping under, the X5 defender is in good position to step around and front O4 from the baseline side.[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
You can work this drill from both wings. At the start, one post defender should be 1/2 fronting from the baseline side while the other post defender should be in helpside.
Wing Deny Drill
This drill emphasizes denying the pass to the offensive wing player. We want to deny both the pass to the V-cut outside and also deny the pass to the backcutting wing player.
See the diagram. You need a lot of balls for this drill. Your assistant or a manager makes the rapid fire pass to the wing V-cutting. The defensive player denies this pass by tipping it away with his/her right hand (on the right side of the court). Using that hand allows the defender to still see and stay with his/her man. If the other hand is used instead (incorrectly) and the deflection is missed, the defender is easily beaten by the backcut. After deflecting the pass to the V-cut, the offensive wing makes the quick backcut toward the hoop and the assistant tries to make that pass. The defender tries to deflect that pass as well. A good defender will be able to deflect both the V-cut pass and the backcut pass. Each rotation features both passes. Players waiting in line can help supply balls to the passer (assistant).
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Wing Helpside, Skip-Pass and Close-Out Drill
Our wing players must learn to play correct helpside defense (in the paint) when ball is two passes away on the opposite wing. This will help protect the paint from inside dribble-penetration and passing, and we can also use this helpside wing to double-team the low post (see above). On the other hand, the wing player must also close-out quickly when the ball is skipped-passed back to his/her man. See the diagrams below. Use two offensive and two defensive wing players. The ball is skipped passed back and forth while the defenders work on correct helpside positioning and closing-out. Rotate offense to defense after several passes back and forth.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Wing Skip-Pass, Deny Cutter Drill
Wing players must learn to play helpside defense and react to and deny cutters. Start with the ball on either wing, with the opposite wing defender in helpside. When the ball is skip-passed, the helpside defender closes-out (we teach on the top shoulder, forcing baseline). X2 drops toward helpside, as O2 tries to cut in front of X2 into the lane for the pass and shot. We teach our wing players not only to drop into helpside when the ball is skip-passed, but also to immediately "jump to the ball", that is the first steps are toward the ball. This puts the defender in the path of the cutter, in a position to use an arm bar (not a push) to force the cutter off the intended path of the cut, so the defender can stay between the ball and the cutter. O3 can pass to the cutter. Otherwise the cutter rotates back out to the wing for the next skip pass, which keeps the drill going. Note that when the cutter O2 moves back out to the wing, the defender (X2) stays in the paint in helpside, rather than chasing the cutter back outside. Rotate offense to defense after several passes.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Wing Skip-Pass and Box-Out Back-Side Drill
This a helpside, close-out and box-out drill. Start with the ball on either wing, with the opposite wing defender in helpside. When the ball is skip-passed, the helpside defender closes-out. X2 sprints to helpside. O3 shoots and O2 goes for the back-side rebound. X2 must find and box-out O2 and rebound. X3 must box-out the shooter (without fouling). Rotate offense to defense after several shots, using both sides.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
When the ball is on the wing, we 1/2 or 3/4 front the low post from the baseline side (and double-team with our opposite wing player). Fronting from the baseline side stops the baseline drop-step move. The defender straddles the post player with one foot behind and one foot in front with one arm wrapped around the front of the post player.
When the ball is at the point, we then step below and around, and get both feet above the offensive post with an arm bar on him/her and a hand in the passing lane. We step under (rather than in front of the offensive player) because we never give up inside position this way. If you step in front, it is possible for the offensive player to seal you and get inside position for the quick inside pass.
See the diagram. Pass the ball back and forth from the wing to the point. The post defender must quickly re-position with each pass. You can use both low blocks to teach defense on both sides of the court. This is a very simple but important drill in teaching correct fronting and defensive footwork.[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Pass into the Low Post, Double-Team
Sometimes the pass will get into the low post. We double-team this with our post defender on the baseline side (see above drill), and our opposite wing defender (who is already in the paint in helpside) from the lane side. This allows us to keep our opposite post defender on their other "big man".
This drill stresses helpside positioning of the wing defenders and double-teaming the low post, and correct 1/2 - 3/4 front positioning by our low post defender. We start with the ball on the wing, allow the pass into the post and then set the double-team. The ball is skipped passed to the opposite wing, the wing defender sprints out to close-out, the opposite wing slides into helpside and the ball is passed into the opposite post.
Pointer: On the skip pass from the post to the opposite wing, instead of the our helpside wing defender sprinting all the way out to his/her man, we will have our point defender cover this pass and the helpside wing defender jumps out to cover the point guard, who is closer and easier to get to. We call this a defensive "X-cut". You can drill this 5-on-5.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Defending Baseline Dribble Penetration
Baseline dribble-penetration is also double-teamed by the dribbler's defender and the ballside post player. The opposite post must slide over quickly to pick up the post player vacated by the trapping post defender, while in this case, the weakside wing defender drops down to defend the weakside post player. In this situation, the weakside post player is less of a threat since he/she is nearly two passes away.
You can drill this with either a 3-on-3 drill, or by adding the opposite wing defender (4-on-4 drill). You can run this drill in conjunction with the previous drill (Pass into the Low Post drill).
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Post Defense vs Cutter
We want our post defenders to impede or slow-down cutters by getting in the cutter's way and using an "arm bar". We do not grab, elbow or do anything unsportsmanlike here, but simply try to use our strength and footwork to disrupt the cutter's timing or put him/her off the intended path of the cut. This drill also stresses correct helpside positioning when the ball is on the wing, and correct baseline fronting position.
See the diagrams below. Two offensive wing players, one offensive post and one defensive post are used. Start with the ball on the wing opposite the offensive post player. The post defender should now be in helpside with one foot on the helpside line (imaginary vertical line in the center of the paint). The offensive post player cuts to the ballside block. The defensive post tries to impede the cutter with an arm bar and then 1/2 - 3/4 fronts from the baseline side. The ball is passed to the opposite wing, the defender moves into helpside, and the cut and "bump" are repeated going back to the ballside.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Defending Inside (Post) Screens
We "step under" all inside lateral post screens. If the cutter cuts low, we "stay" with our man and do not switch. If the cutter goes high, we "step under and switch" the screen. The screener's man yells "screen, screen, screen!". The defender being screened immediately takes a step back toward the baseline and steps under the screen. Now if the cutter goes low, he/she can just stay with his/her man and both defenders are in good position (see the top two diagrams at the right).
Now look at the bottom two diagrams. Again the screened defender steps under toward the baseline. If the cutter goes high, the defense switches. By stepping under, the X5 defender is in good position to step around and front O4 from the baseline side.[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
You can work this drill from both wings. At the start, one post defender should be 1/2 fronting from the baseline side while the other post defender should be in helpside.
Wing Deny Drill
This drill emphasizes denying the pass to the offensive wing player. We want to deny both the pass to the V-cut outside and also deny the pass to the backcutting wing player.
See the diagram. You need a lot of balls for this drill. Your assistant or a manager makes the rapid fire pass to the wing V-cutting. The defensive player denies this pass by tipping it away with his/her right hand (on the right side of the court). Using that hand allows the defender to still see and stay with his/her man. If the other hand is used instead (incorrectly) and the deflection is missed, the defender is easily beaten by the backcut. After deflecting the pass to the V-cut, the offensive wing makes the quick backcut toward the hoop and the assistant tries to make that pass. The defender tries to deflect that pass as well. A good defender will be able to deflect both the V-cut pass and the backcut pass. Each rotation features both passes. Players waiting in line can help supply balls to the passer (assistant).
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Wing Helpside, Skip-Pass and Close-Out Drill
Our wing players must learn to play correct helpside defense (in the paint) when ball is two passes away on the opposite wing. This will help protect the paint from inside dribble-penetration and passing, and we can also use this helpside wing to double-team the low post (see above). On the other hand, the wing player must also close-out quickly when the ball is skipped-passed back to his/her man. See the diagrams below. Use two offensive and two defensive wing players. The ball is skipped passed back and forth while the defenders work on correct helpside positioning and closing-out. Rotate offense to defense after several passes back and forth.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Wing Skip-Pass, Deny Cutter Drill
Wing players must learn to play helpside defense and react to and deny cutters. Start with the ball on either wing, with the opposite wing defender in helpside. When the ball is skip-passed, the helpside defender closes-out (we teach on the top shoulder, forcing baseline). X2 drops toward helpside, as O2 tries to cut in front of X2 into the lane for the pass and shot. We teach our wing players not only to drop into helpside when the ball is skip-passed, but also to immediately "jump to the ball", that is the first steps are toward the ball. This puts the defender in the path of the cutter, in a position to use an arm bar (not a push) to force the cutter off the intended path of the cut, so the defender can stay between the ball and the cutter. O3 can pass to the cutter. Otherwise the cutter rotates back out to the wing for the next skip pass, which keeps the drill going. Note that when the cutter O2 moves back out to the wing, the defender (X2) stays in the paint in helpside, rather than chasing the cutter back outside. Rotate offense to defense after several passes.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Wing Skip-Pass and Box-Out Back-Side Drill
This a helpside, close-out and box-out drill. Start with the ball on either wing, with the opposite wing defender in helpside. When the ball is skip-passed, the helpside defender closes-out. X2 sprints to helpside. O3 shoots and O2 goes for the back-side rebound. X2 must find and box-out O2 and rebound. X3 must box-out the shooter (without fouling). Rotate offense to defense after several shots, using both sides.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]