Ahmet Dedeoğlu
06-16-2008, 02:35 AM
Pick and Roll Defense Drill
We "jump-switch" outside pick and roll screens, and also hand-off (weave) screens. The screener's man yells "screen!" as the pick is being set. He "jumps" out on the ball, switches and stops dribble-penetration. Meanwhile, to prevent the bounce-pass to the "roller", the screened defender aggressively steps around and maintains contact with the screener as he/she rolls off the screen. An over-the-top lob pass can be intercepted by our low helpside players.
If the ball-handler goes in the opposite direction instead, the defenders do not switch, and X2 must now aggressively step around O2 to deny the bounce pass. After several possessions, rotate offense and defense. You can play live, keep score, with losers doing push-ups.
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Defending Back-Screen Drill
We switch back-screens. This can create a size mis-match, but at least we have both offensive players guarded. We try to switch back at the earliest opportunity.
The screener's man yells "screen!" as the pick is being set and switches, picking up the back-cutter. The screened defender aggressively steps over and around the screen to avoid being pinned by the screener. In this 3-on-3 drill, we try to make the pass from the point to either the back-cutter or the screener. Defenders must deny both passes. Rotate offense to defense after three possessions.[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Defending Down-Screen Drill
We chase the offensive player around a downscreen and do not switch. It would seem to make sense to switch this screen, except that switching makes you vulnerable to the flare cut to the short corner (see diagram below right). So we aggressively chase around the screen. Use this 3-on-3 drill, with the point guard trying to pass to either the cutter or the screener. Rotate offense to defense after three possessions.
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Close Seam and Recover Drill
We like tight pressure on the ball. But this can make us vulnerable to dribble-penetration. We try to deny dribble-penetration by "closing the seam", getting the adjacent perimeter player to "hedge" (help and recover). Players must move their feet quickly to get position and not just reach-in and swipe at the ball. When the ball is passed back out to the helper's man, he/she must recover quickly to the ball. Players should understand that the goal is not to double-team the ball (we don't double team in the middle of the court). Rather, the help defender must stop the dribbler, and then quickly recover to his/her own man. See the diagrams below. Go 3-on-3 and play live. The offense must attack the seams. Keep score. Losers do push-ups. You can also run the drill 2-on-2.
We also vary this drill sometimes by starting all three defenders down near the basket, and have a coach or manager roll the ball out to one of the three offensive players. This also teaches our on-ball defender to close-out on the ball, and our help-side defender to get helpside (if the ball is rolled out to a wing).
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Defense vs Dribble-Penetration from the Top
Dribble-penetration from the point is a problem since the helpside defense is not established when the ball is at the point. We try to stop this by closing the seams (see previous drill), and also having our post defenders "hedge". We don't want our posts to completely leave their men down low, as this then allows for the easy bounce pass to their vacated person for the lay-up. Instead we have our posts hedge up toward the dribbler (O1) as if they were going to attack but then quickly drop back on their men. Hopefully this will confuse the dribbler and result in a pass that we can intercept, or cause him/her to pull-up or delay and give our point defender X1 time to recover to get some pressure on O1's shot.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Use this 3-on-3 drill, allowing O1 to dribble-penetrate on X1. The post defenders must hedge and get back to their men. X1 must try to recover quickly. After several possessions, rotate offense and defense. Keep score, losers do push-ups.
We "jump-switch" outside pick and roll screens, and also hand-off (weave) screens. The screener's man yells "screen!" as the pick is being set. He "jumps" out on the ball, switches and stops dribble-penetration. Meanwhile, to prevent the bounce-pass to the "roller", the screened defender aggressively steps around and maintains contact with the screener as he/she rolls off the screen. An over-the-top lob pass can be intercepted by our low helpside players.
If the ball-handler goes in the opposite direction instead, the defenders do not switch, and X2 must now aggressively step around O2 to deny the bounce pass. After several possessions, rotate offense and defense. You can play live, keep score, with losers doing push-ups.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Defending Back-Screen Drill
We switch back-screens. This can create a size mis-match, but at least we have both offensive players guarded. We try to switch back at the earliest opportunity.
The screener's man yells "screen!" as the pick is being set and switches, picking up the back-cutter. The screened defender aggressively steps over and around the screen to avoid being pinned by the screener. In this 3-on-3 drill, we try to make the pass from the point to either the back-cutter or the screener. Defenders must deny both passes. Rotate offense to defense after three possessions.[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Defending Down-Screen Drill
We chase the offensive player around a downscreen and do not switch. It would seem to make sense to switch this screen, except that switching makes you vulnerable to the flare cut to the short corner (see diagram below right). So we aggressively chase around the screen. Use this 3-on-3 drill, with the point guard trying to pass to either the cutter or the screener. Rotate offense to defense after three possessions.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Close Seam and Recover Drill
We like tight pressure on the ball. But this can make us vulnerable to dribble-penetration. We try to deny dribble-penetration by "closing the seam", getting the adjacent perimeter player to "hedge" (help and recover). Players must move their feet quickly to get position and not just reach-in and swipe at the ball. When the ball is passed back out to the helper's man, he/she must recover quickly to the ball. Players should understand that the goal is not to double-team the ball (we don't double team in the middle of the court). Rather, the help defender must stop the dribbler, and then quickly recover to his/her own man. See the diagrams below. Go 3-on-3 and play live. The offense must attack the seams. Keep score. Losers do push-ups. You can also run the drill 2-on-2.
We also vary this drill sometimes by starting all three defenders down near the basket, and have a coach or manager roll the ball out to one of the three offensive players. This also teaches our on-ball defender to close-out on the ball, and our help-side defender to get helpside (if the ball is rolled out to a wing).
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Defense vs Dribble-Penetration from the Top
Dribble-penetration from the point is a problem since the helpside defense is not established when the ball is at the point. We try to stop this by closing the seams (see previous drill), and also having our post defenders "hedge". We don't want our posts to completely leave their men down low, as this then allows for the easy bounce pass to their vacated person for the lay-up. Instead we have our posts hedge up toward the dribbler (O1) as if they were going to attack but then quickly drop back on their men. Hopefully this will confuse the dribbler and result in a pass that we can intercept, or cause him/her to pull-up or delay and give our point defender X1 time to recover to get some pressure on O1's shot.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links]
Use this 3-on-3 drill, allowing O1 to dribble-penetrate on X1. The post defenders must hedge and get back to their men. X1 must try to recover quickly. After several possessions, rotate offense and defense. Keep score, losers do push-ups.