Run and Jump halfcourt wrinkle – Trap Up
Another Run and Jump tactic that is very effective out of a halfcourt man to man defense is trapping up.
- In the same way that the run and jump is executed in a fullcourt setting, an off-ball defensive player who is one pass away from the ball leaves his/her assignment and aggressively springs a trap on the ball.
- Off-ball defenders rotate into a zone formation and follow off-ball defensive principles for zone trap (“gapping“, read the passer’s shoulders to anticipate where the pass will go, etc). As with ‘trapping down’ it is important to quickly rotate to cover the open offensive player – the one whose assigned defender sprung the trap). If this rotation is slow, the defense is going to pay – badly – against intelligent teams.
- The primary difference from the fullcourt run and jump is that trapping up is not typically keyed by an uncontrolled dribble. Usually the tactic is planned in a timeout, or called by the coach – whatever approach you choose to take to trigger the trap, it should at least seem arbitrary to the opposing team. The idea is to keep the opponent off-balance – so they shouldn’t be able to anticipate the trap.
- This tactic – coupled with trapping down – can combine to form a very potent ’surprise and change’ defensive package that throws the opponent completely off rhythm.
- I should add that – if forced to choose my preference, I tend to lean more on the ’simplicity and execution’ side of the scale of defensive philosophy.
- Still, I love the disruption that Run and Jump and Scramble principles bring to the table. Just make sure to teach those principles well, or your team will be the scrambled one.
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