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Defending Doubles

Handling Double Screens

Double screens are a very popular tactic used by teams at every level. They are usually run for the to create opportunities for shooters on the baseline. Unprepared defenses run the risk of gibing up open shots, or even scoring runs, against offenses that feature this type of action.

Typically, man-to-man defenses defend off-ball screens by going on the ball-side of the screen. This is usually a sound defensive approach, even against decent shooters, because it forces the player taking the screen to fade the screen, which limits the chances of players getting shoty opportunities in the basket area. But against double screens, going on the ball side of the screen can backfire by giving up wide open looks. As a result, we spend some time each season preparing specifically to defend doubles.

Anytime we face a double screen, we trail and bump. This meas that the defender assigned to the player coming off of the screen trails on the screen, following right behind his man, so that if the ball is caught on the perimeter, we are right there to apply defensive pressure. If the offensive player responds by curling to the basket, the defender assigned to the second screener steps up and bumps the curl. This is done by stepping up into curling players intended path and positioning the inside forearm (the forearm closest to the man, not the ball) parallel to the ground at just below shoulder level in an arm bar. The outside hand (the hand closest to the ball) is out denying the pass. The offensive player should run (bump) into the arm bar so the defense isn’t whistled for initiating the contact. When the trailing defender catches up, the player that “bumps” returns to defend his assignment. The defender assigned to the first screener (the one that the man rubs shoulder at the beginning of the screen) gets ready to help if the second screener slips the screen with a cut to the basket.

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2 Man Fast Break Drill

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Purpose: This drill emphasizes pushing the ball up the middle of the floor and sprinting the lanes. Organization: Start with a line on opposite corners of the floor and a man with a ball under each basket. Procedure: 1 and 3 outlet the ball to the first man in their line (2 and 4). 1 and 3 follow their passes and sprint the floor for a return pass and shot on the other end. The man who receives the outlet pushes the ball up the middle to the opposite free throw line. At the free throw line he makes a jump stop and a bounce pass for a lay-up. The passer then rebounds the shot and outlets the ball. He sprints the lane, becoming the shooter on a return trip down-court. The shooter goes to the end of the line in the corner. Coaching Points: The ball-handler should get to the free throw line in as few dribbles as possible. For high school boys, this means he should get there in no more than 3 dribbles. Run Wide. Players should run the lanes wide, sprinting near the sideline. When they approach the 3 point line, they should angle in, changing direction and cutting straight to the basket. The ball-handler should make a 2 foot jump stop at the free throw line and deliver a bounce pass to the shooter for the lay-up. This gives him the option to shoot the ball if the pass isn‟t available and the situation is appropriate. Variations: The runner can receive a chest pass for a 12-15 foot pull-up jump shot. The ball-handler can pass to the runner at the wing area, V-cut, and follow his pass to the ball-side elbow for a return pass and jump shot.

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Teaching the Flex Video Tutorial!

This is a 20 minute narrated video ‘chalk talk’ on the flex.

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Defensive Communication Combo Drill

1 on 1 with help Purpose: This is an excellent multipurpose drill. It teaches on-ball defenders to pressure the ball aggressively while forcing the ballhandler to the sideline. It teaches help defenders to step out of the key to help on penetration. For young players, the value of help defense is reinforced through the message that playing 2 on 1 (in the sense that the on-ball defender always has help available) is much more difficult to score against than playing 1 on 1 with no help. Players learn to pressure the ball while also containing the ball. This drill is also excellent at developing consistent defensive communication between teammates.

Organization: Players form 3 lines across half court. The front player in the middle line has a ball. Procedure: 1. Player begin the drill like a 3 man weave. 1 passes to 2, who is cutting towards the middle of the floor. 1 follows his pass, stopping just past half court near the sideline. 2. 2 passes to 3, who is cutting across the court towards 1. After passing, 2 follows his pass and goes into the key. 3. 3 passes to 1 and steps up to defend 1.

4. 1 attempts to make a scoring move. 3 defends, influencing 1 to the sideline. If 3 gets beat in either direction, 2 steps out of the paint to help. 5. Play continues until a player makes a shot. If 1 misses his shot or turns the ball over, the player who secures the rebound (or steal) dribbles out to the perimeter and the other 2 players communicate, with one player defending the ball (calling “I’ve got ball!”!) and the other defender getting into help position (calling “I’ve got help!”). 6. There should never be two defenders on the ball. Instead, one player defends the ball while the other establishes help position in the key. This requires excellent communication and adjustment

Coaching Points: 1. help defenders should look to help early, before the offensive players able to get into the paint for shot. When helping, defensive players should establish their feet outside of the key with arms fully extended, standing “number to number” with the offensive player. 2. On-ball defenders should work to keep the ball on one side of the floor, discouraging penetration to the middle, while containing the dribble (don’t get beat).

The defender influences his man toward the sideline by splitting the defender with the back foot. We want to keep the ball on the side where we we have established our help defense 3 can pressure the ballhandler knowing that he has support from 2. (2 is emulating help position - the shaded 2 on the wing represents an imaginary matchup - the coach can stand still in this position during the drill in order to give help defenders more of a game feel.)The help defender holds his position as long as the ball is being contained - we don’t want to over-commit by helping when it isn’t needed and forgetting about our assigned matchup.

If there is no shot, play continues with one on-ball defender and one help defender. 3 would yell “I got Help!” on the shift into help position.

We try to provide early help outside of the paint on drives to the middle as well.

Play continues until a basket is scored. If the emphasis is on defense and communication, , the coach can have players dribble out to the perimeter on all rebounds so that defenders can continue to communicate and adjust. If the emphasis is on rebounding, the coach can allow players to go for the aggressive put back under pressure on all rebounds.

Defenders continue to communicate: 3 yells “ball”, and influences towards the sideline 1 yells “Help” and assumes an open stance with vision of the weak side. When a basket is scored, all 3 players step off the floor and the next group of 3 begins. Offensively, this drill emulates game conditions by forcing the offense to conserve motion to focus on the scoring move rather than just focusing on beating his man 1 on 1. Players can develop recognition on when to drive to the basket and when to respond to help with a pull-up jump-shot. fundamentals of man to man defense, teaching defensive communication

Jab Step Series|Coaching Guard Play

Purpose: To teach perimeter moves using a simple, quick jab-step

Organization: Perimeter players line up at the top of the key at any open hoops in the gym. Each player has a ball. This drill can be used with all players, including post players (all players should be taught all skills - particularly big players, who might not be big enough to play their current position at the next level). Alternatively, this drill can be used on one half of the floor with only the guards while post players do position-specific work at the other end of the floor.

Procedure:

1. Each player makes a quick jab step followed by a scoring move.

2. Each player rebounds his own shot, then goes to an open spot or a line) at the top of a key.

3. Players continue in this fashion for a prescribed amount of time.

Coaching Points:

1. Jab steps should be short (stepping only about 6 inches forwards), quick, performed with the strong foot (i.e. right handed players jab with the right foot) and forward. Too often, players make a lateral (sideways) step when they jab. Intelligent defenders will recognize that this type of maneuver poses no threat of actual dribble penetration.

2. Players perform one of three moves:

a. Jab step and shoot (this is performed when the defender takes a step back to honor the jab step).

b. Jab step and drive. (This is performed when the defender does not move backwards to honor the jab - the offensive player must explode to the hoop in one or two dribbles, directly past the defender (off the defender’s shoulder) so that the defender has no space to recover

c. Jab step, pump fake, and drive. If the defender does not respond to the jab step, the offense gives the defense another opportunity to respond to a pump fake. This is performed by bringing the ball up just above the shoulder of the shooting hand (i.e. the right shoulder of a right handed shooter) and cocking the wrists backwards. The offense does not need to jerk or heave the ball in an upwards motion, as this does not even closely resemble a shot attempt and holds the danger of making the offensive player lose balance. Pretending (for the sake of the drill - there is no defense) that the defender has responded to the pump fake, the offensive players explodes to the basket in one or two dribbles for a layup.

Tags: jab step, guard play, perimeter play

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