Correct positioning: key to a tough defense.

Key to a Tough Defense

A drill program designed to equip the player with the techniques of individual defense

Teaching defense involves more than simply getting your kids to play hard. Lots of teams play hard but out of control. The result is chaos and an abundance of fouls.

To play tough defense, you have to master the individual techniques, execute with great individual and team effort, communicate, and play with an "us against the ball" rather than "I'll defense mine and you defend yours" team mentality.

Coaches throughout the country spend many hours on the defensive shell drill - four defenders vs four attackers on the offensive perimeter, with the defenders moving according to the location of the ball and their opponent.

We do a lot of shell drilling ourselves. But we start with individual positioning. A knowledge of correct positioning, we believe, will help toughen any team defense.

The accompanying diagrams show how we teach individual positioning.

Diag. 1: As you can see, we set up five offensive people on the perimeter (2 to 6) and the individual defender in help position in the lane (since the player she will defend, 4, is two passes from the ball). She is actually the No. 1 player in this rotating drill, but we will designate her as X.

The drill starts with 2 skip-passing to 4. While the ball is in the air, X will close out on 4, yelling "Close! Close! Close!" while she does so.

We make our players verbalize everything they do defensively - a habit that improves our communication and fosters confidence among the players, two essentials of great defense. Depending on 4's quickness off the dribble or long-range shooting capability, X can close out closer or farther away than the usual one-arm's length.

Diag. 2: As 4 dribbles baseline, X uses a "push-step" technique to defend the dribble, stopping on the baseline to deny the baseline drive.

When 4 picks up the basketball at the baseline, she must square to the hoop and pivot sweep. X must chest up to her, put her thumbs together and trace the ball as 4 pivots and sweeps the ball.

Note: X traces the ball to avoid getting into the habit of slapping it, which leads to silly fouls. She also yells "Stick! Stick! Stick!" - which tells her teammates that the dribbler has lost her dribble and that they must be in an all-out denial.

As 4 dribbles to the baseline, 5 steps up to replace her.

Diag. 3: As 4 passes to 5, X jumps to the spot that triangulates her with 4 and 5, while verbalizing "Pistols! Pistols! Pistols!" followed by "I've got your gap! I've got your gap! I've got your gap!" to 5's would-be defender.

The "pistols" mean that X is pointing to the ball and opponent, seeing them both. Her "triangle" spot on the floor or the gap will enable her to help out if 5 dribble-drives to the hoop, yet leaves her in position to defend her own opponent (4) on a backdoor cut or a return pass from 5.

Diag. 4: 5 passes to 3, who holds the ball long enough to allow X to sag to a spot that gives her the vision to play good help defense. As always, X must verbalize all of her actions.

Diag. 5: As shown, 4 can cut backdoor to the hoop and, if picked up by X, return to her baseline position.

Diag. 6: When 3 passes to 2, X will adjust by triangulating to a spot that will enable her to see the ball and her opponent.

If 2 (ball-handler) drives to the basket, X must assume that 2's defender has been beaten and X must now provide help on the drive - forcing the dribbler to back up to her original spot on the floor, with X adjusting her triangle accordingly.

Diag. 7: 4 flashes hard straight across the lane to a post-up position. X must "arm-bar" the cutter by placing her forearm on the cutter's chest or simply jamming her.

Diag. 8 and 9: show the same kind of defensive response against cuts from the 4 position - from low block up to elbow, and to elbow and then down to low block.

As you can see, the defender first arm-bars the cutter and then picks the cutter up as she moves to a post-up position. X must front the post or play 3/4 high or low side, or behind.

At the end of this individual-defense sequence, the players rotate as follows: 1 (our original defensive player) replaces 2, 2 takes 3's place, 3 goes to the end of the waiting line at the wing, 4 becomes the new defender, and 5 becomes the first person in the wing line.

By practicing the drill at various baskets, we keep everyone busy or at least have as few players as possible just standing around.

It takes time to teach this individual defensive drill, but once the players learn the sequence, they find it easy to perform.

We follow up this drill with 4-on-4 and 5-on-5 shell drills, making absolutely certain that we verbalize, deny the penetrating dribble, and arm-bar all cutters.

We award points for such acts as well as for denying a pass from wing to post, cutting off the baseline, and taking a charge.

We take away point for all fouls standing flat-footed, not using pistols, and allowing baskets.

The awarding of points and the creation of mini-teams have enhanced the competitive atmosphere of our practices and intensified the team effort.

Teaching team defense first in part (as shown here) and then in shell drill as a whole has strengthened our overall team defense many times over.

Numerous college scouts and coaches have complimented us on our terrific team defense, and it has become a great source of pride to all our players.

Try it!