You've heard the expression "there's more than one way to skin a cat." Well that definitely applies to playing defense. Because there is definitely more than one way to stop the opposing team's offense. You can play man-to-man, you can use a zone, you can press. Here at D-Fence, we'll lay out for you different defensive strategies, drills for how to have your team work on them, and tips on how to play the stingiest defense you can muster.
Need to take your defense to the next level to stop the best player on the other team? Well here are some hints from the pros to smother the opposition:
TIPS FOR ON-BALL DEFENSE
Play defense with your feet - don't reach in with your hands
* Have your feet shoulder width apart and slightly bend at the knees, not the waist
* Slide your feet side to side without crossing them over; keep them equal distance from each other, do not tap your feet together
Keep your head in line with the basketball
Keep your player about arms length away with your arms up and out at your side
Pressure the pass - when your player picks up the ball from a dribble, make it hard for them to pass it to a teammate
* Stand up close to your player and smother them while mirroring the ball with your hands
Force the ball down the side of the court - keep the ball out of the middle of the court
TIPS FOR OFF-BALL DEFENSE (Ball, Me, Player)
Create a triangle, knowing where you are on the floor, seeing both the ball and your player
Point to both the ball and your player, creating a triangle with your arms
As the ball moves, you move - the angles of your triangle will also change
Help stop dribble penetration - be ready to help your teammates
* When your teammate gets beat off the dribble, step in and help defend their player
Help and recover using your feet - do not try to help by standing in place and reaching in
* In your defensive stance, slide your feet into the offensive player's path
Communicate with your teammates - make sure to call the screens and cutters coming through
Anticipate helping your teammates - make sure you see all of the offensive players, don't just completely focus on your own
Good defense requires good footwork. Here are some drills to make your feet quicker:
Speed Slides
Start in the middle of the key. Start off by sliding to your right and touching the line. Then slide to your left and touch the other line. Keep going back and forth for 30 seconds.
Line Hops
Find a line on the court. Start on one side and hop over the line. Keep hopping back and forth as fast as you can over the line. Count how many times you hop in 30 seconds.
Four Spot Hops
Find two lines that intersect on the court. You should see an "X" with four boxes. Jump from one box to the other as fast as you can. Count how many jumps you get in 30 seconds.
Zig Zags
To improve your on-ball defense, you must practice at game speed. Here is a drill where you can go one-on-one verse a teammate full court.
Divide the team into pairs; players should be of like positions
One player starts with the ball and dribbles down the court in a zig zag form, changing direction at the foul lines and half court
The other player is the defender and must contain the dribbler, moving their feet to stay in front
* Coaches, have the defensive players start this drill with their hands behind their back so they are conditioned to move their feet instead of reaching with their hands.
Zig Zag One-on-One Full Court (for a more advanced team)
This is a full court drill
Player zig zags from baseline to half court
At half court, the players play one-on-one with the offense trying to drive to the basket to score
Coming Next Week: defensive spacing and benefits of man-to-man defense!
