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18 draw&dish Jan’06

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TacticsZone Important points to remember, to practice and to execute in games are summarised as follow: Position • You must be between the player and the basket when guarding a player with the ball • Play ‘in the passing lane’ when guarding a player “one pass away” from the ball.

• Play ‘help defense’ (towards the ‘split line’) when guarding the player ‘two or more passes away’ from the ball.

Spacing • Play about an arms length away when guarding a player with the ball.

If you know they are quicker then you play a bit further away, if you are quicker go a bit closer.

• Play closer and apply more pressure once they have used their dribble.

Stance • Keep in the proper defensive stance.

Feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, and head up, hands ready.

• Keep ‘low’ and ‘wide’.

• Stay in the stance and you’ll be quicker and more balanced. Stand up and you’ll be beaten every time.

• Remember ‘nose behind toes’ – if you lean forward with your head you’ll be off balance and beaten easily.

Ball pressure • Your main objective as a defender is to put pressure on the pass or shot!

• Apply as much pressure to the ball as you can!

• Trace the ball with your upper hand.

• ‘Dig up’ – don’t slap down!

• Don’t foul!

• If the player has the ball well protected behind, don’t reach around or give up your position and let them past you.

• No easy, uncontested shots!

• Try and block the player’s view of the court and basket.

• Be like a fencer!

• Don’t reach with your head!

Quickness • Stay on the balls of your feet.

• Shuffle – glide!

• Big then bigger, then big again – don’t bring your feet together!

• Keep your feet moving – pitter patter – remember the tennis player waiting for the serve.

20 draw&dish Jan’06

• Stay on one level – don’t move up and down – stay low. No bobbing heads!

Vision • Keep your head up – see the whole court!

• You must be able to see the ball and your man – remember ‘pointing pistols’.

• If in doubt, watch the ball.

• When sprinting back down the court, look over the inside shoulder, always look at the ball.

Defensive Defense requires effort, determination, aggression and concentration rather than the ball skills required to be a great offensive player.

Postures

Attitude • Controlled aggression!

• You must want to play defense! You must want the ball!

• Say to yourself: “They are not going to get that shot away!” “They are not going to drive past me!”

• Be nasty, mean and greedy – it’s your ball – not theirs!

• When chasing a player, run for a spot on the court they want to get to and get there first!

Transition • Sprint! Get back down the court before they do!

• Get in front of the ball!

Give ground • Give up ground using drop step rather than letting the player get past you!

• Remember from the shuffle to the drop step to change direction Guard the key • We must not let players get the ball in our defensive key! Don’t even let them in the defensive key!

• Under no circumstances is an opposition player to be in the key unguarded.

• Under no circumstances pass back across the defensive key when there are opposition players near.

Communication • Shout (loudly!) to let your teammates know what is happening – it can also upset the other team’s concentration.

• Shout “BALL” when your player (the one you are guarding) has the ball.

• Shout “DEAD” when they pick up their dribble.

• Shout “SHOT” when a shot is taken.

• Shout “SWITCH” when you go to guard someone else’s man to let them know to take yours.

Force the Opposition to the Sideline / Baseline / Corner • Always force the opposition ball hander to the sideline/corner!

• Keep them out of the middle court.

Own the Backboards – Rebound, Rebound, Rebound!

• The team that gets most rebounds, nearly always win!

• ‘Block out’ – make contact.

• ‘Hands near ears!’

• Watch the ball – anticipate where it is going to go!

• Jump high – jump stop!

• After an offensive rebound – power the shot straight back up – power lay-up is the only shot the player should be using two hands.

• After a defensive rebound – look for an outlet pass to the wing or dribble the ball out.

Shot blocking • Don’t bring the arm/hand down or forward.

• Keep the arm upright – no fouls this way!

• Don’t jump unless the ball has left the shooters hand – beware of shot fakes.

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If the man has used his dribble then the defensive player should approach closer and increase the pressure.

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