Defense 101 - Off-the-Ball Defensive Techniques
Follow this outline to learn the essentials and how-to's of playing great off-the-ball defense. Learn the defensive fundamentals necessary to have great basketball team defense.
II. Off-the-Ball Defense Techniques
A. Deny Position1. Body Positiona. Should be facing offensive playerb. Must be between the ball and the player being guarded2. Position of Armsa. Outside arm (arm nearest the passer) should be extended out into the passing lane with palm facing the basketballb. Inside arm (arm nearest the person you are guarding) should be chest high with the elbow out so that the forearm is facing the offensive player3. Head should be in a position so the defense can see both the ball and the player being guarded4. Foot movementa. Players must use defensive shuffle in order to maintain positionb. Two options to defend a backdoor cut:1. On backdoor cut by offense, use forearm to slow down the cut by the offense and continue to maintain original position2. Use forearm to slow down cut by offensive player, but open up to the ball(aa) Pivot on foot closer to basket(bb) Swing other foot in the direction of the ball until it is past the inside foot in order to open up fully(cc) If offense comes back out to receive the ball, pivot on same foot and swing other back to get into the original deny positionB. Always be prepared to help out teammates1. The further the defense is from the ball, the further the defensive player may be away from the person being guarded2. Always maintain ball-you-man principle3. Be able to see both the ball and the player being guarded at all times; form a triangle (ball-you-man)4. When guarding a person without the ball, as soon as defense sees an offensive player attempt a dribble penetration, defense moves in the direction of the dribblerC. Front all cutters to the basket1. If guarding person with ball, as soon as pass is made, move in the direction of the pass (jump towards the ball in order to make an offensive player cut behind you) and make contact2. If guarding a player two or mare passes away from the ball, defense must step into cutting lane in order to front the cutterD. Front the low post players1. Be active with feet2. Attack the offensive player depending upon the position in the low posta. If low post is below the box on the foul lane, try to attack for fronting position from the foul-line sideb. If low post is above the box on the foul lane, try to attack for fronting position from the baseline side3. Maintain contact with offense when fronting in low postE. Defending against the pick1. Switching techniquea. Defensive player on person setting the screen picks up offensive player using the screenb. Defensive player on person using the screen picks up offensive player setting the screenc. Either defensive person may call "Switch"2. Check-and-Recover techniquea. Defensive player guarding the person setting the screen1. When offensive player comes off the screen, step out to make offense go wide2. Lock other foot with player setting screen3. Recover as quickly as possible to guard person setting screenb. Defensive player guarding the person using the screen1. Fight over top of screen; step over top2. Be physical3. Continue to play offensive player using the pickc. Defensive player on person setting screen gives help to teammate in order to give person time to fight over topF. Communication with teammates1. Call out all picks2. Also call out "help", "shot", etc.G. Taking a charge1. Make sure feet are planted in offensive player's path2. Get body in positiona. Knees flexed in basketball positionb. Arms up at chest level with elbows out3. When contact is made by offensive playera. Fall backward to prevent taking full brunt of chargeb. Extent of backward fall will depend on amount of contact and momentum of offensive playerc. Throw arms back on contact after giving a slight push to offensive player to protect from excessive contactd. Make moaning sound when hit (sell it to the officials)4. When hitting the floor try to land on buttocks and slide on the floor Part II: Off-the-Ball DefensePart I: On-the-Ball Defense / Part II: Off-the-Ball Defense
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Hoops U. - Est. 9-11-1999
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