Teaching Man-to-Man Pressure Defense Fundamentals Paul Zoratti Mike Job 5 th Grade South Lyon BigCats Coaches

Teaching Sequence Half Court Defense –Perimeter Play –Post Play –4 Defensive Responsibilities Proper Stance for each Responsibility Transitioning on Ball Movement Transitioning on Offensive Player Movement –Tie this all together and fill-in gaps - STOP BALL: Force player to pick up ball as far away from basketball as possible Anticipate: Gambling/reckless abandon frame of mind – force offense to reach to defense and not the other way around – if we pressure the ball the right way, we will know where the ball is going to go – anticipation is different than reaction and leads to domination Convert: Must get 5 guys back on defense every time (don’t trap rebounders, do not chase outlets) – go immediately to pick-up/pressure points Ball Pressure: Particularly in front court – turn ball to outside – key to the defense – pressure MUST be intense – take away the outside shot, take away the lob to the middle, take away penetration – only remaining option is to dribble the ball to one side or the other – outside FT line play head-up and force to one side – when ball is below FT can overplay to one side a bit Early Help: The earlier the help the better – can never help too early No Ball Reverse: Keep ball on one side of floor – this creates situation of defense playing against only 3 or 4 instead of 5 players Dead Front: Front the post whenever the ball is below free throw line extended – allows to help baseline Fill and Sink: Help-side - fill to base line, sink to depth of basketball All Sink: When ball goes low force to pass back out Full Court Press

Man-to-Man Pressure Defense (Perimeter Play) Basic Concepts for Perimeter Play (perimeter means outside the key) –Terms “The Key” is the rectangle near the basket out to the free-throw line “One-pass Away”: if the shaded player has the ball, then “The Line” is an imaginary line between the player with the ball and the player you are guarding If you point to the ball with one hand and the man you are guarding with the other, you have a “flat triangle” if your hands are far apart (almost pointing straight to the side of you) This area is “the key” These players are 1 pass away This player is 1 pass away These players are 1 pass away X Flat triangle X Not a Flat triangle

Man-to-Man Pressure Defense (Perimeter Play) Positioning for Perimeter Play –Defending the player with the ball: Force the play to the OUTSIDE Position youself straight-up but shade them to their weak hand if possible Take away the shot, the pass to the middle, and the penetration dribble with intense defense – allow only a pass or a dribble to the outside –Defending players without the Ball If you’re man is one-pass away DENY) –Play ON the line and UP the line (or “in the Gap”) –Help player defending the ball If you’re man is more than one-pass away (SINK) –Sink to the middle and see the ball and your man with a “flat triangle” –Stop ALL penetration/passing to the key –YOU CAN NEVER HELP TOO EARLY! X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Man-to-Man Pressure Defense (Post Play) Basic Concepts for Defending Post Play (post play refers to offensive players in or near the key) –Terms “The Key” is the rectangle near the basket out to the free-throw line The “free throw line extended” is an imaginary line that runs from one side of the court to the other directly along the free throw line To “Dead Front” a man means to play directly in front of him (actually able to touch him) in the direction of the ball location This area is “the key” This is the “free throw line extended” X Dead fronting the post

Man-to-Man Pressure Defense (Post Play) Positioning for defending Post Play –If the ball is above the free throw line extended: If the ball is on your side (or in the middle) –Play to the inside of your man and deny inlet pass If the ball is on the opposite side –Sink to the middle and see the ball and your man with a “flat triangle” –Be ready to HELP pentration or opposite post man –If the ball is below the free throw line extended If the ball is on your side (or in the middle) –DEAD FRONT the post (go beneath your man to get in front of him) –Be ready to HELP on the baseline If the ball is on the opposite side –Sink to the middle and see the ball and your man with a “flat triangle” –Be ready to HELP pentration or opposite post man X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 4-Out X X X X X 3-Out X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

The Four Defensive Responsibilities (D.I.S.H) “Deny” the pass –when your man is one pass away “Intense” Ball Pressure –when your man has the ball “Sink” to the key in a flat triangle (point to ball and man) –when your main is more than one pass away “Help” stop penetration (from Deny or Sink) –when your teammate gets beat on the dribble Techniques for Defensive Responsibility “Deny” – on the line, up the line (in the gap) - or dead front in the post (go beneath) “Intense” Ball Pressure – force ball to outside or baseline “Sink” – flat triangle “Help” – move your feet to stop ball with BODY position

Answer questions below and bring back to practice 1.In the diagram below, if the shaded circle is the player with the ball, put a circle around his teammates that are “one pass away”. 2.In the diagrams below, if the shaded circle is the player with the ball, draw an X where each of the 5 defensive players should be. 3.If you are guarding the player with the ball, in where should you be forcing him to dribble? _______________ 4.If you are guarding a player that is “one pass away”, and your teammate looks like he is getting beat on the dribble you should: a. stay with your man so he doesn’t catch a pass b. help your teammate by stopping the player with the ball and then quickly recover to your man c. get ready to grab a rebound d. wave to you mom and dad in the stands Man-to-Man Pressure Defense How much do you understand? Player Name: ___________________

Answer questions below and bring back to practice 1.On the diagram below, draw the “free throw line extended”. 2.In the diagram below, draw an “X” where the defensive player should be playing against the low post player. 3.In the problem above, the player guarding the post by ________- fronting. (fill-in the blank) 4.In the diagrams below, indicate where the defensive players should be with “X’s”. Man-to-Man Pressure Defense How much do you understand? Player Name: ___________________ This is the “free throw line extended” X X X X

Answer questions below and bring back to practice 1.The four different defensive responsbilities are (remember DISH): 1.___________________________________ 2.___________________________________ 3.___________________________________ 4.___________________________________ 2.Draw a line from the defensive responsibilities on the left to the defensive technique (how you do it) on the right. ResponsibilityTechnique SinkOn the line, up the line Intense Ball PressureStop Ball with Body DenyFlat Triangle HelpForce to Outside/Baseline Man-to-Man Pressure Defense How much do you understand? Player Name: ___________________

X X Defensive Positioning X XX Defending the player with the ball: –Force the play to the OUTSIDE with intense pressure Defending players without the Ball –If you’re man is one-pass away -Play ON the line and UP the line –If you’re man is more than one-pass away -Sink to the middle and see the ball and your man (flat triangle)

X X Defensive Positioning X XX Defending the player with the ball: –Force the play to the OUTSIDE with intense pressure Defending players without the Ball –If you’re man is one-pass away -Play ON the line and UP the line –If you’re man is more than one-pass away -Sink to the middle and see the ball and your man (flat triangle)

X X Help & Recover – middle of court X X X

X X Help & Trap – baseline X X X

X X Defensive Positioning – Guarding the Post –If the ball is above the free throw line extended: On your side (or in the middle) –Play to the inside of your man and deny inlet pass If the ball is on the opposite side –Sink to middle and see ball and your man with a “flat triangle” –Be ready to HELP pentration or opposite post man –If the ball is below the free throw line extended If the ball is on your side (or in the middle) –DEAD FRONT the post (go beneath your man) –Be ready to HELP on the baseline If the ball is on the opposite side –Sink to middle / see the ball and your man with a “flat triangle” –Be ready to HELP pentration or opposite post man X X X

X X Defensive Positioning – Guarding the Post –If the ball is above the free throw line extended: On your side (or in the middle) –Play to the inside of your man and deny inlet pass If the ball is on the opposite side –Sink to middle and see ball and your man with a “flat triangle” –Be ready to HELP pentration or opposite post man –If the ball is below the free throw line extended If the ball is on your side (or in the middle) –DEAD FRONT the post (go beneath your man) –Be ready to HELP on the baseline If the ball is on the opposite side –Sink to middle / see the ball and your man with a “flat triangle” –Be ready to HELP pentration or opposite post man X X X

Drills 2-man Wing Transitioning: Deny to Sink / Sink to Deny –Purpose is to get defensive players to quickly transition from sink/help to deny and vice versa –2 wing offensive players work to get open when ball is on their side – defensive player 1 denies the pass, defensive player 2 sinks to middle for help have players yell their role – “deny” or “sink”) –Have sinking player point to ball and player –Top players pass from side to side and allow defense to transition –Can add having back-side offensive player flash to middle so sinking defensive player has to deny the inside pass 1-Man Post Transitioning: Help / Deny / Front –Purpose is to get low post defender to quickly transition from sink/help to deny to dead front –2 low offensive players work to get open when ball is on their side – defensive player 1 denies the pass, defensive player 2 sinks to middle for help have players yell their role – “deny” or “sink”) –Have sinking player point to ball and player –Top players pass from side to side and allow defense to transition –Can add having back-side defensive player flash to middle so sinking defensive player has to deny the inside pass X X X X X X X Dead Front X Deny X Sink/Help

Drills Conversion Drill –Purpose is to get offensive players to convert immediately to defense when the defensive team gets a rebound or a steal –Key concept is that we must make the other team play against 5 SET defenders everytime down the floor –6 players play 3 on 3 and a 7 th player is positioned near the time line –Defensive plays must use normal defensive concepts (ball/deny/sink/help) –When the offensive team turns the ball over the defensive team immediately outlets the ball to the player near the time line who quickly pushes the ball up the floor (the player who made the outlet is not out) –The team that was on offense must SPRINT down the floor at full speed, stop the ball and make the 3 players that are now on offense play against 3 SET defenders –This is a continuous drill back and forth –Consider a modification of making the offense shoot within 10 or 5 seconds X X X X

Drills Lead Pass for Fast-Break Drill –5 players at each end 1.Rebound 2.Make LEAD pass to breaking player 3.SPRINT to opposite 3 point line at free throw line extended 4.Break for lay-up on rebound 5.End of line –As a modification allow rebounding player to play 1 on 1 defense against fast-break (he should pick player up at 3- pt. line)

Man-to-Man Pressure Defense Teach / Re-Teach / Constantly Sell 1 year to learn system at COLLEGE level Basic Fundamentals –1 Pass Away vs. 2 Passes Away –On the line and Up the line Line between ball and other players “Up” the line is towards the ball –Tremendous amount of help on both ball and help side Ball Side Help makes defense tough Help Side help mades defense successful –Force high number of turnovers –Type of offense will affect ability to maintain defensive intensity (work ball for >20 seconds on normal possessions) –Can be played full or half court STOP BALL: Force player to pick up ball as far away from basketball as possible –Anticipate: Gambling/reckless abandon frame of mind – force offense to reach to defense and not the other way around – if we pressure the ball the right way, we will know where the ball is going to go – anticipation is different than reaction and leads to domination –Convert: Must get 5 guys back on defense every time (don’t trap rebounders, do not chase outlets) – go immediately to pick-up/pressure points –Ball Pressure: Particularly in front court – turn ball to outside – key to the defense – pressure MUST be intense – take away the outside shot, take away the lob to the middle, take away penetration – only remaining option is to dribble the ball to one side or the other – outside FT line play head-up and force to one side – when ball is below FT can overplay to one side a bit –Early Help: The earlier the help the better – can never help too early –No Ball Reverse: Keep ball on one side of floor – this creates situation of defense playing against only 3 or 4 instead of 5 players –Dead Front: Front the post whenever the ball is below free throw line extended – allows to help baseline –Fill and Sink: Help-side - fill to base line, sink to depth of basketball –All Sink: When ball goes low force to pass back out

X These players are 1 pass away This player is 1 pass away X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X