Defensive Basketball Plays: PRESS DEFENSEThe following defensive basketball plays all utilize a Press Defense, great for pressuring the ball handlers and forcing turnovers. IMPORTANT: If you're truly serious about winning, make sure to see the ultimate basketball coaching system, guiding you step-by-step with every drill, play, stategy, & secret you need to create a highly skilled, un-stoppable team:
Now, this page is pretty long, in order to make it easier for you to print and manage. Please scroll down to view everything!
Start by viewing the first defensive basketball play below, or you can jump directly to a specific play by clicking the links below:
Principles: - force the offense to speed up their game. - force a dribbler to the sideline every time. - double-team a dribbler at sideline. - force the offense to make bad passes. - make it hard for the opponent team to run their set-play. - do not try to steal the ball by reaching in. - anticipate offense long or bad passes for interceptions.
FIRST: - let the in bounce pass be open then force the guard to dribble to one side.  Second: - 2nd row on ballside has to stop the dribble at sideline and double-team with first row. - 2nd row weak-side steps to middle lane. - 4 steps to ballside denying a long line pass. - 5 stays in helping position denying a long skip pass.  - After double-teaming at side, 1 jumps off the ball sprinting back to match up with an open man there. - 4 and 5 deny easy passes on ballside and under the basket. - 2 has two men on weakside looking for an interception from a bad pass - 3 stops ball and double-team.  If a cross-court pass is made, 1and 2 double team at other side and force the offense to the sideline. 3,4 and 5 stay in front of the offense players denying an easy pass. 
Defensive Basketball Play #2: 55 FULL MATCH-UP  "55" is a full court match up man to man press. The following points are important in the "55" defensive basketball play...
1. No Fouls-show the official your hands-fouling negates hustle. 2. All defenders must see the ball. 3. Be in an intercept position, ready to shoot the gap. 4. Deflections-steal off the ball, trap on the ball 5. Make the offense dribble 6. Trap the dribble when your teammate is on the dribbler's side, not when trailing (see diagram). 7. Sprint out of traps. 8. Switch on all screens.  Here x1 and x2 are in a three quarter denial position where they can see the ball, and their hands are out.
x4 is very active on the ball.
x1 wants the ball to be in-bounded below the foul line extended. If so, x4 traps immediately. x2 would rotate up and to the middle of the floor.  If 1 receives the ball foul line extended then x4 must get back ahead of the ball to the middle of the court.
x1 will get right up on 1 to force him to dribble. If x1 gets beat up the sideline then x3 will come up to trap, only if x1 is on the side of 1, not trailing. If x1 is trailing, then x3 will "stunt" or fake at 1 but not commit until x1 recovers to the side of 1. Everyone rotates on the trap.  If x1 gets beat to the middle of the floor, then x4 will trap the ball.  On a ball reversal in the backcourt x4 will go back on to his man and force 4 to dribble. If he dribbles at 2 then x2 will come up and trap. x1 rotates up and to the middle of the court to take away 3's flash. x3 protects deep, and x5 looks to steal a pass to 2 if possible.
x5 may have to "stunt" at 2 until x2 recovers.
Used and endorsed by Professional athletes such as Michael Jordan and Vince Carter, these training aids will have you shooting better, running faster, jumping higher, and dribbling quicker. Please be aware of the many “imitation products” out there that claim huge instant gains, the aids below are the real deal!
If you truly want to dunk intensely, blow past your defender, and knock down shots with laser accuracy, you need to click below, and a new window will open next to this one: Defensive Basketball Play #3: LIBERTY 2-2-1 PRESS-LEFT  We will illustrate the press as the offense attacks from the offense's left hand side of the court.  The opponent inbounds to their left side. We allow the pass, then our guard on that side (1) will apply immediate pressure, forcing the ball handler up the sideline. 1 cannot allow the ball handler off of the sideline.
2 takes away short middle.
4 matches up with the player in her area while 3 stays at home.
5 is deep.  As 1 forces the ball up the sideline, 2 continues to take away any possible pass into the short middle.
4 is working back and forth between the ball and the girl in her area, effectively denying any pass up the sideline and baiting the ball handler into a trap near midcourt.
5 rotates toward the side of the ball.
3 takes deep middle.  1 maintains tough ball pressure.
Notice how 2 denies short middle. We will allow a pass back to the inbounder, but we MUST keep the ball out of the middle of the press!
4 is ready to pass her player off to 5, who is rotating over.
3 has deep middle.  Hopefully we can keep the ball advancing up the sideline. We move the press accordingly.  1 & 4 set the first sideline trap. They lock feet and trace the ball, looking for a deflection or a jump ball.
5 has her player sealed up, and 2 has the short middle closed up. 3 is in position for the deep pass.
Notice that the trap has occurred in the backcourt. Let's look at how we would play this if the player who is trapped passes back to the trailer.  On a pass back into the midlane, 1 and 2 reset in front of the ball. Remember that we MUST get the ball out of the middle!
3, 4 and 5 have rotated to keep the 2-2-1alignment.
We keep the press on!  We want to continue looking at the rotations for the offense's left side attack, so let's assume a pass is made back to the left sideline.
1 will immediately attack the ball handler, again keeping her on the sideline and forcing her up the court into a trap with 4.
2 has short middle.
5 rotates to cover the sideline on ballside.
3 will take deep middle to protect the basket.  Our next trap is set by 1 and 4. It appears we are in excellent defensive position to create a turnover.  To continue illustrating the trap, lets assume a successful pass is made up the sideline.
5 has to contain the ball and keep it on the sideline. Ideally we can force the ball handler to the baseline.
2 must sprint to the weakside block.
As 2 nears the lane, 3 should slide across to the strong side block.
4 retreats out of the trap to cover the high post ballside.
1 covers the perimeter.  Here we have the ball contained by 5 and the blocks and the high post are covered.
On a pass out to the perimeter, we would shift into a half court defense, but let's assume we can get the ball handler to attack the baseline.  Let's look at the rotations and have the offensive players filling some likely spots also.  As you can see by where the offensive players have moved, we ALWAYS need to cover the strongside and weakside blocks and the high post. A pass to any of these areas would leave our defense vulnerable to a good percentage shot. 
Defensive Basketball Play #4: LIBERTY 2-2-1 PRESS RIGHT  In this sequence, we will illustrate our press with the ball being in bounded to the opponent's right side of the court.  The opponent in bounds the ball. We allow the 1st pass, and then 2 will apply immediate pressure, forcing the ball handler up the sideline. 2 cannot allow the ball handler off of the sideline.
1 begins to take away any short pass into the middle of the court.
3 & 4 would be matched up with anyone in their areas of the zone press.
5 is our basket protector and is also looking to steal any deep pass.  As 2 forces the ball handler up the sideline, 1 continues to retreat in the middle, staying ahead of the ball.
3 should play 'cat and mouse' on the sideline. She does this by moving back and forth between the ball handler and the player she is trying to deny the next pass to. 3 should be about 2/3 of the way between the ball and the girl she is playing.
5 begins to rotate over to the sideline, looking for that next pass up the sideline.
4 should be rotating back to take away deep middle. She will be our basket protector when 5 rotates to the sideline.  The ball is advanced up the sideline and we continue to move the press.  2 and 3 form the 1st sideline trap. This trap can take place before the ball handler reaches the mid court line, but ideally it occurs just as the ball is dribbled over half court. This takes away a pass back to the trailer. 2 & 3 should lock feet and trace the ball, looking for a deflection or a jump ball.
5 should be looking to intercept the next pass up the sideline. The ability of the 5 to anticipate this pass and steal it is a main ingredient to the success.
1 should be denying any pass directly across the court or just in front of the ball, i.e. short middle.
4 takes away deep middle and is now our basket protector.  If 5 is unable to intercept the next pass up the sideline, 5 should contain the ball and force that player to the corner, where 4 can join 5 in setting another trap.
1, who way playing short middle, must now hustle to take away the weakside block. 4 may have to delay her slide across the lane until 1 is closer to the lane. Once 1 is near the lane, 4 slides across the lane to take away the ballside low post.
3 must leave the trap she was in and take away the high post on ball side.
2 looks to take away any pass out to the top or across the perimeter.  We should have the ball contained by 5. We should also have ballside block, weakside block and ballside elbow covered.  5 funnels the ball handler into a corner trap with 4.
1 slides across the lane to front the low post.
3 slides down the lane to cover the weakside block.
2 covers the high post on ballside.  Here's our baseline trap.
We try to keep the press on all the way to the baseline.  Our 2 man should anticipate a pass out to the perimeter and make the steal if it's available.
On a successful pass out to the perimeter, we can quickly change to a 2-3 or 3-2 zone.
This is easily done by having 2 stay at the ballside elbow and by having 1 slide to the other elbow. 5 & 4 retreat to their interior spots in the zone.
3 would stay on the weakside block for a 2-3 zone alignment, or slide to the top of the key for a 3-2 zone.  Defensive Basketball Play #5: MAN TO MAN ZONE FULL-COURT  The (4) is on the ball. His goal is to make the person taking the ball out of bounds throw the ball to the nearest corner.
The (3) and (2) guard the two players that are the closest to the endline. They must make sure that any ball is caught in front to them.
The (1) takes the man in the middle and the (5) takes the deep man.  Once the ball comes in bounds the (4) leaves his man and helps double team the ball. (in this case the ball went in the corner to (3)'s man). They cannot let the man with the ball dribble down the sideline or between them.
(2) will leave his man and go to the lane and looks to intercept the pass coming into the paint area or back to (1)
The (1) moves to the side where the ball is and looks for a pass down the side. The (1) or (2) can intercept any pass thrown between them.
The (5) moves to the same side the ball is on.  In this case the (1) has jumped in looking for the pass only to be picked up by the (2).  Note how the offense changed and put two players back. We still match up man to man. The (4) again set up to prevent a pass to the far corner.  The ball goes to the corner and the (4) double teams with the (2). The (3) now leaves his man and comes to the lane to guard that area.
Because they had two man back the (5) moves down to guard the pass down the court and the (1) moves over to side of the court where the ball is located.  The (1) steps in and the (3) moves down to intercept.
The (5) and (3) are also looking to intercept any pass between them.  Once you match up with a player you stay with him until the ball goes in bounds.  As you can see the players break out of a stack.
Everyone stays with their man making sure that they do not get behind them. 
Click Here For More Defensive Basketball Plays... | |
|
ULTIMATE Coaching System PLAYER Improvement Plan Coaching Basketball Guide Basketball Plays Offensive Plays Defensive Plays TEAM Basketball Drills Defensive Basketball Drills... Transition Drills Passing Drills Rebounding Drills Shooting Drills Ball Handling Drills Big Man Drills Combination Drills Out of Bounds Drills Conditioning Drills Warm-Up Drills Footwork Drills Youth Basketball Drills BASKETBALL TIPS - Players Ball Handling Defense Passing Rebounding Footwork Mental Toughness Shooting Vertical Jump Basketball Conditioning VERTICAL JUMP New Basketball Drills Newest Articles
Copyright 2008-09. All Rights Reserved. Basketball Plays, Basketball Tips, Basketball Drills, Coaching Basketball