Defending - Pasquali closeouts

Defending
Pasquali closeouts

Renato Pasquali

a)

1 passes to coach from the baseline, sprints to close out, pitter patters (hot feet), coach tosses the ball on the floor diagonally forward to the right or left, 1 slides, flips the ball back to coach, closes out, hot feet, repeat two more times, 1 will sprint upcourt, 2 goes next (there's no pass, coach keeps the ball).

Man-to-man defence will only be as strong as the defence on the player with the ball.

See Defending - Dick Bennett coach close-outs, Ball drop, 2-ball dance.

b)

4 passes to 2 and sprints to close out, reacts to a jab step, shot fake, and crossover step (keep one hand on the ball).

2 passes to 1, 5 closes out, 2 goes off and is replaced by 4.

1 passes to 3 and goes off, 6 closes out.

Next 3 will pass to 5 and go off, 7 close out on 5, continue.

(Variation - use coaches as passers)

See Defending - Continuous close-outs, Nash triangle slides.

c) Stunt and recover

Attacker 1 passes to coach, on-ball defender X1 jumps to a deny position.

Coach drives, X1 stunts and recovers, coach passes to 1, X1 recovers, play is live.

2 and X2 go next, on the other side.

On dribble penetration, the closest defender fakes and retreats (stunts and recovers), extending the closest arm to try to touch the ball, if a pass is made, deflect the ball or recover. Always see ball and man, never allow a pass to a player in the vision of the penetrator.

Help with the weakside man once the ball is in the paint, read if the penetrator wants to pass or shoot (watch his eyes). The on-ball defender must recover if beat, and at least defend a jump shot, jumping on the shooter's shoulder. On a layup, someone will help, protecting the basket.

d) Help on the post and recover

X1 passes to coach, 1 cuts to get a pass on the wing.

X1 pressures the ball, 1 passes into the low post, X1 takes a step toward the post, seeing ball and man, then recovers on a pass back to 1, it's live.

Progression - go and help if the post dribbles the ball, recover on a pass back out.

e) Help, recover and close out

1 passes from the corner to a coach in the slot and follows to get a pass on the perimeter, X2 must touch the hand of a coach on the block before closing out to defend (coach then steps back to the baseline). Both players go off.

f)

X2 passes to coach from under the basket, slides outside the paint, 1 breaks opposite for a pass, his first option should be to shoot, the second is to drive.

See 1 on 1 - Box drill.

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