Defending - PGC 5-point

Defending
PGC 5-point

Point Guard College (YouTube)

See video - 5 habits of a defensive stopper.

Do this by yourself, or with a partner.

The 5 habits of a defensive stopper are:

1. Closeout on the ball (to the left wing) - hand up, both feet on the floor, short choppy steps, stop a shot and penetration.

2. Jump to the ball (imagine a pass to the top of the key) - on a pass, don't give up a front cut for an easy give and go.

Defend a backdoor cut to the basket, then get in a helpside position (imagine a swing pass to the right wing, the cutter pops back to the wing)

3. See the ball.

Head on a swivel.

4. Talk to the ball.

Talk to the player who has the ball (and to the penetrator), e.g., you've got help to the middle.

5. Threaten penetration.

Finish with a skirmish. Get low, skirmish towards the ball with your hands and feet when penetration takes place. Make the penetrator uncertain, are you going to take a charge or go back to your check. You are always one step away from taking a charge, and one step away from closing out.

Repeat the drill.

How to stand out on defence (YouTube) - be a defensive presence, stand out with your hustle and pestitude. Take on the mindset that when you're on defence, you're actually on offence, be the aggressor. Don't react to whatever the ballhandler does, put him on defence, into a position of weakness where he is feeling you more than he is thinking about running offence.

Lockdown defence (YouTube) - low stance (head below attacker's head), close enough to touch, hands at shoulder height if he has a live dribble (can contest a shot or pass), hands low if he is dribbling (palms up), dictate the action, don't react (e.g. force to weakness).

Also see PGC videos - Become a better defender today, How to become a defensive playmaker, Shutting down a star player, Defend like Draymond ("You are what you can guard").

(Variations)

a) 3-on-1

Use attackers 1-2-3, X2 closes out (e.g. on a skip pass from 3, or X2 passes to 2), jumps to the ball on a pass to 1, will then defend a basket cut by 2, get to a help position on a pass to 3, see the ball, talk to the ball, skirmish on dribble penetration by 3.

See Defending - 3 on 1 shell (part 2).

b) 2-on-1

X2 passes and closes out.

Variation - 1 passes to 2, see Defending - Vegas closeouts.

2 passes to 1, cuts to the basket and back out, X2 jumps to the ball and defends the cut.

See the ball, talk to the ball, stunt on dribble penetration by 1, recover on a pass to 2.

Option - use both sides of the floor.

Progression - 1 on 1.

See Defending - Pasquali denial (Backcut), Pasquali closeouts (Stunt and recover), Woodley closeouts, 1 on 1 - Coach as passer.

This page was made with Basketball playbook from Jes-Soft