DEFENSIVE GOALS

Defensive and offensive systems and styles must be complimentary. Defense begins with offensive shot selection and taking care of the basketball. Two of the toughest things to guard are bad shots that no one is ready to defend, or turnovers that lead to fast break opportunities with numbers advantages to the offense.

The following is one system that can be used to organize, teach, and evaluate a system and then every defensive possession.

The halfback is the player who retreats to the top of the key in the offensive rebounding positions when the ball is shot and the fullback is the player who retreats to the jump circle when the ball is shot.


For each possession

1. Halfback slows the ball in conversion, fullback becomes goalie all others--sprint inside our defensive three point arc, communicate, and match up.
   
   
2. Establish and maintain gappers, goalie, and post.
   
   
3. Pressure the ball with no penetration, no fouling.
   
   
4. Keep the ball out of the paint and post. If there is penetration---we trap the ball with the goal of having it passed out to the perimeter. We sprint out of our traps!
   
   
5. Contest every shot.
   
   
6. Dive on every loose ball or block out on missed shots, pursue the ball and chin the rebound.

Here is a clip that is around a minute and 45 seconds of Sean Miller (Head Coach of the Xavier Men's team discussing a part of their scheme for defending the post. Click on this link: Sean Miller Defending the Post.