Basketball Defense

Anyone can learn to play DEFENSE. It does no good to teach the team game before a child has been introduced to and hopefully mastered well enough the individual aspects of defense. When every player can play both on-the-ball and from-the-ball, the rules used in teaching these techniques will easily lead right into teaching team defense. Balance is crucial. Now it's just a matter of teaching how to play and be effective as a group.

Over advanced zone defensive teaching will incorporate many techniques and stunts to raise effectiveness and efficacy of the zone, but right now I'm appealing to the coach who uses zone defense. Keep feet spread about shoulder width apart. Use a somewhat crouched position, bend the knees in excess of the back. in my offenses, I send four players to get a rebound and send one player (defensive safety) back with deep defensive responsibility. The team is big, therefore zone really serves to pack the middle, or other reasons of strategy; No matter what the team individual attributes-big, small, slow, quick-starting the teaching of defense with individual man techniques will improve a player's understanding of defense and his/her performance on defense.

I have rules set for where each player will be in the triangle, depending on who is shooting and which players are already nearest the rebounding positions. If you lose the rebound, now your players must practice getting back on defense, the same way you practice getting a defensive rebound and beginning your offensive fast break. "Triangle Defense" goes back to the precepts taught early on in man defense. These are the setting up of triangles between the ball, the offensive player being guarded (no matter where on the floor) and the basket. The #1 rule for defending the player with the ball is to maintain a position describing "ball-me-basket".

This is accomplished by constantly moving the feet adjusting to the offensive payer's movement, not having to turn the head to hold vision on the man. Using this in team zone defense will allow a defender to never have their back turned on a player in their zone. Also, once you have the full retreat accomplished, then you can started to experiment with any pressing techniques-three-quarter court, half-court, etc. As in man defense, the players nearest the ball should be in over-play on their men so as to deny an easy pass inside. Teach these principles in both defensive forms and you will have added immeasurable strength to both. Communication between the back-side defenders and front-side defenders about movement of offensive players coming toward the ball is a crucial teaching area.

Go to Coaching basketball defending for some quality advice.

Other Links: Defensive strategies and 0Defense techniques

Basketball Dribbling

The behind the back dribble is really an effective skill to master for it easily blow pass your opponent when you use it. Defensively, the dribble has become very effective in stalling tactics, especially when a press is being used. You are in control of your dribbling and makes you harder to be anticipated where you are going. Behind the back dribble and behind the back pass are both effective skills if you have mastered it, so let me emphasize the great value of this dribbling technique. By dribbling away through the behind the back dribble you can have body and ball control easily. Once a player has dribbled and comes to a stop, he must pass the ball or shoot it. Many players get into the bad habit of bouncing the ball every time they receive a pass. Low dribble is used for control and to keep possession of the ball when closely guarded.

A Good Player knows the following:

• Control Dribble
• Knees are bent.
• One foot ahead of the other to protect the ball.
• Speed Dribble
• Push the ball out in front of you.
• Use movement in the open court.
• Head is always up.
• Dribbling mistakes occur when the dribbler watches the ball.
• All moves must be done quickly and low to the ground.
• The temptation to dribble is strong.
• High dribble is used for speed.
• Dribbling is one of those skills that takes lots of practice.
• Dribbling is done mostly with the fingers, which are spread, keeping the palm of the hand off the ball.
• You will notice that the palms of your hand are not used in shooting, passing or dribbling! This enables a player to get that fingertip control which is so important in basketball.
• The weight of the body is forward and on the balls of the feet.
• The head is kept up so that the player can see his teammates and opponents.
• A good dribbler learns to keep his body between the ball and his opponent.

Basketball drills coming soon