Chapter - 25

Individual Defense

Qualities necessary for individual defense play | Desire | Stance | Position | Footwork | Vision | Defensive  hints | Drills

The foundation of sound team defense lies in the individual defensive ability of each player. Many players are incomplete basketball players because they have not developed this ability to play defense. Many potential stars have spent their entire careers on the sidelines because of lack of defensive skill. Players love to play offense and no coach is needed to instill this love. This is not so for defensive play! The coach that expects to be successful must work hard on individual defense and develop within his players a genuine desire to learn proper defensive techniques. Time spent will be well rewarded.

Qualities Necessary for Individual Defensive Play

Sound individual defense is dependent on the following factors:

1. Desire

2. Stance

3. Position

4. Footwork

5. Vision

Desire

The basketball player must want to play defense. He must be willing to spend hours and hours of practice in hard work on individual defensive fundamentals. He must develop aggressiveness and hustle and create within himself the desire to defeat his assigned opponent. This frame of mind can never be overemphasized. The player who enters the game thinking primarily of reading his name in the morning paper after he has scored twenty points rarely does a good defensive job. By constant stress on the importance of defensive play, sufficient practice time devoted to the development of these techniques, and praise distributed to players who do outstanding defensive jobs equally as to those who score well, the coach can develop individual desire and pride in defensive play.

Stance

The correct defensive stance is with the body crouched, knees bent, and with the weight evenly distributed on both feet. The rear of the body should be low. The head should be erect and the back almost straight. One foot should be advanced in front of the other with the toes of both feet at a 45 degree angle to the opponent. The hand on the side of the advanced foot should be held high to discourage shot attempts while the other hand should be kept to the side ready to deflect passes.

Position

As a general rule, the defensive player should maintain a position that is between his opponent and the basket. Exceptions to this rule will depend on the location of the ball and of the opponent.

Guarding Opponent with Ball. When guarding an opponent with the ball, the defensive player always must maintain a position between the opponent and the basket. Correct position usually is on an imaginary straight line from this opponent and the basket (Chart 221). However, it may sometimes be necessary for the defensive player to play slightly to one side of this imaginary line in order to protect the baseline or to protect the side a player prefers to drive (Chart 222). If the offensive player is within shooting distance, the defensive player must maintain a position with his advanced foot approximately three feet from the offensive player. The eyes should be focused on the belt of the opponent for the mid-region of his body is the only part of his body that he cannot use in faking.

CHART 221. Correct defensive positioning on an imaginary line between the opponent and the basket.

CHART 222. Shifting the defensive position slightly off the imaginary line to better protect the baseline or a preferred driving side.

CHART 223. Defensive position when guarding a forward near the ball on the aggressive man-for-man defense.

CHART 224. Defensive position when guarding players on the side of the court away from the ball. Players must shift slightly off the line between the opponent and the basket in order to be able to block cuts into the scoring area near the basket.

Guarding Opponent without Ball. As long as the opponent is outside the dangerous area near the basket, the defensive player will again maintain a position between him and the basket. The imaginary straight line will still be used as a guide in determining correct position though certain situations will require a slight shift off this line. Defensive players on an aggressive man-for-man defense play tight and slightly off this line to be able to contest for passes (Chart 223). Players defensing opponents on the side of the court away from the ball may play off this line to be in position to block cuts into the scoring area (Chart 224). If the opponent is playing in the dangerous area near the basket, the defensive player must play between him and the ball (Chart 225).

CHART  225.      Defensive   position  when guarding an opponent near the basket.

CHART 226. Distance away from opponents necessary for correct position is dependent on how close the opponent is to the ball. Here, X2 must play closer to his opponent than X3 since X2 is only one man away from the ball while X3 is two men away.

The distance the defensive player will be from his particular opponent will depend on the location of the ball, the offensive ability of the particular opponent, and the type of team defense being played. If the opponent is one man away from the ball, the defensive player must play closer than if his opponent were two men away from the ball (Chart 226). If the team defense is a "sinking" man-for-man, positions away from opponents will be greater than when the team defense is an aggressive type of man-for-man.

Footwork

Three major steps must be mastered:

1. The approach step.

2. The slide step.

3. The retreat step.

The approach step is used when moving into proper defensive position as the opponent receives the ball.

The slide step is used when guarding an opponent moving laterally, vertically, or obliquely across the court.

The retreat step is used to defense an opponent on a drive attempt for the basket.

The Approach Step. As the opponent receives the ball in scoring range, the defensive player must advance quickly into defensive position. His body must be low and his weight distributed on both feet. The advance is made by a quick and almost simultaneous slide of both feet forward. The rear foot never advances in front of the right (Illustration 6). The number of approach steps needed will depend on the distance the defensive player is away from his opponent.

The Slide Step. As the opponent moves across the court, the defensive player brings both feet on a line parallel with the opponent. Neither foot is in advance of the other. The body is again crouched with the weight equally distributed on both feet.

ILLUSTRATION 6. The approach step. Dotted lines indicate position o£ feet after sliding both feet forward. The rear foot does not advance in front of the front foot.

If the defensive player moves to his right, the first movement is a move of the left foot to a position close to the right. As the left foot touches the floor, the right foot is moved approximately 20 inches to the right. The movement of the right foot follows the movement of the left foot so quickly that it is almost simultaneous. Successive movements of the left and right feet follow to allow the defensive player to remain in position with the movement of the offensive player (Illustration 7). Of course, if the movement of the defensive player is to his left, the initial step will be made with the right foot.

The Retreat Step. If the opponent makes a drive or cut for the basket, the retreat step must be used. If the defensive player has his right foot advanced and the offensive drive is to the defensive player's left, the oblique slide step is all that is necessary. However, if the drive is to the defensive player's right, the defensive player must shift his body approximately 90 degrees (Illustration 8). After the body shift has been made, the oblique slide step will be used.

ILLUSTRATION 7.    The slide step. Dotted lines indicate four slide steps.

ILLUSTRATION 8. The retreat step on a drive to the defensive player's right when his right foot is forward. After the step back with the left foot and the swing of the right foot, the right oblique slide step is used.

ILLUSTRATION 9. If the defensive player's right foot is forward, the retreat step for a drive to his left is the left oblique slide step.

ILLUSTRATION 10. By use of peripheral vision, the defensive player should be able to see action within an area almost 180 degrees.

Vision

Vision is as important to defensive play as to offensive play. Proper vision utilization allows the defensive player to see both his opponent and the ball at the same time. In addition, it enables him to see offensive screens and defensive situations that may require his help.

Peripheral vision is important. Players with good eyesight should be able to see action within an area almost 180 degrees (Illustration 10).

If the defensive player is guarding an opponent with the ball, he should focus his eyes on the offensive player's belt or mid-section. This is very important because the mid-section is the only part of his body the offensive player cannot use in faking. By use of peripheral vision, the defensive player should be able to see action both to his left and right.

If the defensive player is guarding an opponent without the ball, he should focus his eyes on a spot approximately midway between his opponent and the ball (Illustration 11). By doing this, his peripheral vision will allow him to see both his opponent and the ball, an important requirement for man-for-man defensive play.

ILLUSTRATION 11. When guarding an opponent without the ball, the defensive player should focus his eyes on a point between the ball and his respective opponent. This enables him to be able to see both his opponent and the ball at the same time.

Defensive Hints

1. Keep the knees bent, the rear low, and the back almost straight. The head should remain erect.

2. Stay off the heels.

3. Do not cross the feet.

4. Watch the opponent's belt. It cannot be faked.

5. Never leave the floor until after the opponent has gone into the air for his shot.

6. Don't turn your head to look for the ball.

7. Block opponents cutting into the scoring area near the basket.

8. Screen the opponent off the board on rebound attempts.

9. Do not let the opponent receive the ball near the basket.

10. Talk on defense. Don't be a silent sister.

11. When the opponents get the ball, think defense immediately.

12. Study the opponent. Learn his strengths and weaknesses and play accordingly.

Drills

DEFENSIVE DRILL 1. The 1-on-l situation. 1 attempts a scoring move against X1 After the shot, X1 goes to the end of the offensive line and 1 becomes the new defensive player. The 1-on-l defensive situation should be practiced from all areas of the front-court including the pivot area.

DEFENSIVE DRILL 2.    The 2-on-2 situation.  1 and 2 attempt scoring maneuvers against X1 and X2. After shot, X1 and X2 go to the end of the offensive line while 1 and become the new defensive players. The 2-on-2 situation should receive defensive practice from all positions, guard-guard, forward-guard, center-forward, and center-guard.

DEFENSIVE DRILL 3. 1 dribbles down sideline. X1 must run to get into defensive position, then use the slide step to maintain the position. Players alternate lines.

DEFENSIVE DRILL 4. Block the cutter drill. As 2 passes to 3, 1 attempts cut into the free-throw area. X1 steps into his path to prevent the cut to meet the pass. Players should rotate lines.

DEFENSIVE DRILL 5. The coach stands at mid-court with a whistle. The first row of defensive players assumes defensive position. Players advance when the whistle blows using proper defensive footwork. When the whistle is blown again, they retreat. Each succeeding time the whistle is blown, players change direction. After reaching mid-court, players return to the end of the lines.

DEFENSIVE DRILL 6. The coach stands at midcourt with all defensive players in a line as shown. On the whistle, players use slide-step and move as quickly as possible to the end-line. After touching the end-line, they use slide step to return to mid-court. This can be made competitive with the first player back getting to drop out and the drill continued until the last player is left.

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