In Pack Line defense, the ability to go “on-to-off” (and back on again) on airtime is vital to protecting the paint and contesting shots. Moving on airtime of the pass is vital to any defense. There is no scenario in which the ball moves and a defender does not. In Pack Line defense teammates must…
Pack Line Playbook: Lock And Trail
Pack Line Playbook: Defending single and double down screens within the Pack Line Defense using the “Lock and Trail” technique. The Pack Line style of defense features some unwaivering absolutes. There are specific rules and techniques that change little from game-to-game or opponent-to-opponent.The mindset is to do a few things and do them well. We will…
Getting To 1.0
Getting to 1.0 points per possession (PPP) places your offense in the upper echelon of the competitive landscape. In the 2017-2018 NCAA basketball season 25 out of the 353 Men’s Division I basketball teams operated at 1.0 points per possession (PPP) or higher. That is roughly seven percent of all teams. (per Synergy Sports) On the…
Defensive Denial Drills
Defensive denial drills for disrupting ball movement and prohibiting easy offensive catches. Denial is the disruptive force in pressure man-to-man defense. The purpose of denial is to disrupt the ball movement, timing and sequencing of the offense. The aim is for the ball to become isolated forcing the ball-handler to abandon the tactics and strategies of…
The Inside-Out Three
The inside-out three-point shot is at the pinnacle of all three-point attempts and the three-pointer to seek and encourage above all others. Not all threes are created equal. There are threes to encourage and threes to discourage. There are off-the-dribble pull-up threes. There are threes by a cutter coming off a screen. There are threes…
Gap Creating Cuts
Six gap creating cuts to create and exploit enlarged gap space for dribble penetration. If there is one offensive concept worth the risk of “taking too far” it would be the creation of space. With the proliferation of pack line style defenses at the lower levels, maintaining and creating space is vital in allowing for penetration.…
Pressure Man Tips – Selective Trapping
Utilizing selective traps provides one of the major weapons of disruption in pressure man-to-man defense. Here are four scenarios for selective trapping. One of the major weapons of pressure man-to-man defense is the double team or trap. Trapping the ball can disrupt offensive flow by creating a disadvantage situation for the ball handler. An effective…
2-3 Zone: Forward Play
There are 2-3 zones and then there is the Syracuse 2-3 Zone. Coach Jim Boeheim and his Syracuse Orange have been befuddling opponents for decades with their brand of zone defense. Syracuse recruits great players blessed with the length and athleticism to be effective in the zone, but aside from that, the forward play is what…
Action Bias Pitfalls
A tendency toward action bias can at times lead coaches and players astray and undermine short and long term progress. Read more on Cognitive Biases and how they relate to coaching: The Impact of Optimism Bias Avoiding Outcome Bias The Perils of Confirmation Bias Survivorship Bias in Coaching Coaches are hard workers. One does not ascend…
Spacing vs. Positioning
Spacing and Positioning both play a role in effective offense, so what’s the difference between these two concepts? (Note: This blog originally appeared in our September 15, 2018 newsletter. Subscribe here.) Often I receive an email that goes something like this… “Coach, I love the info you share and I really love the four-out and…