FIBAEUROPE

FECC

class 2007-2009

Andrea Menozzi

(Italy)

Under 16 - Individual technical and tactical development by

the man to man defense, with special reference to

positioning

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Table of content

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 3

Our man to man defense .............................................................................................. 6

Defensive transition................................................................................................... 6

One vs. One on the ball – perimeter players ............................................................. 7

One vs. One on the ball – inside players ................................................................... 8

Defense positioning: One vs. One against the man without the ball ......................... 9

Team defense: help against dribbling penetration and defensive rotation .............. 14

High and low post defense ...................................................................................... 19

Defending the screens ............................................................................................ 20

Defending the pick and roll ...................................................................................... 22

Didactics notes ........................................................................................................ 24

Alternative defense ................................................................................................. 24

Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 25

Abbreviation list .......................................................................................................... 26

References list............................................................................................................ 26

“I, Menozzi Andrea, hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the

best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written

by another person.”

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Introduction

Foreword

Our guideline in the working on young players is to focus that the priority target is their

individual development. Every improvement for the quality and the level of our team’s

game should be the directly product by the individual advance of each single player.

This is the only way to jump to the next level of the game without using counter-

productive shortcuts

It’s helpful to define our planning the awareness that a real individual improvement of

the player is founded on to three different fundamental spheres:

• technical

• physical

• psychological

Of course the previous break down it’s important in theory, but no real. In fact the three

factor are strongly mixed or integrated and they have to be present concurrently in the

projecting and planning the day by day activities finalized to the rise of young players.

Teaching defense is a perfect example of the precedent concept: good defense requires

a very smart individual defense technique, requires a good shape, an intelligent mastery

of the different tactical situation too, but, above all, requires moral quality.

Why man to man defense?

By my experience, in this range of age, the physical and psychological grow of the boys

allow to combine individual skills (technical and tactical) together with the first concept

of team defense. In the same way of teaching offense we want develop the individual

offense skills within of game concepts.

• allows us to encourage important qualities as: proud, responsibility and team

spirit.

• it’s preparatory also for the zone defense, since inside of the responsibilities

areas the players have to defense by the same fundamental skill of the individual

defense.

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Idea

(Trying to combine the following set of ideas)

Personal responsibility – initiative – collaboration

It’s important to promote the spirit of enterprise in the young players and this in both

sides of the game: offense and defense.

All the more so if we believe the defense has not to be hand-off or loose, but it have

strive for to get the control of the game in order to take out it from the attack.

The players have to develop a constant sense of responsibility, both for their

instructions and for the consequences that can result by the own personal initiatives.

Aggressiveness – Balance

If in the previous years we have encouraged the instinct to come in possession of the

ball, now is the correct time to introduce the first ideas of balance to avoid that surplus

of aggressiveness can generate counter-productive outcomes (useless fouls – easy

baskets allowed) and this idea is applicable both of individual point of view and of team.

Spacing – timing – play “while”

Defense has to get all the technical/tactical gears, which allow to stop the timing of the

attack and to deny better offensive spacing.

For an effective defense the players have to be able to take off initiatives to the attack,

adapting their self in the right way “while” the offense is moving (and not re-acting

“after” the offense movement).

Technical anticipation ability

The “motor anticipation ability” (the ability to predict ball or player movement, or

situation) has to be increased by physical and mental quickness drills. In addiction, we

can stimulate this skill by some drills where it will possible to get more experience in real

game situations, and mainly, to recognize the most important indicators which can early

give useful information about what it will happen on the court. **** I prefer to call it

“technical anticipation ability”. ****

In European scientific literature is possible to find a lot of documents about this skills, for

my this paper I refer to the studies of professor Luigino Sepulcri, strength and

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conditioning coach of Italian Basketball NT and coordinator of the education for strength

and conditioning coaches of Italian Basketball Academy. (Sepulcri L., La gestione

dell'equilibrio - Principi e attualità operative. Giganti del Basket n.6 2006, p. 56 – 60)

Special players: tall kids

If in one group of Under 16 players we have one o more player firmly taller than the

average, this is of course a benediction for our work in the long period, but probably in

the short time this aspect will establish some little problems to go over.

The tall kids at this age can be penalized by a lack of motor skills compared with their

peer group, together with a resulting decrease of self-esteem. In this case we have to

protect the tall player and if necessary support him by suitable tactical devices. We have

to follow this solution until he will be able to be a “presence” by the technical and

physical work. A presence appreciate by himself and by his teammates.

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Our man to man defense

In this my paper I will try to argue the defense idea about the different game situations,

trying to have consistency in every technical and tactical choices. In particular I will try

to develop also by practical examples the relative work about the defensive positioning,

that I regard the main factor for a didactic program for the Under 16 teams.

In my mind the one against one (1 vs. 1) it’s a key factor for players younger than Under

16, whereas with teams more mature we will introduce day by day more team tactical

aspects.

Defensive transition

This aspect of the game is like a small emergency, which we have to stop by the

following idea:

Concept

Ball line: is the imaginary parallel line to the

baseline, positioned at the level of the ball.

Sample of drill: to explain the idea of ball line

(not specific for the transition defense)

4 vs. 4 + A (3/4C + FB) (D.1)

O1 by SLOB passes the ball to the Coach and

cuts inside the court to receive back the ball. The

Coach passes the ball to O3 or O4 while them

are cutting towards the center line. X1 e X2 have

to run below the ball line. The defensive players

on the help side, sagging towards the ball.

Tactical items

• assignment (during the offence moment) of the offensive rebound responsibilities

and relative defensive cover.

• To sprint for protecting the paint area and however below the ball line.

Individual technical items

• To take the same speed of the dribbler and to force the ball to sideline (so to

reduce the offensive space), just the ball is stopped we can start with our

defense on the half court.

D. 1 - 4 vs. 4 vertical positioning

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One vs. One on the ball – perimeter players

Prerequisites

There are some elements and idea of base which we considers prerequisites:

we have to check if the players own them.

Individual techniques

• Fundamental stance

o bend knees

o shoulder forward than the hips

o balance

o sliding technique

� lead foot: point the sliding direction

� push foot: it’s the opposite foot of the lead foot

� don’t cross the legs

concept

• driving line: the ideal line between the offensive player with the ball and the

basket

Specific program

We want, by a specific program with the Under 16, develop the skill to understand the

different game situations, to recognize the different acts of the offensive players and to

use the adequate counter fundamentals.

At the base of all we have the idea to defend keeping off the ball from the three point

area (without conditioning the ball towards one side of the court). In this way we want

stress at the maximum level the individual responsibility. And for this reason we chose

to stay low against the ball by a “wall” defense position, with the goal to keep the ball

one step outside the three point area. We can obtain this idea in the teaching of Ettore

Messina, especially for the didactic of the defense. This a key point in the Ettore

Messina defense system (Messina E., Basket 2nd edition, p.10-11).

Secondly we want explain how much and when increase the defensive pressure against

the ball, and give them some performance indicators which allow to test the quality of

the defensive action.

Perfomance indicators

• stay with the chest in front of the ball

• stay at the distance which allow to touch the ball for all the defensive action

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• keep an hand close to the ball

tactical elements

• recognize the offensive play’s attitude, which can change often during the same

offensive action:

o is he playing to pass the ball? We have to increase the defensive pressure

o is he going to play 1 vs. 1? We have to increase our balance and to keep

down the offensive player

o target: to avoid to the offensive player to control the game, to avoid him to

keep his head high, forcing him to protect the ball

developing individual technical elements:

switch from sliding to running and vice versa

for example in case of defense in open court

(D.2), the defender as soon as is late must stop

the sliding action and run to recover the correct

defensive position in front of the ball and be able

to re-start with an effective defensive action

against the ball.

charge

As direct outcome of the correct defensive position on the driving line, the defender he

must be able to force a charge by the offensive player.

One vs. One on the ball – inside players

To receive inside the ball is, normally, a great advantage for the offense, therefore the

defense have to avoid it. If in any case the ball is pass inside the defender on the ball

must:

• stay low between offensive player and basket

• bend the knees, to stay lower than the offensive player, widen his feet support

• keep the contact only by the forearm, to create a gap and to avoid easy

movements for the opponent. Usually the contact is a great advantage for the

offensive player.

D. 2 – 1 vs. 1

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Defense positioning: One vs. One against the man without the ball

Target of our system defense against the offensive player without the ball is to prevent

him from timing and spacing advantages.

To reach this we have to explain some concepts and give some indications:

concepts:

• passing line: is the ideal line which joint the player without the ball and the one

with the ball

• a pass away, the defender must play on the passing line

• to avoid any contacts (to encourage footwork and don’t allow a easy offensive

advantage)

• to avoid for the offensive player to receive the ball in steady position

• to avoid directly passing line, up till one step beyond the three point line

• to see always ball and own offensive player

In theory this defensive attitude can be dangerous, for example it can be attacked by

backdoor cuts or by back screen, but our team has to count on a strong pressure on the

ball (this is the first and more important help against cuts and screens away from the

ball).

• At two passes away from the ball and/or on the help side, the defenders will stay

close to the passing line and sagged towards the center of the paint area, so to

form a very flat triangle between own

offensive player and the ball.

(I refer to the flat triangle which Coach Pesic

introduce in the lesson “Man to man defensive

concept” during the 2008 FECC Clinic in

Amaliada. The D.3 is drawn by the relative issue

– page 2).

This triangle could be more o less squeezed in

relation to the different situations which we are going to show.

D. 3 – flat triangle

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individual technique

To switch from the defensive position against

the ball to the deny position and vice versa.

For example:

defense against give and go and defense

against “V” cut

(D.4): jump towards the ball just the ball go

away the hand of the offensive player, the

defender have to move quickly on the passing line to avoid an easy front cut.

(D.5) the defender has to move while the ball is

flying: as the offense attempt to reverse the ball,

the defender firstly ha to force the offensive

player to receiver as far as possible from the

basket, secondly during the time of the pass

place himself in the “wall” position against the

ball.

switch from deny position to help position

and vice versa

In the D.6 the defender ha to adjust his position

in relation to the ball: it’s a nodal point that the

defender move himself contemporary to the ball

movement.

Defense against cuts

(and help against cuts)

To explain our concepts of positioning and

defense against cuts we can use different drills.

2 vs. 2 + Support – Help against cuts

In the situation as D.7 we want stress the idea

that the help from X2 on the cut of O1 has to be

D. 4 – positioning: vs. give&go

D. 5 – positioning: from deny to against

the ball

D. 6 – positioning: from help pos. to deny

D. 7 – positioning: help vs. cut

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carry towards the ball and not towards the basket to close the space for the offense,

reducing the distance on the own offensive player who is moving to replace the

teammate.

tactical elements

If the help against the cut should be carry towards the basket, this action should open

great space for the open offensive player.

“PENTA drill”. The next drill is addressed to Coach Elio Pentassuglia a very important

Italian coach of 70’s/80’s (he won the 1980 Korac CUP with Rieti) and you can find this

drill in a book by Coach Ettore Messina too. (Messina E., Basket 2nd edition, p.17-19)

We use three offensive players and three defensive players and one Coach as support

all arranged as diagram D.8. When the ball is reversed the offensive player who has

passed it, immediately cuts towards the opposite corner in the strong side. The

offensive player in the corner on the weak side will cut (flash) to the ball, then will

replace the teammate in wing position to be open and get the ball.

The defender has to maintain the correct positioning between man and ball (a pass

away from the ball), denying direct passes and allowing only lob passes or passes

towards the midline (this to allow the continuity of the drill)

The defender on the man in the corner should line up following the rule of the flat

triangle firstly, and to come up to deny the direct passing line secondly, when his

offensive player will move to the ball. It’s very important that the support is a Coach for

the following reasons:

• the Coach will give the correct time for the drill, to allow the defense to keep a

correct positioning

D. 8 – “PENTA” drill: setup D. 9 – “PENTA” drill: swing

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• the Coach could keep the ball on his hip (on a side) so to simulate the presence

of a strong defender to reproduce a real game situation

we want accustom the defenders to catch the eye and the bearing of the player with the

ball.

tactical elements

the direction of the look of the offensive player (also when he is in the point area) with

the ball give useful information to the other defenders to adjust their defensive position

as they are deciding the strong and weak side: on the side in “vision” it’s possible to

increase the defensive aggressiveness while on the other side, the blind one, it’s

possible to be a little bit sagged.

individual techniques

• stay on the passing lines

• see man and ball

• move while the ball is moving

• prevent front cuts

• change defensive guard when it’s necessary, turning towards the offensive player

losing sight of the ball for a while.

We can change the previous drill in this way

(D.9): we force the defense to deny with decision

the reverse of the ball so to create the possibility

of backdoor cut for the offense. Also in this case

it’s possible to incite the defender on the corner

to recognize the intentions of the passer and to

be ready to help on the cut towards the basket

(motor anticipation); at same way the defender in wing position has to recognize the

situation and he will be ready to adequate his position on the court and, eventually,

rotate.

Obviously, in a real game framework, all these actions are based on the fundamental

rule to put a very strong pressure on the ball, so as to prevent the offensive player with

the ball to maintain a easy check of all the attack front.

D. 9 – help vs. backdoor

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3 vs. 3 + support (HC+FB) positioning and box out

O1 pass the ball the support, all the offensive

players cut as in D.10. The Coach can pass the

ball to one of the tree offensive players to check

the correct positioning of the defenders or, more

often, shoot. The three defenders have to meet

the contact with own offensive player, box out,

get the rebound and run the fast break. The drill

is useful also for the offensive players, firstly

(according to the coach assignments) to get the offensive rebound and cover the

offensive transaction, secondly playing their defensive transaction.

4 vs. 4 “SHELL” (HC+FB) placing as in D.11

We use this variant of the well know drill to work

on global way on the defensive positioning,

therefore in this phase we inhibit the offense to

dribble (finally we can allow one or two dribbles).

The offensive players can move themselves and

cut to get open.

The paint area must be protect at any time of our defensive action. We want the

defender further from the ball to have at least a foot inside the area (D.11).

We have always to remind to our player our defensive goals:

• pressure on the ball and deny the offensive players a pass away from the ball

and slow down the rapid reverse of the ball

• prevent the offense to put the ball in wish spots (for example: in the paint area or

near the three point line) to twist the angle of the more effective passages

the two precedent point allow the defense to get time to occupy in correct way the

space on the weak side (or in any case away from the ball) necessary condition to apply

our concepts of defensive help, which we are going to introduce.

As ever, as soon as recovered the ball, the defensive team will run the fast-break.

D. 10 – positioning + boxout

D. 11 – 4 vs. 4 SHELL

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Low post

Now we can try to decline the previous placing defensive concept introducing a

particular three vs. three situation with one offensive player in the low post area (D.12),

which we analyze afterwards.

individual techniques and tactical elements

While the player with ball is trying to get the post

line (deployment line), the defender of the player

in low post has to release the contact and move

quickly the feet to play front; the defender on the

weak side

has

gradually to adjust his defensive position

dropping towards the ball and sagging more

deeply in the area. O1 can stop the dribble

recovering the ball and this the best situation for

our defense, or change hand and move toward

the middle (D.13). X3 can read this changing of

posture and immediately run back to his initial position on stay on the passing line to 3

to slow down a possible reverse of the ball.

Team defense: help against dribbling penetration and defensive

rotation

The responsibility of the defender on the ball is to put a great pressure and prevent

dribble driving to the basket. But this is not

always possible, and sometimes the offense get

a real advantage which allow it to attack strongly

our basket: in this emergency situation the

defender on the ball can count on the help from

all his teammates.

Concepts and tactical elements

help against dribble penetration (D.14) must

come from the weak side and from the deepest defender (the defender more closer to

the basket) for this reason a lot of time this kind of help comes by the inside defenders.

D. 12 – low post #1

D. 13 – low post #2

D. 14 – help vs dribble penetration

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The defenders on the strong side a pass away from the ball has to bring an early help:

X3 moves only one slide towards the ball, remaining on the passing line, and

immediately comes back to his offensive player to deny any pass to him. The target to

fake the full help is only to slow down the dribbler.

the defenders on the weak side a pass away from the ball (middle penetration) have to

near to the paint area running along the ball line. In case of baseline penetration we

want bring the help on the borderline of the paint area.

Against middle penetration, the designate defender for helping (usually a inside or tall

player) will get position in the middle of the area to protect the basket

The defender of the dribbler has to recover because he has the responsibility to disturb

the middle range shot.

It’s important to learn the difference between “real” penetration and “false” one.

To reinforce these concepts we decline all the defensive placement idea by some

examples of game situation.

Five offensive player spread around the

perimeter (D.15) with the ball in the point area.

Consistently with the precedent defensive

concepts: the pressure on the ball must

establish the first idea of strong-weak side.

In this way the other four defenders can adapt

their position also with the ball in middle area.

Baseline penetration (5 vs. 5) (D.16)

The deepest defender on the weak side X5 stop

the penetration at the borderline of the area: the

efficiency of this action is a key point, because if

also the helper is defeated there is no possibility

to recover the defensive advantage. In the

same time X4 has fill the area and put a arm on

the passing line for O5, the offensive player free

by X5 (“help who helps”). Also X1 and X2 have to fill the area, the first remaining on the

passing line, X2 he has to be ready to close up on the passage for O2 or O4.

D. 15 – five outside

D. 16 – baseline penetration

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Middle penetration (5 vs. 5) (D.17)

X5 who is defending on the inside player, has to

fill he penetration line, remaining in the area to

protect the basket (a step beyond the ring). X3

sags towards the area, ready to deflect a pass

to O5 if this goes to the short corner. X2 and X4

sag towards the ball, remaining on the passing

lane. X1 has to recover and to contest the mid range shot.

Clear out (5vs5) (D.18)

X5 has to stay with O5 to strongly deny the high

post spot. The help has to come from the

deepest defender on the weak side and we

have the same rotation seen before.

Example of situation 4 vs. 4 (D.19)

We can use this example to explain the responsabilities in the help defensive situations

(D.20). X4 has to help against the O2 middle penetration following the precedent rules.

X1 has to be ready to rotate on O4, X3 has to deny, he can fake an help remaning on

the passing lane to induce O2 to try a passagge. If this happens X3 has to be ready to

deflect or intercept the passage.

D. 17 – middle penetration

D. 18 – clear out

D. 20 D. 19 – 4 vs. 4 example

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Example of baseline penetration (about motor anticipation ability)

It’s importante that the players improve their

attention capacity and controll on every things

happen on the court, understanding the

opponents’ attitude, they can anticipate the

offensive movement. In this example if the

defenders understand that the penetration is

really dangerous (D.21), they move to protect

the basket. Instead if they perceive that the

offensive movement it’s not effective (D.22), then

they can move to deny all the passing line so to

get a great vantage on the offense.

This happens only if the defenders:

• be successful to maintain in their range of

vision the ball and their own offensive

player

• maintain constantly their correct defensive placement

Close out

More or less all the defense learn to fill the area when the ball is going towards the

basket, and this is remain valid also for young teams. The real difference between a

good defense and an outstanding defense is the ability after stopping the penetration to

open towards the perimeter to get again the control and the initiative.

In sight of the age of this group I regard important to teach the correct technique of the

close out. I don’t believe possible and useful to code with precision the organization of

the defensive rotation, I think that this aspect of our defense has to be delegated in part

to the personal initiative of the kids. It’s important that they are actives, that they have

initiative and are able to take risks with responsibility and that is clear for them the first

target of our defense: to stop the reverse of the ball to take the initiative of the game.

concepts

the target is to solve the emergency situation and after to take again the initiative of the

game with a strong defensive aggressiveness

D. 21 – “real” penetration

D. 22 – “false” penetration

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tactical elements

keep the ball on one side of the defensive half court where it is come; to prevent extra

pass, to stop the reverse on the ball

individual techniques

• close out in balance

• remove the rhythm to the shooter: it’s important to reach with one arm up to avoid

that the receiver could shot immediately, after we can position with balance to

defend against a new penetration

External players

The defender X2 firstly has to adjust his position while the ball is reversed (D.23), then

he has to fill the area (as to rise up on an inside player) during the penetration. When

the ball is passed back on the perimeter X2 has to recover to his offensive player

moving towards the passing line (D.24) and to keep away a new one vs. one (shoot and

penetration).

Inside players

The defender of the inside player has to close the baseline penetration (D.25). Just the

support pass the ball, the defender has to recover the deny position, running towards

D. 23 – close out external (#1) D. 24 – close out external (#2)

D. 25 – close out inside (#1) D. 26 – close out inside (#2)

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the ball and not towards the offensive player (D.26), because in the second case he will

seal by the offensive player.

External + inside players (3 vs. 3 + 2 support)

Team up the two previous situations.

We have specify two concepts (in addition at those already seen).

The defender X2 which rotates on the inside offensive player, he has to go on the

passing line only with one arm and not with full body, to avoid to undergo a seal action

by the offensive player on the next ball rotation (D.27).

When X2 recover the deny position, he has to move firstly towards the ball and

secondly towards the offensive player (D28).

High and low post defense

Low post

As already seen, we want deny 3/4 and front defense while the offense is to create the

deployment line to get the ball in low post.

If we have a tall kid very high and slow, we can allow him to defend behind, but we ask

him to contain the eventual one against one and above all to be present on the

defensive rebound after boxing out.

One vs. one in low post

Baseline penetration: help from the weak side in the same way of penetration of a

external player.

Middle penetration:

• If the penetration is fast, we help with the deepest defender on the weak side, as

in the case of a penetration of a external player

D. 27 – close out 3 vs. 3 (#1) D. 28 – close out 3 vs. 3 (#2)

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• If the penetration is under control we trust on the individual responsibility of the

defender, filling e faking with the others defenders. The defender on the offensive

player on the strong side can try to tip behind the ball.

• In a profitless mismatch, we allow the first dribble towards the middle (to give

time to the others defender to get a correct position) and after we force a reverse

dribble towards the baseline to trap with the deepest defender. The others

defenders rotate to deny the nearest passing lines.

High post

As we as said, we deny in the same of he was a external player: never the ball in this

spot.

Defending the screens

Screens away from the ball

Concepts

We want give to our kids some simply rules which are to be consistent with previous

concepts which allow us to front every defensive situation with screens.

The goal is to allow the offense the less advantage options in spacing and timing

aspects; the requirement is that we have to be ready to defend on two passing lines.

tactical elements

• screen on the ball side: trail

• screen away from the ball, cut in the middle

If the screen is set in wrong way or the cutter doesn’t use it in the correct way (not

shoulder to shoulder) the defenders have the normal rules of defensive placement.

individual techniques

In every case against the screen we want accelerate (“the screen doesn’t exist”)

Who defend against the screener follows the normal rules of defensive placement. The

key point in the defense against screen is the constant pressure on the ball.

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Strong side screens (or in any case near the ball)

Our idea is that the defender trails the cutter

remaining in the “slipstream” of the cutter without

losing the contact. If the cutter go towards the

tree point line, the defender will reach ready to

defend (accelerating probably he can also

deflect the pass).

If the offensive player will play a curl cut (D.29),

will find firstly the block by the screener’s defender (place between the own offensive

player and to ball, keeping the contact) and secondly by of own defender. These two

blocks will force the offense to play the ball in a cramped space, without advantage

because there are three defenders and three offensive players.

Weak side screens (or in any case far from the ball)

If the screen is away from the ball, the defender

of the screener will be sagged coherently our

defensive placemen rules.

In this way the defender of the screener will have

time and sufficient space “to cut” the screen and

remain on the passing line (30).

We allow the offense to receive the ball in fade

away cut: this situation will dilate a lot the space to cover by the pass, granting to the

defenders enough time to reach in the correct defensive placement; X2 to press the ball

and x5 to deny. In other words we want “to soil” the offensive timing.

Back screens

In Italy a lot of young teams use the back screens (mainly in offense system like Flex

Offense). Against this screens we want maintain the same rules: to cut the screen or (in

emergency moments) trail. The screener’s defender has to be ready to help the

teammate in any case of difficult and after to recover on his own offensive player.

D. 29 – ball side

D. 30 – weak side

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Defending the pick and roll

Concepts

We believe that this particular game situation is useful to improve our players if they are

directly involved or not in the action.

Lateral pick & roll

Concept

We take advantage of the nearness of sideline to trap.

individual techniques

X1, just informed by the teammates, push the

dribbler towards the screen (D.31)

• X5, before the dribbler utilizes the screen

pop out to trap in perpendicular way to the

sideline. These will give us two

advantages:

o the screener is forced to roll towards the area, where our defenders on the

weak side are ready to deny

o if the screener run in the corner, pushing the ball under the free throw line

we reduce the distance to cover to close up

• the other defenders (and specially X2) have to read the look of the dribbler to

deny the nearest passing line and sagging from the offensive player positioned

outside the dribble’s visual field

Middle pick & roll (D.32)

We chose to switch to teach to play the mismatch.

individual techniques

Our tall kid (X5) has to contain one against one a

player probably faster than him.

He has to take down his barycentre and to be

ready to move his feet.

X5 has to take advantage to have the arm longer

than the offensive player. He can keep one hand

close to the ball standing away with the body.

D. 31 – lateral pick&roll

D. 32 – middle pick&roll

23

Our small player has to front 5 inside the paint area without accepting contacts

The other three defenders has to move their self together with a step towards the ball,

as they are play zone. In this way they don’t give a clear lectures to the dribbler.

Tall Kid: Fanning the pick & roll

If we have a tall kids poor of experience, then we

decide to protect him keeping him inside the area,

while the defender on the dribbler push him

towards our tall kid. X1 has to pass over the

screen, in effect we will try to trap in the paint.

This action is called fanning the pick and roll (see

Del Harris – Winning Defense, p. 120)

D. 33 – fanning the pick&roll

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Didactics notes

We use a lot the four against four situations because they are very useful and give us

some appreciably advantages.

• the game situations on the court are more clear and easy to read

• he offense can reverse the ball by passes changing the help side for the defense.

• in any case the spacing is realistic enough and more dilated, so more difficult to

defense

• is easy applicable to normal practices with twelve players

• by this disposition the rapport between time of work and time of rest is in average

two/one and this allow to maintain a good intensity

• when we consider important to have a more accurate spacing we use a coach as

support

We always want the defense work with the transition so the players can remark the key

point of our defense: we defend very hard to steal the ball and run to get an easy basket

in fast-break.

Alternative defense

When we are satisfied about the development of our defensive technical and tactical

program we can complete adding one or two alternative defenses: for example the run

and jump and/or 1-3-1 zone defense.

The run and jump defense it can be useful to increase the aggressiveness and the

spirit of full court collaboration, but we have to pay attention to use this kind of defense

in smart way, because we risk to lose the principle of the individual responsibility.

The 1-3-1 zone defense has the advantage to allow us to stress the idea to play on the

passing lines.

The two precedent defenses are two systems able to stimulate the attention, the global

vision and the capacity of motor anticipation and this is very positive.

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Conclusion

Our main goal is the development in all young player of the attitude to solve problem by

their self, in autonomy way. We don’t give them closed solutions for the problems the

game put in front of them.

We have to make the players ready to play at senior level for every kind of team,

independently of the defense and offensive system they will find to play, independently

from the play system of the Coach, they have to manage all the tactical elements of the

game. We can reach this important general target by neutral and balanced chooses

from a technical point of view. Mainly for this reason, for example, we choose to defend

on the ball with a “wall” stance.

All that you find in this my document is established on my daily work in the gym with the

under 16 groups and it is the direct product of my experience as Assistant Coach of

very experienced coaches. Besides I have considered my experience as Instructor in

the last years in the Educational Courses by our Coaches’ Academy and a last a part of

my personal thinking of course.

About my collaboration with the Coaches’ Academy of Italian Basketball Federation I

has been very lucky to can attempt so many clinics , lessons and to listen the technical

indications by Ettore Messina for years the Technical Manager of Coaches’ Academy.

But with the great respect for this important Coach, I consider for my personal growth

decisive moments the friendship, sharing knowledge and the nonstop head to head

with Giordano Consolini manager of Virtus Bologna’ Youth Sector, Raffaele Imbrogno

manager of the technical documentation Centre of Italian Basketball Federation in

Rome and Vincenzo Carlà teaching fellow of University of Florence and a very

passionate Coach.

I hope my elaborate will be interesting for someone but above all useful component of

comparisons with others different thoughts.

26

Abbreviation list

SLOB sideline out of bounds

FB fastbreak

HC or 1/2C half court

3/4C 3/4 of court

FC full court

References list

Harris D. (1993). Winning Defense, a guide for players and coaches. Indianapolis:

Master Press

Messina E. (2005). Basket (2nd edition). Bologna: Zanichelli.

Pesic S. (2008). Man to man defensive concept. Lecture for FECC 2008 clinic.

FIBAEUROPE - Coaching

Sepulcri S. (2006). La gestione dell'equilibrio: Principi e attualità operative. Giganti del

Basket (n.6 – June 2006). Bologna: Cantelli