How To Install The Crushing Man-to-Man Defense

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Important Instructions: Depending on the age & experience of your players, it should take between 1-3 weeks for your players to get very comfortable with all the defensive principles (older players should be able to completely master this defense after a few days of practice). Drill #1 and #2 should be run every single day in practice while you're trying to teach this defense to your team. On Day 1 of teaching this defense, focus on running Drills #3-6 as many times as your practice time allows (the post defense series). On Day 2, focus on running drills #7-10 as many times as your practice time allows (the wing deny series). On Day 3, focus on running drills #11-15 as many times as your practice time allows (the pick'n'roll & penetration series). Depending on how your players are reacting, you may want to repeat the above 3-Day sequence a couple more times, until you see them reacting "instinctively". If after the first 3 days the players are catching on and reacting well, on Day 4 you can introduce ALL the drills in a single practice and demand good execution. Repeat Day 4 for at least a couple of additional practices or until players are able to go through every single drill with relative ease. Within a couple of weeks, you should be able to run live 5-on-5 competitive scrimmages and grade how your players are reacting to the different offensive situations. Wherever you spot a weakness, whether its pick'n'roll defense or baseline penetration, go back and repeat the appropriate drills to turn the weaknesses into strengths!

Within a couple of weeks on average, you'll see a DRAMATIC boost in how well your entire team is defending. CONGRATULATIONS!

1) 1-on-1 Drill:

Purpose: Every defender has to be able to play good 1-on-1 defense on the ball. Setup: Each player is assigned a partner to play 1-on-1 against.

Instruction: 1) Offensive player starts at the top of the key, trying to either drive or shoot. 2) Defender has to stop the player, box out & grab the rebound. 3) Offense gets a point for each basket, each offensive rebound and each foul committed by the defender. 4) Each player in line should get 3-5 offensive possessions, and the losers do 5-10 pushups at the end.

Rotation: The pair moves to the line on the other end of the floor, with the previous offensive players now playing defense and the previous defenders now playing offense.

2) Front Low Post Drill

Purpose: - When ball is on the wing, front the low post with either a 1/2 or 3/4 stance from the baseline side, meaning one foot should be behind the offensive player and the other foot in front, with both hands positioned the same way. It’s important to prevent the drop-step move towards the baseline. - When ball is at point, establish position under the defender rather than directly in front, with an arm bar on their back and one hand in the passing lane. Staying under the defender rather than directly in front or behind prevents the offensive player from sealing and/or establishing proper position. Think of this as a "1/2" front.

Setup & Instruction: 1) Back and forth, pass the ball from the wing to the point. The defender quickly works to establish proper position with each pass.

3) Double-Teaming in the Low Post

Purpose: - If the pass gets into the low post, the post defender stays on the baseline side and the opposite wing defender, who should already be in the paint, comes to double-team. This allows your other post defender to stay on their man.

Setup & Instruction: 1) The ball starts on the wing and is passed successfully into the low post. 2) The low post defender stays on the baseline side while the wing defender comes to double-team. 3) The ball is skip passed to the opposite wing and the help defender has to sprint back to close out their man. 4) The ball is then passed into the low post from this side, while the wing defender on the other side now moves in to double-team.

4) Defend the Baseline Dribble Drive

Purpose: - Prevent the offensive player from finishing at the rim

Setup & Instruction: 1) The dribbler's defender and the closest low post defender will double-team. 2) The opposite low post defender slides over to defend the vacated man. 3) The weak-side wing defender comes down to now defend the low post player on the weak-side. 4) This drill is best run in a 4-on-4 situation and can be combined with the "Double Teaming in the Low-Post" drill after your players get comfortable with the rotations.

5) Slow the Post Cutter

Purpose: - Post defenders should actively try to slow down cutters and ruin their timing by using an arm bar and quick footwork. Setup: 2 offensive wing players, 1 offensive post & 1 defensive post

Instruction: 1) Start with the ball on the opposite wing to the offensive post player. 2) Offensive player attempts to cut and post-up on the ball-side block. 3) Post defender disrupts the cut by using an arm-bar and then partially fronts from baseline side. 4) The ball is passed to the opposite wing, offensive player repeats the cut to ball-side with defender trying to get in the way, and the drill continues.

6) Step Under Post Cutter

Purpose: The post cutter's defender always "steps under" if there is a screen being set. If the cutter cuts low, the defender stays with their man. If the cutter cuts high, a switch occurs. Setup: 2 wing players, 2 post players & 2 post defenders Instruction: 1) The ball starts on the opposite wing to the post cutter. 2) If the post cutter cuts low, defender steps under towards the baseline and stays with their man. 3) If post cutter cuts high attempting to use a screen, the defender still steps under and defends the screener. 4) The other post defender switches on the screen and attempts to front the cutter.

7) Wing Deny V-to-Back

Purpose: - Deny the ball being passed to the player making the outside V-cut and/or making the back-cut to the hoop Setup: 1 offensive player, 1 defensive player, a Coach and LOTS of balls.

Instruction: 1) The offensive player starts low and makes a V-cut to the wing, while Coach passes the ball. 2) Defender attempts to deflect the pass with their right hand if its the right-side of the court, or left hand on the left side of the court (Using the correct hand allows the defender to stay in better position to defend the back-cut after the V-cut) 3) Offensive player then attempts to make a quick back-cut while Coach passes the ball, and defender attempts to deflect again. 4) The cuts & passes need to fire rapidly so make sure there are enough balls available.

8) Wing Help-Skip-Close

Purpose: - Play correct help-side defense on the wings, which protects against dribble penetration, allows double-teaming the low post and allows for a quick closeout on the skip pass. Setup: 2 offensive & 2 defensive players

Instruction: 1) Start with ball on one of the wings. The help defender should be stationed in the middle by the free-throw line. 2) Ball is skip passed to the other wing, help-side defender has to quickly close out to their man in a controlled way. 3) Ball is skip-passed back and forth and the drill continues. 4) Rotate the offense & defense after several passes have been made.

9) Wing Skip-Deny

Purpose: - Wing players not only need to learn how to be in help-side position, but also be very alert in denying the wing cutter while being in help-side position. Setup: 2 offensive & 2 defensive players

Instruction: 1) The skip pass is made from one wing to the other, and the help-side defender runs to close out, while the other defender rotates into help-side position. 2) The offensive player without the ball makes a hard cut to the basket, which the help-side defender should actively deny. 3) The help-side defender should stay DIRECTLY in between the path of the cutter and the ballhandler, while using an arm bar and quick footwork to disrupt and slowdown the cutter. 4) Rotate the offense & defense after several passes have been made.

10) Wing Skip-Shoot-Box

Purpose: - Teach the wing help-side defender to box out their man after a shot. Setup: 2 offensive & 2 defensive players

Instruction: 1) Start the ball at either wing. Off-the-ball defender (Triangle 3) is in help-side position. 2) The skip pass is made to the opposite wing, Triangle 3 sprints for the closeout. 3) The offensive player (Circle 3) shoots the ball, while the other offensive player (Circle 2) crashes for the rebound from the wing. 4) Triangle 2 has to box out Circle 2 and grab the rebound. 5) Rotate offense and defense after several shots.

11) Pick'n'Roll Jump Switch

Purpose: Players should switch on outside screens to prevent dribble penetration. Setup: 2 offensive players 2 defensive players Instruction: 1) When Circle 2 comes to set the screen for Circle 1, Triangle 2 yells out "screen" and jumps up to make the switch and prevents Circle 1 from dribble penetration. 2) Triangle 1 should step around and maintain contact with Circle 2, trying to get in between Circle 2 and the ball in to prevent the bounce pass. 3) If Circle 1 attempts to make a lob pass to Circle 2, there's a high chance of it begin intercepted by the lower help defenders near the basket. 4) If Circle 1 goes the opposite direction of the screen, no need to switch, while Triangle 2 aggressively denies any pass to Circle 2.

12) Back Screen Deny

Purpose: - Switch back screens so players can be guarded and back-cut layups can be prevented. Setup: 3 offensive players & 3 defensive players

Instruction: 1) When Circle 4 comes up to set the back-screen on Triangle 2, Triangle 4 yells out "screen" and switches to pick up the back-cutting Circle 2. 2) Triangle 2 has to quickly & aggressively steps over and around the screen to get in ball deny position against Circle 4. 3) Circle 1 attempts to make a pass to either the back-cutter or the screener, and in either case, the ball should be actively denied by the defenders. 4) After 3 possessions rotate offense & defense.

13) The Down Screen Chase

Purpose: - Chase the offensive player on down-screens without switching, in order to deny the pass on the flare cut to the corner. Setup: 3 offensive players & 3 defenders

Instruction: 1) When Circle 2 comes down to set the down-screen on Triangle 4, Triangle 4 has to aggressively fight the screen and chase Circle 4 around. 2) No switch occurs. 3) Circle 1 should try to pass the ball to either Circle 2 or Circle 4. 4) Both Triangle 2 & Triangle 4 should actively try to deny the ball. 5) As you can see, IF Triangle 2 & Triangle 4 switch on the down screen, it allows Circle 2 to make the flare cut to the short corner and receive the easy pass.

14) Seal the Seam Recovery

Purpose: Teach players to play tight on the ball defense, prevent dribble penetration by closing the seam, and recovering quickly. When playing tight on the ball defense, it can make your team vulnerable to dribble penetration, so help defenders need to "close the seam" and quickly recover back to their man. Quick recovery is the key, since the goal isn't to double-team, the goal is simply to stop the dribble penetration. Setup & Instruction: 3 offensive players and 3 defensive players. 1) Circle 1 attacks the seam, which is closed by Triangle 1 & Triangle 2 quickly. 2) Circle 1 passes to Circle 2, Triangle 2 recovers quickly. 3) Circle 2 tries to attack the seam, Triangle 1 & Triangle 2 close. 4) Pass is made to Circle 1, Triangle 1 quickly recovers. 5) Ball is swung to Circle 3 and the drill continues in the same fashion. 6) Run the drill for a few possessions and then switch offense & defense. Keep track or score, losers can do pushups or suicides.

15) Hedging Point Dribble Penetration

Purpose: - Teach low post defenders to hedge up towards the dribbler and then quickly go back to defending their men. Instead of completely stopping the dribble penetration, the low post defenders are simply trying to confuse and slow down the ball-handler. Otherwise, if the post defenders come up too aggressively, it leaves their offensive man open down low for the easy pass & layup. Setup: 3 offense & 3 defense Instruction: 1) When Circle 1 penetrates down the middle, Triangle 4 & Triangle 5 "hedge" up towards the freethrow line without completely leaving Circle 4 & Circle 5 (to prevent the easy dish & layup). 2) This should either force Circle 1 to pull up for the shot, or slow down just enough so that Triangle 1 can recover from behind. 3) Triangle 4 & Triangle 5 should be deceptive enough to confuse the ball-handler. 4) After several possessions, switch offense & defense. Keep track of score and losers do pushups or suicides.