Defensive Drills

Defending the Drive and Kick

By kevin roy on March 31, 2023

The game is moving more and more away from the basket to the perimeter. More teams are creating double gaps and utilizing the driving lanes to get players open for shots.

Thus we now more than ever need to teach our players how to close out properly and rotate on drive and kick actions.

In the video clip below NBA assistant coach Sean Sweeney shows how he teaches the game both offensively and defensively in teams of the drive and kick.

Coach Sweeney uses game and practice footage to illustrate key offensive and defensive concepts.

The clip is taken from his full course entitled Game Situations: Breaking Down Parts of the 3 on 3

4 on 4 Scramble Drill

By Brian Williams on January 5, 2020

This drill starts out as 4 on 3 scramble drill and then adds the 4th defender.

The coach demonstrating the drill is John Becker of Vermont.

Take the concept and change the rules and expectations to make it your own and fit what you are working to accomplish.

You will need to be on a network that allows you to access YouTube to view the video.

Click the play arrow to view the video.

There is narration with the video, so please make sure that your sound is on.

You can find out more about the Championship Productions video that this clip is from at this link: Half Court Defensive Essentials

The video is available in both DVD and online format.

Chute Defensive Drill

By Brian Williams on December 30, 2019

Here is an alternative format to the traditional alley zig zag drill from Frank Martin.

You will need to be on a network that allows you to access YouTube to view the video.

Click the play arrow to view the video.

There is narration with the video, so please make sure that your sound is on.

You can find out more about the Championship Productions video that this clip is from at this link: 94′ of Pressure Defense

The video with Coach Martin is available in both DVD and online format.

Frank Martin Cut Defensive Drill

By Brian Williams on December 22, 2019

In my opinion, the drill itself is not the leading takeaway from this video.

My hope is that you can use some of Coach Martin’s teaching points and terminology.

You will need to be on a network that allows you to access YouTube to view the video.

Click the play arrow to view the video.

There is narration with the video, so please make sure that your sound is on.

You can find out more about the Championship Productions video that this clip is from at this link: Frank Martin’s Half Court Pressure Man-to-Man Defense

The video with Coach Martin is available in both DVD and online format.

Previous Providence College Head Coach and currently the head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas men’s basketball program, Ed Cooley takes some demonstration players through the first phase of his Defensive Fly Drill.

You can use this as the basis for your own similar drill to work on defensive rotations.

You can decide what the next movements that you allow are. One step, one dribble, all the way up to full freedom to move.

I hope it gives you some food for thought on what you can do to emphasize deflections and teach and practice defensive rotations.

The video is hosted on YouTube.

You will need to be on a network that allows you to access YouTube.

Click the play arrow to view the video.

There is narration with the video, so please make sure that your sound is on.

You can find out more about the Championship Productions video that this clip is from at this link: Using Pressure Defense to Get a Winning Edge

2 Sprints, 2 Stunts, Live

By Brian Williams on November 2, 2018

This 4 on 3 Scramble Defensive Drill was posted to the FastModel Sports Basketball Plays and Drills Library by Matt Wheeler.

Matt Wheeler has spent the last 10 years coaching in the Orlando, FL area.

For the last 6 seasons he was at Olympia High School where he spent time as assistant boys varsity coach, head girls varsity coach, and head boys varsity coach.

You can also find out more about FastModel Play Diagramming software by clicking this link: FastDraw

This competitive defensive drill focuses on closeouts, sprinting to help, and stunting at the ball.

To add a communication component to it, require the defenders to say “I Got Ball” on the closeouts and “Help” when they are in help. The defense must defend and communicate four passes perfectly then they can play live 2v2. On the first two passes, the defenders sprint to help/closeout. On the third and fourth pass the defenders stunt at the ball as it is driven at them, then sprint to closeout/help.

Use defense scoring in this drill. If the defense gets a stop they get a point and they stay on defense against the next team. If the defense doesn’t communicate, sprint to help, close out correctly or they get scored on, they immediately lose and go to the end of the line and the offensive team goes to defense.

Coach passes to 1.

x1 closes out on 1.

x2 sprints to help.