On a recent Hardwood Hustle Podcast, PGC’s Tyler Coston discussed three effective tips to defending ballscreens. These simple ideas can be very effective at any level, but especially at the high school level.
1. If ball handler using the ballscreen isn’t a threatening force on the floor, do not even guard the ball screen. Meaning the player defending the ball should fight over or under; while the defender of the screener should set in help and prevent a downhill drive of the ball.
2. If the ball handler is a threat coming off of the screen but there is poor spacing in the offense and little to no action, get really good at help side defense. Shrink the floor to prevent the ball handler from getting into the paint.
3. If the ball handler is very talented and the floor is spaced well, Blitz (Trap) the ballscreen and take away the ball handler as a threat. Furthermore, make sure your defense rotates to take away the next best action after the ball screen.
