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Author: Dan MacFadyen

Here's what I mean. Within Dynamic Defense, there are four basic defensive levels for players to achieve. The first level requires you to be able to guard the ball and keep it out of the middle one-third of the floor. To achieve the second level, a player must not only guard the ball, but he or she must be able to defend away from the ball. That means being in a position to help a teammate keep the ball from being shot, driven, or passed into the middle one-third. A Level Three defender must be able to guard the ball, guard away from the ball and to also guard situations. What’s a situation? It’s an offensive action that has forced the defense to switch and rotate. You’ll know you’re about to define a situation when your players say, “Coach, what do we do in this situation?” The Level Four defender knows the best way for everyone to rotate out of a Level 3 situation, and get back to their original responsibilities, without giving up a basket. Now, what’s dynamic about those four levels?

Dear High Ball Screen, This is difficult for me to say (well, write). I just want to be friends. I know. I know. We've had some great times. And, I'm sure there will be more to come, but right now, I just need some… space. You see, we've had this love affair for a long time. Heck, you were probably the first screen I was introduced to as a young basketball player. I appreciate everything you've done for me. I'll always cherish our memories. Letter to the High Ball Screen But, I recently got to thinking. Are we as compatible as I think we are? Do I love you because my previous coaches told me to? Are you just a Sacred Zombie Cow? Or, do we really fit? I needed to know (for both our sakes) so I decided to test it out on the biggest stage I could find: the NCAA National Championship game - theoretically the two best non-professional basketball teams in the world. It would be perfect. I would chart all the amazing impact you made in that game and fall in love with you all over again. You know, just like when we were younger. Well, that's what I thought would happen.