The first thing to learn about defense in the game of basketball is how to guard the ball. There are four levels of defense and the first level is, How to Guard the Ball. If I mentioned the word spacing most will think about offensive spacing,...
I have compiled four easy steps to help you create an effective practice plan that keeps your players engaged on a daily basis. Evaluate the Defensive Level of your Opponent How do they guard the ball? How is their help-side defense? Match the Read & React Offensive Layers to...
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...
After watching the Dallas Mavericks' defensive performance in The Finals I thought it would be great time to share with you my philosophy on close outs and a few drills to go along with it. The #1 key to closing out is knowing who you are...
In my opinion one of the most difficult things to teach young players is where they should be standing on defense when they are not guarding the ball. I am going to give you a great tool that will give your players a visual aide...
One of the toughest things to teach young players is effectively trapping the basketball without committing a foul. Trapping not only takes athleticism and skill, but it also requires a tremendous amount of self-discipline. While there are several reasons why you may decide to trap, I...
Ask any basketball coach in the world what they think is one of the most important factors to having a GREAT defensive team, and I would bet they will mention “Communication” somewhere in their explanation. While knowing your rotations, knowing personnel, and playing solid fundamental...