Master Plan: Defensive Drills List

*Defensive Skills & Techniques**: "Building Blocks to a Successful Defense"*

Coaching requires a real commitment and dedication. Before undertaking any defensive system, coaches must be well organized and prepared. This requires careful planning and thought. Since most programs do not have a lot of practice time, it is imperative that coaches analyze and organize their time wisely. First identify which skills the players need to know, how well they need to know them, and under what conditions they are to do them.

The following is a sequential list of example defensive teaching and break down drills. Use it as a guide in putting together your master plan of drills. If you have limited practice time, use combination drills that incorporate several defensive fundamentals.

Click on desired drill to View/Print details.

Level I. Individual Defensive Fundamentals

Basic Concepts & Principles

Introduce and demonstrate: Trap Zones, Red Zone, PushPoints (sideline push), Helpside I, and Box Pressure. “Basic Defensive Concepts & Principles”

Guarding Player With Ball – “Ball”, “Push”, “Jam”

Teaching Drill #1: “On Ball Basic Three” (1-on-1 Ball, Push, Jam)

Teaching Drill #1B: “On Ball Basic Three" (Group Sliding Alternate)

Teaching Drill #2: “Double Closeouts” (Wings & Point Dribble Penetrations)

Teaching Drill #3: “Three Up” (Live 1-on-1 Point & Wings)

Guarding Player with Ball – Special Situations

Teaching Drill #1A: Special Situations - "Dribble Penetration Prevention”

Teaching Drill #1B: Special Situations - "Creating 5 Second Closely Guarded Count”

Teaching Drill #1C: Special Situations - "Taking a Charge”

Teaching Drill #1D: Special Situations - "Giving A Foul”

Guarding a Dribbler in Open Court

Teaching Drill #1: “Wolf” (Pursuing Breakaways)

Teaching Drill #2: "Containing a Dribbler in Open Court" (Full Court)

Teaching Drill #3: “Cut Off & Control”(Full Court)

Teaching Drill #4: “Double Teaming Open Court” (Containing & Attacking Roles)

Guarding Player Without Ball – “Strong Pass Denials”

Teaching Drill #1: “Double Closeouts with Pass Denial” (1-on-1 with pass denial)

Teaching Drill #2: “Pass Denial” (2-on-2 Dancing)

Teaching Drill #3: “One-on-One with Trail” (Full Court)

Guarding Player Without Ball – “Helpside” Backside Support

Teaching Drill #1: Shell 4-on-4 - “Basic Shifting” (Jump to Ball)

Teaching Drill #2: Shell 4-on-4 - “Quick Close Outs” (To Spots not Opponents)

Teaching Drill #3: Shell 4-on-4 - “Seal & Recover”

Teaching Drill #4: Shell 4-on-4 - “Defending Baseline Dribble Penetration”

Teaching Drill #5: Shell 4-on-4 - “Defending Middle Dribble Penetration”

Defending The Post Area

Teaching Drill #1: Shell 4-on-4 - “Post Shifting” (Post Pass Denial)

Teaching Drill #2: Shell 4-on-4 - “Post Close Outs” (Spots not Opponent)

Teaching Drill #3: “Low Post Isolation” (1-on-1)

Teaching Drill #4: “Defending the High Post” (1-on-1)

Teaching Drill #5: “Defending High/Low Post Action” (3-on-3)

Defensive Rebounding – “Box Out”

Teaching Drill #1: “Boxing Out” (Introduction)

Teaching Drill #2: "Boxing Out the Shooter” (Defending Special Situations)

Teaching Drill #3: “Helpside Rebounding”

Level II. Team Defensive Fundamentals

Basic Disruptions

Teaching Drill #1: Shell 4-on-4 - "Double Teaming"
Teaching Drill #2: Shell 4-on-4 - “Disrupting Baseline Dribble Penetration”
Teaching Drill #3: Shell 4-on-4 - “Disrupting Middle Dribble Penetration”
Teaching Drill #4: Shell 4-on-4 - "Defending Basket Cuts" (Give & Go)

Post Disruptions

Teaching Drill #1: Shell 4-on-4 - “Go Base Post Double Team”
Teaching Drill #2: Shell 4-on-4 - “Go Top Post Double Team”
Teaching Drill #3: Shell 4-on-4 - “Post Front Double Team”

Disrupting Screens

Teaching Drill #1: Shell 4-on-4 - "Attacking Down Screens"
Teaching Drill #2: Shell 4-on-4 - "Attacking Base Screens"
Teaching Drill #3: "Combo – High Post Rub, Down, & Side Screen" (3-on-3)
Teaching Drill #4: Shell 4-on-4 - "Combo – Back Cut, Diagonal, & Mid Screen"

LEVEL III. Team Defense Application of Defensive Fundamentals

Go Live

Review & Reinforce Drill #1 – “Triple Close Outs” (3-on-3)
Review & Reinforce Drill #2A: Shell 4-on-4 “Cutthroat”
Review & Reinforce Drill #2B: Shell 4-on-4 “Post Cutthroat”
Review & Reinforce Drill #2C: Shell 4-on-4 “Full Court Cutthroat”
Review & Reinforce Drill #3: Shell 4-on-4 “Full Court Gut” (Defensive Stops)

Half Court Scrimmage

Total review & practice: “Four Stops” (5-on-5). Defense switches to offense after making four defensive stops (defensive rebounds and/or turnovers). This encourages and motivates players to work on defense which helps the offense out.
Total review & practice: “Defense and Break” (5-on-5). Break full court on turnovers and defensive rebounds.
Total review & practice: “No Hands Defense” (5-on-5). Players must hold their jerseys while on defense. This encourages proper footwork and eliminates reaching.

Review & Reinforce (as needed)

Circuit Drill #1: "On Ball Defensive Fundamentals”
Circuit Drill #2: "Off Ball Defensive Fundamental”
Circuit Drill #3: "Off Ball Screens”
Circuit Drill #4: "On Ball Screens”

Check-In Rule for ALL Drills!
Prior to putting the ball in play, the defensive player must first check to see that all of their teammates are in proper defensive position and stance. Putting the ball into play without first checking to see if teammates are ready results in ten (10) push ups. Enforce!

Coaching Points

This example building of a fundamentally sound defense should be augmented with passing and transition drills. Once the basic individual defensive skills and techniques are mastered, they can be easily extended into full court disruptions. Also, be sure to follow up with teaching how to defend special situations such as out of bounds (baseline & sideline), boxing out on free throws, jump balls, last shots, etc.

Related Items:

Program Evaluation: Teaching Defensive Skills & Techniques Check List

Defensive Fundamentals: Five Day (10 Session) Teaching Plan

HoopTactics' Player Development: Individual Defensive Skills