Half-Court Man Gap Defense

Tired of your team allowing dribble drives into the paint? Tired of that conference all-star post player who eats your team alive?

Michael Peck's Half Court Man-to-Man Gap Defense contains dribble penetration and keeps the ball out of the key. This defense will encourage your opponent to become a jump shooting team, taking shots outside the key but inside the three point arc - the gray area.

Coach Peck lays out the six components of the defense, which are vital in understanding how the defense works. Peck expertly corrects players on their aggressiveness and positioning in a controlled shell drill.

Learn the basics of the defense and the heart of what the defense is - playing the gaps. Peck defines the three phases of on-ball pressure and defines "what is good on-ball pressure." He talks about the 3 phases of ball pressure and demonstrates that ball pressure should be getting your chin under the ball and not swatting at the ball creating a foul. The defense should be lower than the offense emphasizing that the low man wins. Communication and helping-the-helper are also demonstrated, as Peck explains the rotations necessary once a defender has yielded a dribble drive.

Peck teaches the man-you-ball triangle, the one step off the line, two steps down the line positioning, and uses the "Position Check"Drill to direct and demonstrate how the players are to position and rotate in this defense. How the players position themselves for both weak side and strong side help is at the heart of this defense.

Game situations such as defending the post and playing against the pick and roll are also included. Much of the clinic is focused on the wing helping to defend the outstanding post player. Coach Peck outlines the three components they can do when the ball is entered into the post: dig, dive, or stay. The screen and roll section focuses on trapping, switching and jamming between the two defenders.

Using these components of the gap man-to-man defense, you can build a better defense that will protect the key and cause confusion and ultimately mistakes by your opponent.

100 minutes. 2012.