Techniques for Defending the Side Pick & Roll

The game of basketball has developed to include many fast paced, ball screen dominated offenses. If you don't have a successful ball screen defense, your team will give up too many lay-ups and open jump shots.

Every successful program has multiple ways to defend the ball screen. Ray Giacoletti demonstrates several ball screen defensive coverage including: White, Blue, Squeeze, and Red (Trap). Having multiple ways to defend a ball screen gives your team the opportunity to show a different defense at different times during the game. It also gives you the chance to do something different that no other team in your league has seen.

Keys to Ball Screen Defense

Coach Giacoletti introduces his three keys that have to happen in order to successfully defend ball screen action. Any good defense has mastered the ability to effectively communicate with each other. Whether it's verbal or non-verbal, your team must communicate that the screen is coming and players must be on the same page with their defensive actions. Finally, players must have two sets of hands up and ready to defend any pass and driving angle off the ball screen.

White Coverage (Hard Show)

Using a simple 2v2 drill, your players will learn the mechanics to defending a ball screen by getting over the top and by hard showing. Coach Giacoletti introduces the first line of help with the off-ball defender. His points of emphasis include:

• Close with 2 hands
• Get into the ball handler
• Come off screen with two hands high
• Force out and away from rim
• X out with the post players on the roll

Blue Coverage (Downing a Ball Screen)

A popular way to defend the ball screen is by downing the ball screen or forcing toward the baseline. In this coverage, the defense tries to prevent the ball handler from using the ball screen. This is useful for teams whose big men are not that mobile and struggle with the pick & roll. From here, you can also blitz or trap the ball handler with your post defender once they dribble toward the baseline. Coach Giacoletti's points of emphasis include:

• Flip your feet as you hear the screen coming
• Get into the shoulder of the on-ball defender
• On trap, the post must sprint to the trap as soon as they dribble to the baseline

Red Coverage (Squeezing and Trap)

If your program consistently has players that are similar in size and speed, you can utilize the squeeze defense. In it, the screener forces the player setting the screen into the ball handler so their teammate can get under and take away the driving angle.

With a trapping defense, you can force your opponent into a tough, off-balance pass as they dribble away from the rim.

Coach Giacoletti teaches you multiple ways to defend the ball screen. Each way is broken down into simple and easy to teach mechanics and techniques. You will be able to give yourself an opportunity to win by throwing multiple styles of defending at your opponents throughout every game.

Produced at the Fall 2013 IBCA Coaches Clinic.

42 minutes. 2016.