Billy Donlon: Ball Screen Defense that Identifies Pick & Roll Situations + Measurable Shooting Drills

with Billy Donlon,
Eastern Michigan University Head Coach;
Clemson University Associate Head Coach from 2022 to 2026;
2024 Elite Eight;
Kansas City Roos (UMKC) Head Men's Basketball Coach from 2019 to 2022;
Northwestern Assistant Coach from 2017 to 2019;
Michigan Assistant Coach 2016 to 2017;
Wright State Head Coach from 2010 to 2016;
2013 Horizon League Coach of the Year

Tough, hard nose defense is a game changer. Coach Billy Donlon has instilled a culture of defensive intensity and toughness wherever he has coached. His teams have been one of the best when it comes to defending the ball screen. His work on defense helped Clemson reach back to back NCAA Tournament appearances including an Elite Eight in 2024. In this video, Coach Donlon takes you through a deep dive into how to defend the ball screen, situations to prepare, and a valuable shooting series to help improve your players confidence.

Defensive Philosophy and Ball Screen Coverage
Defense starts with how you guard the ball. The Tigers have been one of the toughest one ball defenders. Centered around forcing teams outside and away from the middle of the paint, they pressure the ball as soon as you cross half court. This is built through a 1v1 full court defense drill. Using this as the basis of defensive pressure, Coach Donlon builds to 2v2 ball screen coverage. Players learn the different coverages you can use to defend a ball screen. This is helpful when teaching your players how you want to defend and get ball handlers out of the middle of the floor.

By bullying the basketball into a trap or hard hedge, players can force the offense to play to their pressure. Donlon will walk you through ‘Up to Touch’, ‘One Slide Defense’, ‘Flat Coverage’, ‘Trap’, and ‘Hitch’ coverage just to name a few. You can choose which one is best for your team and grow your defense!

Ball Screen Situations
Once your team has mastered coverages it’s time to put them to the test! Players have to recognize what is happening on the floor when it comes to ball screen offense. This will help them become better communicators and adjust to offensive actions.

Shooting Series
With over 14 different ball screen situations, you will be prepared for any action an opponent throws your way. From ‘Side of One’ to ‘Horn Set’ to ‘Roll and Replace’ to ‘Ghost Screens’, players will know how to react, how to defend, and how to take away an opponent's best action coming off of a ball screen.

Shooting Philosophy
Anything you emphasize as important in your program must be measured. You must be able to put numbers behind your rebounding stats, turnovers, or spot shooting. All of these elements are important to show players growth and what they can do to continue to improve. Using simple drills like ‘Mikan Drill’, ‘Tip Drill’, and teaching technique with ‘Pro Hop’ and ‘Floaters’, players will feel confident and see their progress as you chart what they do in practice with game-like situations.

Shooting Series
Rounding out a solid shooting philosophy is getting players shots in practice. Putting them through a good fundamental workout is important to develop confidence and track their progress. Using ‘Form shots’, ‘Box Shots on each side’, ‘Step in from Foul line’, ‘Elbow to Elbow’, and ‘3’s’

Your players will get an incredible workout that will help prepare them. In ‘Tiger 44’, players shoot from 4 different spots each for 44 seconds. Players have to hit a total of 44 shots in that time frame to work on quick release and their ability to catch and shoot.

Tough nose defense, defending the ball screen, and knocking down shots are a recipe for success. These traits all help players feel confident in their ability. Coach Donlon is all about celebrating player success and giving them the tools to beat anyone on the floor. You will love the defensive tactics and shooting philosophy Coach Donlon has put together for this video!

Customer Review: 5 Out 5 Stars!
“Excellent video that showcases how to defend the pick and roll and any situation you can think of. One of the best teachers and excellent attention to detail! The shooting portion will be incredibly useful for our team as well!”

81 minutes. 2024.