Disruptive Full Court Pressure Defensive System

Metro State Head Men's Basketball Coach Derrick Clark shows you how his teams have successfully used full-court defensive pressure to control the tempo of the game, force turnovers and create mental fatigue in their opponents.

Philosophy
Coach Clark's philosophical approach to controlling tempo, disrupting the opponent, and forcing turnovers has led to back-to-back seasons with 30-plus wins and Final 4 appearances. His defensive pressure package, which has frustrated numerous opponents, varies by type (man-to-man, zone), positioning (deny, face-guard, contain) and strategy (eliminate primary ball-handler, tempo/clock management, clamping on makes vs misses).

Man-to-Man Full Court Press
Coach Clark's "everyday pressing philosophy" starts with his 55 Press, a man-to-man, full-court pressure system that is easily adjusted based on the opponent's offensive formation. Coach Clark demonstrates how he adjusts his team's alignment against an opponent's "stack" and "4-across" press-break attacks. In a 5-on-5 setting, he demonstrates both trapping and run-and-jump options, as well various approaches to defending the opponent's primary ball handler.

Arguably the most important component of the full-court pressure defense is the help-and-recover aspect once the initial front line defenders/trap has been beaten. Coach Clark discusses his approach to defensive recovery/transition, and later demonstrates it, using a breakdown drill that opens with the front-line defenders having already been beaten. A highly conditioned team can be successful at creating turnovers along the back end when placed in a disadvantageous state. However, players must be motivated to see every play through to its end and continuing the frenzied defensive pace no matter where the ball exists on the court.

2-2-1 Zone Press
In addition to the 55 Press, Coach Clark also uses a 2-2-1 zone press that varies in its overall approach (passive vs aggressive) as a way to provide multiple looks at an opponent. Coach Clark outlines the passive version of his zone press (the Blue scheme), which forces the opponent to use up time on the clock by consistently having to take a slower approach to breaking the press. The aggressive version, the Red scheme, features ball pressure and aims for a successful trap that will yield a turnover. To fully illustrate his talking points, Coach Clark moves players around on the court, demonstrating specific moves and skills.

Coach Clark also discusses "clamping the ball" off of a missed shot and gives a quick demonstration of trapping the defensive rebound as a means to disrupting the opponent's fast break attack, which allows the defensive unit to recover.

Get your opponents out of their preferred tempo this season with Coach Derrick Clark's in-your-face, full-court press. Apply a press that adjusts to any press offense and allows you to be disruptive from all angles on the court.

67 minutes. 2014.