How to Attack Pressure Defense

For many smaller universities and schools, being able to handle pressure defenses when playing against more athletic teams is the key to having success. In this great on-court instructional video, Saul Phillips guides you through his pressure breaking system and the drills that go along with it. Coach Phillips covers a full court press break alignment and different counters that go with it to get your players open and attacking your opponent's defense with poise.

The North Dakota team is consistently one of the best teams in the country in turnover margin. So much of this is due to the fundamental skills that Coach Phillips stresses to his team. Phillips shows you how to establish roles, responsibilities, and work habits for each player on the floor to create an attacking mentality from the start. You'll learn how hard your point guard will have to work to be successful if they want to beat a tough pressure defense; how important it is for your inbounder to be able to move and once the ball is in play to use the entire floor to make your opponents work. He uses 5-on-0 and 5-on-5 situations to demonstrate all angles of his attacking pressure defensive system.

The first drill that Coach uses often in his practices is a simple pass and catch drill. This emphasis on these simple fundamental concepts is a catalyst for so many things when the other team begins to apply pressure. Coach discusses in this DVD the importance of passing, catching, coming to meet the ball and making hard cuts to get open. As he addresses how to break a full court man to man press, these concepts keep coming out. When he works the players verses the 2-2-1 press and the 1-3-1 press the players must also focus on strong passes, coming back to the ball and hard cuts.

Coach Phillips provides drills you can put into place right away to create an attacking mentality on your press break. In his drills, coach guides your through 1v2, 2v3 and 5v6 that create an advantage for the defense so your players learn how to attack in an odd numbered situation. Phillips uses full court drills to simulate how the defense will look to use traps and the sideline to contain a press, but he also demonstrates counters to any trapping situation. These drills are great for your players to learn how to handle pressure and play with poise against any opponent you will face.

This DVD is great for any coach that is looking for ways to counter effective defensive pressure or just looking for ways to create an attacking mentality with their press break offense. Coach Phillips will challenge your players to work hard in order to be successful against any opponent you will see.

Produced at the Fall 2012 Omaha (NE) Clinic.

74 minutes. 2013.