Tenacious Defense: Pressuring Opponents and Creating Turnovers

with Jason Crafton,
Penn State Women's Basketball Assistant Coach & General Manager;
Columbia University Men's Basketball Chief Program Strategist from 2024 to 2025;
Maryland Eastern Shore Head Coach from 2019 to 2024;
in the 2022-23 season, posted a school record in steals (345) and steals-per-game(11.1) - which was also #1 in the nation- their turnovers forced per contest (19.0) was #1 in the nation as well;
Delaware Blue Coats (NBA G-League) Assistant Coach;
Nyack College Head Coach from 2012 to 2018;
Navy Associate Head Coach from 2010 to 2012;
Navy Assistant Coach from 2005 to 2010;
Villanova Video Coordinator from 2003 to 2005;
played college basketball for Nyack

Jason Crafton is a gifted coach with a passion for defensive concepts that will pressure the best of opponents.  Utilizing his passion and craft, in 2022-23 Coach Crafton created a defensive package at Maryland Eastern Shore that ranked #1 the nation.  In this video, Coach Crafton shows you the building blocks for that formidable defense.

Defensive Philosophy
Coach Crafton begins the video by asking coaches to self-examine your defensive beliefs.  Through a series of reflective questions, Coach Crafton illustrates how the groundwork for a pressure defense that disrupts opponents offensive flow begins with the mindset of the head coach.  

On Ball Pressure
Next, Coach Crafton begins building the defense with on floor work.  Crafton demonstrates how creating turnovers begins with your on-ball pressure. He gives you his defensive concepts that allow you to pressure the ball without giving up penetration. His 2v2 drills help instill a sense of confidence and belief in each other.

Coach Crafton then moves onto closeout and leveling off drills.  He focuses on the quality of the closeout because teams that closeout effectively eliminate the constant need for defensive rotation, thus allowing them to more effectively pressure the ball.

After he finishes his closeout work, Coach Crafton builds into shell defense.  In his shell work he emphasizes the role of all 5 defensive players defending the ball.  By shrinking the floor, he demonstrates how his defenses force opponents to rush decisions.  At the end of the shell work, he goes through ball screen coverage that will allow you to blow up your opponents attempts at ball screening your defense.

Coach Crafton finishes the on-court work by demonstrating his 1-2-2 press. He shows how his zone pressure concepts match his half court defensive concepts.  This type of coordination of concepts allows him to effectively change the areas of the court his defense attacks with pressure.

You will see why Crafton's defensive prowess fueled his team to be the #1 in the nation in steals per game and turnovers per game - and you will have gained some clear concepts and drills to help your team become their best on the defensive end in the seasons ahead!

81 minutes. 2024.