Defense Drills: Individual & Team Concepts

with Joe Jones,
Boston University Head Coach;
2020 Patriot League Tournament champions;
2014 Patriot League regular season champions;
2019-20 HoopsHD.com Patriot League Coach of the Year;
2018 Reese's College All-Star Game Head Coach (West Squad);
2015-16 NBCSports.com Patriot League Coach of the Year;
3x Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award finalist ('13, '14, '20);
2x Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award finalist ('14, '17)

Being a great defender is not dependent simply on a tough mindset or effort. The best defenders are masters in technique and tactics in addition to being great competitors!

In this 'open practice' video session, head coach Joe Jones shares the teaching points of his man-to-man concepts with the detail you need to truly help your players improve. Over an entire practice focused on the defensive side of the ball, you will learn strategies for better on-ball defense, helping on dribble penetration, ball screen defense, and more.

Setting the Stage

Incorporate a theme or concept to emphasize each day in your practice. Coach Jones explains how he uses their pre-practice segments to accomplish this. The concept is also demonstrated through a 1v1 drill that will help define for your team what playing hard on defense looks like. This multi-faceted drill will help your players improve in preventing fouls on drives, rotating to stop dribble penetration, taking charges, and getting on the floor after loose balls.

Individual defense continues to be emphasized during practice with the "3 Baskets" drill. This is a great way to incorporate closeouts into 1v1 play with situations that resemble game like conditions. Additionally, the "2v2 Ball Side" drill challenges players to maintain their help positioning while also staying ready to stop the ball when it comes to their side.

Drills and Coverage Tactics

Make your Shell drill more competitive with the scoring methodology used by Coach Jones. Your players will attempt to earn "bricks" by securing multiple stops in a row versus an offense focused on driving and kicking the basketball. Jones provides teaching points regarding how to help from the inside as well as stunting and staying.

With the "2 For 1" drill, players get an opportunity to experience live action more closely resembling a game as you can also begin to emphasize transition defense in your practice. You will see how Coach Jones encourages players to commit to multiple efforts on defense, switch ball screens, and "blue" when a specific match-up would be problematic. The "4v4 Ball Screen Defense" drill continues to teach additional elements to stopping ball screens. Jones explains how to switch the weak-side on "lift" actions that attempt to draw help defenders away from the rim. You will get a chance to observe the team working through different ball screen situations through this specific drill.

Great defensive teams need to finish their possessions by securing the ball. The Spartan Rebounding drill will create a competitive environment that challenges your players to check out on their man and get the rebound.

This inside-look at Coach Jones' defensive system will help you instruct your team's defense more efficiently this season!

107 minutes. 2020.