DEFENSIVE DRILLS

Contrary to the old adage that a “good offense is the best
defense,” we have the newer thought that a good offense with
good ball control plus a good defense is a necessity.

A good defense depends upon the individual footwork and abil-
ity of your players, their mental state, and how well they are
woven into your team scheme of defensive work.

Your men should be drilled against all of the various types
of offensive men, the shorter men, the taller men, faster and
slower men, the good shot and the poor shot and should have
the knowledge of how he should play each type. He should know
how to play a man in the pivot, a man facing him, a man with
his back to him, a man cutting, the dribbler, and all other pos-
sible offensive set-ups which he may encounter. Properly con-
ducted defensive drills are very interesting to the players.

KEEP AWAY

Two squads of five men are pitted against one another. The ball is
thrown up at center. There is no shooting at the basket, the purpose of
the drill being to retain possession of the ball as long as possible. The cen-
ter line is used and infractions of any nature result in the loss of the ball.

This is a splendid drill as it is a good conditioner, emphasizes ball con-
trol, calls for defensive fundamentals to gain possession of the ball and is
interesting to the players.

PASS AND GUARD THE
RECEIVER

A passes to B and takes his defen-
sive stance for guarding this receiver.
B uses his ball handling fundamentals
and his footwork to evade A. He must
confine any break that he may gain to
the center of the circle. His feints
should be of the nature that will make
A change his defensive stance rapidly.
When B has definitely committed himself
to a dribble or has been forced to dribble
and use a pivot, he passes to another
member of the circle and assumes the
defensive duty.

Don’t allow the individuals to take
too much time without advancing to an-
other position and passing as the drill
is much more effective if kept moving.

 

39

maRERTETI

anaemic

 

 

SO =