Today we started by installing our press against a 2-up and 3-up press-breaker. I like to use what I call the "5-count Drill," handing the ball to the inbounder and then counting down from five to one as defenders deny hard and try to create a violation. We teach switches on all screens and crosses, and show players how to trap quickly and rotate into passing lanes, especially the "lag" pass back to the inbounder.
Our other point of emphasis today was to chase hard and try to catch up and turn the ball when a dribbler escapes the initial trap. I believe this is a critical skill in women's basketball, because if you can force a handler to just change directions, it often gives other defenders time to recover and re-trap the offense. Men's teams will typically just spin or crossover such a tactic, attack the rim and score, but many female ball-handlers will either stop their push of the ball when forced to change direction, or even kill their dribble! So, turn the ball!
A final point was the play of our safety. Today one of our safties decided to gamble, rotate up and go for the steal on a long downcourt pass. She didn't get it, and the opponent got a wide-open layup. So...
I got really excited, stopping the practice to point out and lavishly praise her courage and aggressiveness. I wanted that defender feeling 10 feet tall for taking a calculated risk, because safeties have a tough job, and when they gamble like that--and fail--they are exposed for all the world to see. Nevertheless, they MUST take those risks, because if they don't, our press is constantly defending with 4 against 5! We want safeties to gamble (intelligently, I hope) therefore we never criticize the attempt, whatever the result!
But, I did quietly instruct her weakside teammate to get the heck back to the rim next time and cover for her teammate.
Which reminds me of General Anthony McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, surrounded by the Germans at Bastogne in WWII, during the Battle of the Bulge. When the German forces demanded his surrender, McAuliffe replied, "Nuts!" When told of McAuliffe's reply, General George Patton said to an aide, "We've got to get up there fast with reinforcements... a man that eloquent deserves to be rescued!"
Your safeties are your "General McAuliffes," but everybody else had better be your "General Pattons!"
Here's today's defensive practice plan.
Practice #6, Sunday Gregory
Arena
October 16, 2012
EMPHASIS: 55 Press after a Score
12:05-12:20 WARMUP
Cone
Layups-Laybacks-Jumpers
Dynamic Warmup
12:20-12:35 SHOOTING
5x10 Threes, Moving(5 standing/5 moving* / Posts- Position work
12:35-12:45 TRANSITION
FC
Figure 8/ 2 on 1
HC
3/2 Penetrate
lane; Beat front defender
12:45-1:00 GROUPS
2/1
HC Sprint
to lane; Bluff & retreat; STAY SQUARE! Contest shot
1/2
Trap
Water
Break
1:00-1:30 TEAM DEFENSE
55 Press-Dead Ball Walk through vs. 2-up, 3-up, & Help
55
vs. 2-up: 5 count Drill Down and Back; Rotate
1:30-1:45 SITUATIONS
OB-Under Defense Walk through vs. OB3 (Box)
Cardinal
Break One
shot at far end, score on return
1:45-1:50 OMPETIVE SHOOTING
Three
in a Row Threes! 3
Groups, 5 spots; Shoot 3 & rotate, 1 pt/make; +2 Bonus
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