We play a combination packline-gap defense. Our goal in our defense is to keep everything outside with limited penetration, either through the dribble or the pass. We want our post defenders to work hard to deny the post and take away post players chances to score inside, if we can push the post out of the "sweet spot" we are happy. We also look to limit driving opportunites by playing gap defense as opposed to denial defense, we feel that athletically we don't match well with a lot of our opponents so we will "cheat" and have players sitting in the gap to help out on drives. If our opponent is shooting from outside with a hand in their face then we are happy.
On the Ball ~On the ball pressure is key, we want our opponent making quick decisions that will generally lead to bad decisions. Arm length at least and playing straight up, we look to force the three point line as Bobby Knight does. We want the ballhandler driving into help where they are forced to pick the ball up.
Off the Ball (one away) ~the off the ball defender should be sitting in gap or help defense, we like for this defender to jump the drive and force a pickup or pass to the wing where we want a quick and high handed recovery. Often this defender is the cause of many turnovers by either causing a travel or bad pass.
Two Away ~ this is regular help side defense in the traditional sense, looking to help out on the ball and jam any cutters.
Ball Screens
Post to guard ball screens~ We like a hedge and recover out of our bigs with no switch unless our post player and guard are both long and athletic. Guard generally go under the screen and meet the ball on the other side, very few times will you have a guard pulling up and hitting long range jumpers off the high ball screen. Post players must not lose their man on the hedge and must quickly recover on the roll, contact must be maintained and hands must be high to challenge the pass.
Guard to guard ball screens~ We like to switch these generally and try to jump switch and trap.
Off the Ball Screens
We like to use hedging on off the ball screens and we have our defender playing the girl getting the screen (shooter) to follow through the screen, get on the hip and X them out. Especially if guarding a good shooter. The hedger needs to keep contact with their man and just impede the progress of the shooter. If we are getting hurt on the curl then the defender will start going under the screen and play for the curl, the screeners defender is still responsible for a hedge but it now has to become a high hedge to play for the flare and anticipated shot from the flare cut. The screeners defender maintains contact while putting hands high to at least challenge the shot from the shooter. The on the ball defender now is helping out on the screener and watching for any type of roll or slip.
Post Denial
Our posts generally 3/4 front the post and deny the pass from the high side or middle. If on the wing we will maintain contact and go into a full front. When the ball goes to the baseline we are back into a 3/4 front on the low side. If your post is being big and maintaining contact in the post, it is hard for guards to thread the needle and get the ball into good scoring opportunities for the opposing post player, a lot of times your defender can get a hand on the ball and tip it away.
If we have a decided size advantage then we will full front the post. I have become more flexible on this in recent years.
We want the opposing post players taken out of their games and frustrated, if a scoring post player is not scoring then they tend not to rebound or play defense. Foul trouble is usually not far behind.
Our post defenders work hard!
Doubling the Post
In AAU we don't get a lot of practcie time to work on this and we don't use it a whole lot. We either double down from the location from which the pass comes or will use the back side guard to come and double. This is the hardest pass for the post player to see and make and is the least dangerous offensive player on the court as we can usually recober and put a hand in the shooters face on any skips. The double from the weak side is what we have mostly gone to in recent years.
*Packline and Gap Principles
1. Keep everything outside, stay between your man and the basket!
2. Force drives with helpers sitting in the gaps.
3. Deny post
4. Force long jumpers that are challenged with a hand.
5. Rebound and run!
Brent Glass is the head coach of the Ohio Express 8th grade team
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