Sports Publications

The 40's: individual defense

Coach and Athletic Director, Oct, 2006 by Adolph Rupp

Way down south at the University of Kentucky, the Adolph Rupp stamp on a basketball team is a guarantee of beautifully sound offense and defense.

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Good guard! That's music to a basketball coach's ears. While good offensive men come a dime a half-dozen, good defensive players are hard to find.

Not that defense is harder to master. It's just that guarding doesn't appeal to the boys. It hasn't the excitement, the interest, the crowd-catching appeal of offense. It is hard, tough work--a form of drudgery.

The coach must "sell" it to his boys; impress them with its value, its close association to offense.

In this defensive once-over, we're going to assume you're the individual guard.

Your first job is to catalogue the opponent. Study him, discover his weaknesses and strength. Then try to outguess him.

The most important feature of individual defense I would say, is never allow the opponent to get between you and the basket. Regardless of the manner in which he deploys, take a position that will block his direct route to the basket.

If the opponent sets up some distance from the basket, play him more loosely than you would when he is close in. Know your man thoroughly. If he's a dead shot, play him closely. If he's fast and shifty, give him room. If he can both shoot and shift, you've got a job on your hands.

Footwork is very important. Slide with your man; do not cross your feet. Stay on your toes in a slight crouch. Take a position that is comfortable, that will enable you to drive quickly in any direction.

Keep the arms outstretched, swinging up and down to bother the opponent's shooting and passing. This slows up the offense, preventing the man from passing quickly and accurately.

When the opponent sets to shoot, flag him. Wave your hand overhead. Yell at him. Try to get close enough to deflect the shot with your upraised hand. But don't charge or leave your feet.

Always approach the man with your feet spread, so that you can shift to meet any feint or cut. If you charge him, he will sidestep and dribble in to the basket. Or he will give and go.

Along the same line, don't jump into the air to block a shot. A smart opponent will bluff a shot and dribble under you. Always keep your balance. Once in a while, however, a leap for a positive shot is permissible.

Always keep your eyes on the ball and on the men at the same time. I say "men" because watching one man is not enough. In the modern game, a lot of blocking takes place. If you just watch your man, you're a sucker for a screen. Therefore, watch all the men moving in your direction.

Try to keep your eye on the ball, too. If this becomes impossible, watch only the man. When forced to turn your back on the ball, run with one hand up and the other to the side. This affords good protection against both bounce and lob passes.

Another "must" on defense is maintaining an inside position. If an opponent is dribbling, stay on his inside and drive him to the sidelines.

Most high school players, however, can go only one way. Study your man carefully. If he always feints left and goes right, for example, play him heavily on the right. This will force him to cut to his weak side, the left.

Get in motion with the man. Use your inside hand to take the ball away. Be careful that he does not stop suddenly and throw you off-balance.

Whatever you do, don't stand flatfooted and slap at the ball as the dribbler goes by. If you miss, he has a sure goal.

Keep this inside position against shooters, too. Don't turn your back on the man after he shoots. See how he commits himself first. If he starts following his shot, stay in front of him, going with him to the basket.

This forces him to take the long way around. You, on the other hand, have the favored inside position.

Another grave mistake is to take your eyes off a man after he passes. Nine times out of ten, a smart opponent will cut for the basket for a return pass and an easy goal.

Learn to switch instantly. At the same time, don't overdo it. Switch only when necessary. When you do, yell "Switch!", so your teammate can pick up your man without a loss of time.

In rebounding under the defensive basket, never bat the ball. You may hit it into an opponent's hands for an easy score.

Catch all rebounds and pass out quickly and as long as possible. The long pass cuts off the defensive men.

Be careful not to play too far under the basket, or the rebounding opponents may drive you out of bounds. Stay under the hoop regardless of how hard the opponents drive in.

When you lose the ball on offense, rush back to defensive position unless there is a reasonable chance of regaining the ball. If you can pick up a loose man, do so immediately. Point to him and yell, "I got him!" Stay with him until you can safely switch back to your own man.

When caught alone under the basket with two or three opponents, don't give up. Play a hundred percent harder. Never allow them to draw you away from the basket. Feint at the ball-handler to stop him. Then drop back to the man under the basket. Stall until help arrives. Force the shot from as far out as possible.