Agnus Berenato A to C(Last Name) (1)

Agnus Berenato: Man-to-Man Defensive Breakdown Drills University of Pittsburgh head coach Agnus Berenato is well known for producing teams that play intense player-to-player defense. The results have produced over 400 career wins and a pair of Sweet Sixteen appearances. In this video, Coach Berenato demonstrates a series of drills that can be used in daily practices to improve man-to-man defense. Head to Head Defensive Series The first set of drills focuses on getting defensive pressure on the ball. Players will develop the: Ability to pressure the ball Footwork needed to control dribble penetration Mindset to contest shots without fouling Baseball This is a warmup drill that Berenato uses primarily at the beginning of a practice. The drill is used to: Emphasize rebounding, outlet passing, and the importance of running the court Improve your players’ ability to catch and finish on the move Increase awareness of offensive rebounding in transition Wing Denial As the name of the drill implies, this one teaches players to deny passes to the wing. Players will: Maintain vision of the ball while denying the pass Defend back door cuts Maintain pressure on perimeter shots Learn the importance of help side defense on back cuts and dribble penetration Cut the Cutter Drill This post defense drill focuses on defending cuts by the offense. This drill will: Teach players how to effectively stop cuts to the high and low post areas Show post players how to force the offensive player to catch the ball away from the basket The drills presented are easy enough that coaches at any level could use them. It is Coach Berenato’s insistence on executing the fundamentals precisely that makes this presentation valuable to any coach looking to put pressure on the ball in their half-court man-to-man defense.