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Pack Line Defense & Rebounding Drills Rebounding and defense are what win championships in basketball. Former Utah and Drake University head coach Ray Giacoletti opens up a practice session and shows you 10 defensive and rebounding drills in both half-court and full-court settings that can help your players improve in both aspects of the game. You get an inside look at a Drake practice and learn how Coach Giacoletti’s players are taught to defend screening actions, transition defense, and more. Breakdown Drills for Defense Great team defenses are built with great individual defenders. Coach Giacoletti builds great individual defenders with the basics. He starts with the stance, body position, footwork, and, most importantly, a player’s mentality. Coach Giacoletti presents the following drills to build the defense: Zig Zag Drill: You will see several versions of the full-court 1-on-1 drill that teaches players to slow down the ball, contain a dribbler, and contest a shot. 3-on-3 Full-Court Drill: Players learn to stunt from the help position in order to contain a dribbler. Take the Charge Drill: This teaches players the correct and safe technique for drawing a charge. Throw and Go: This transition drill teaches defenses to deal with a trailing post player. Learn how to force the ball to the baseline on side ball screens with the “Blue” strategy. Centerfield Drill: You will see how Drake is taught to use the post to mirror the dribbler on middle ball screens. Five-Man Shell Drill: Learn the rotations needed for doubling the post, gapping, and closing out. Rebounding Drills Coach Giacoletti wants his players to develop a physical mindset and he does so with three rebounding drills. 3-on-0 Rebounding: Players go through multiple repetitions working on refining their offensive and defensive rebounding technique. 3-on-3 Rebounding: The skills learned in the first drill are put to use in competitive play while also including closeouts, help positioning, and cutting off baseline penetration. Five-Man Box Out: This is a more complex drill that emphasizes transition concepts like getting back on defense and trying to score on fast breaks when there is an advantage. Coach Giacoletti puts all of his defensive and rebounding concepts together in the ultimate test – the Turkey Game. The game is highly competitive and is a great way to get players to understand the importance of every possession. Players fight to get a defensive stop and rebound and earn a “Turkey.”

Defending the Side Pick and Roll Modern basketball offenses incorporate the ball screen. If you are not defending the side pick and roll, your team is going to give up too many easy layups and open jump shots. Ray Giacoletti, a former head coach at Drake and Utah and a former assistant at Gonzaga, shows you three ball screen defenses in this video. Having multiple ways to defend the ball screen is something that not many teams do. Set yourself apart from your competition with Coach Giacoletti’s help. Keys to Ball Screen Defense Coach Giacoletti starts by introducing the three keys to effective ball screen defense. Teams must have the ability to communicate with each other. Whether verbal or non-verbal, teams must communicate to play good ball screen defense. Players must also have two sets of hands up at all times ready to defend any pass or driving angle off the ball screen. White Coverage Players learn the mechanics of defending a ball screen by getting over the top with a hard show in a simple 2-on-2 drill. Coach Giacoletti introduces the first line of help with the off-ball defender. He emphasizes: Close with two hands Get into the ball handler Come off the screen with two hands high Force out and away from the rim X out with the post players on the roll Blue Coverage One popular way to defend the ball screen is known as downing the ball screen, or forcing it toward the baseline. The defense tries to prevent the ball handler from using the screen. This is a great coverage for teams with big men that aren’t mobile and have trouble with the pick and roll. Teams can then trap the ball handler as he moves to the baseline. Coach Giacoletti emphasizes: Flip your feet as you hear the screen coming Get into the shoulder of the on-ball defender On trap, the post must sprint to the trap as soon as they dribble to the baseline Red Coverage If you consistently have a lot of players with similar physical characteristics – size and speed – you can employ the squeeze. The screener forces the player setting the screen into the ball handler so their teammate can get under and take away a driving angle. Coach Giacoletti gives you three ways to handle ball screens. Each coverage is broken down into simple and easy mechanics so your players can learn it quickly. Utilizing multiple defenses against a ball screen offense is sure to confuse opponents and improve your level of play. Rent this Defending the Side Pick and Roll DVD today.