Want to Play Pack Line Defense? Use Coach Brad Soderberg's Principles to Make it Impenetrable

The Pack Line Defense is a great defensive team protection against physically dominant opponents who are individually strong in penetration and one-on-one games in general. This man-to-man defense forces offensive players to take a lot of tough shots and perfectly prevents transition games. If you don't have enough athleticism in your team, this is a defense for you. 

Coach Brad Soderberg had a lot of success playing this defense. As a key factor, he mentions mastering in basic principles of the Pack Line Defense. The principles you need to work on a daily basis are:

• Stop Transition- This is one of two priory points in playing the Pack Line Defense. If you don't stop your opponent from scoring quick points, than you will not even have a chance to play Pack Defense. Organize your team, not everybody has to go to offensive rebound, so make sure that your basket is protected.
• You Must Defensive Rebound- this is a second the most important thing after stopping the transition. After the all good work in defense, a tough missed shot is something that is your award and you must take it. Teams with a high percentage of defensive rebounds drastically increase the chance of winning a match. On the other hand, teams that have a high percentage of the second shot (shot after offensive rebound) have much more chance to win the game. So don't give your opponent a second chance to score!  
• Defend the Low Post- protecting the low post individually is one of six crucial points that Coach Brad Soderberd highlighted during his coaching clinic. Teach every player (not just post players) to defend the low post. Defensive player should position himself between the ball and the player that he defends.  

You will have time to get between the basket and your player while the pass is traveling to your player. Remember, you are playing the Pack Line Defense, so your teammates will be close to the ball and ready to help, so you can put pressure on the ball.  

• Contain the Basketball- Teach your players trough close-out drill to contain the basketball and stay closer to the ball than their player. Only player that should be aggressive is the one who is guarding player with the ball, everybody else is back in the pack ready to help and force the ball to go out of the key. 

After the ball goes out of the key, player who was closing-out is becoming aggressive on the ball, and player from the middle is reatriting back to close-out and be alert to help. 

• Defend Screens- In order to protect your basket you must know how to avoid the screens and be on your close-out position. Coach Brad Soderberd is explaining how to defend multiple screen situations during this coaching clinic, on and off the ball, and we will demonstrate one: on-ball screen. 

We can see players Number 1 and 2 in the picture under the defending on-ball screen.

Player Number 1 is forcing the player with the ball to use the screen. His job is to completely close a baseline and go over the screen after his player.

Player Number 2 is stepping out and forcing the player with the ball to go away from the basket at least one dribble. That will be enough time for Player Number 1 to get back to the defensive position in the front of the ball.

• Practice Live All of the Above- When you go through all the situations about the Pack Line Defense by practicing, it's extremely important to put your players in the game situation and request all the principles that you practiced before. In this way, you will see which segments of your defense you are doing right and which ones you have to improve. Also, use that time to correct the things you can instantly 

The Pack Line Defense is a great defensive weapon against the physically better opponent, and we can see that in every basketball level: high school, college, and even professional basketball leagues. So every team with a goal to stop transition, penetration, and fast and easy shots can play this type of defense. 

  To learn more about Coach Brad Soderderg's Pack Line Defense Click Below.