Your opponents will hate you for this.
UNC Asheville head basketball coach, Mike Morrell, shares insights on the Bulldogs full-court pressure defense, including details for pressing, trapping, and ball screen coverages.
Major takeaways from the episode:
- Madman Pressure: A key role is the “madman,” the defender guarding the player with the ball out of bounds, who should apply significant pressure as it’s a 5-on-4 advantage for the defense.
- PPS Terminology: Once the ball is inbounds, the defensive focus is on “PPS”: Pressure on the ball, proper Position off the ball, and active Stunning (hand and foot fakes).
- Influence, Don’t Force Sideline: On-ball pressure aims to influence the ball away from the middle of the floor, but not necessarily force it to the sideline where an extra defender is already present.
- One-Third Position Off-Ball: Off-ball defenders (not guarding the ball or the deepest player) should be in “one-third position” – one-third of the way between the ball and their assigned player, avoiding being too close (“if you can touch his hand, you’re too close”).
- Stunting to Prevent Middle Penetration: Off-ball defenders must stunt towards the ball when it’s driven at them to help prevent the offense from penetrating to the middle of the floor.
- Strategic Double Teams: While not a constant strategy, the defense will strategically double-team the inbounder (taking the “madman” off the ball) to target a specific player, often their primary ball-handler, aiming to force someone else to bring the ball up.
- No Illogical Ball Movement: When double-teaming the inbounder, the key rule is to ensure the targeted ball-handler cannot logically receive the ball back, forcing the inbounds pass to a less comfortable option.
Watch the Film Breakdown
Additional Resources from Coach Morrell
Listen to the full podcast episode now…
For more free basketball resources, check out the A Quick Timeout newsletter. Small-sided games, drills, and more basketball coaching resources delivered to your inbox each week!
