How to Play Basketball Blog – Sometimes You Gotta Fight Part 1
Everybody gets in a situation in their life where they have to fight. Well on defense you get that chance every time your opponent tries to set a screen on you. You have to fight to get past that screen so your player does not get an open shot. Fighting does not mean that you will be literally running through screens like you are tackling somebody. It is still basketball not football. But you have to be willing to fight for position. The position you are fighting for will depend on who you are guarding and where they are trying to go.
Let’s look at 1 of 3 situations here in Part 1: ball screens, off the ball screens and guarding a shooter.
If it is a ball screen there are a couple of things that should be done. Now some people just switch the screen. As you are trying to become a great player, switching all the screens set on you will not get you to greatness. Stop being lazy and mentally weak because that is essentially what a switch means in most cases. You are too lazy to work through the screen because it is just so much easier to switch. Stop it! You can body up the ball handler and force them to go so far above the screen that there is enough space for both of you to go over the top of the screen. I recommend doing this especially if you are guarding somebody who can shoot it. This will allow you to stay with them and it will prevent them from stopping behind the screen and knocking down a shot. Now if you are guarding somebody who cannot shoot at all then you can go under the ball screen and meet the ball handler on the other side. This is not ideal as the ball handler can change directions and find some driving lanes but it can be done.
Over the next few days we will get into how to play the other types of screens. While you wait check out the other 4 areas of defense you can improve by ordering a copy of the book here How to Play Basketball: A Guide to Getting Better By Playing Pick-up Games
You are your only opponent
Coach Wilkins
Coach/Owner of Hoops Education
Former D1 Player/Former AAU Coach/Former HS Coach
Author of How to Play Basketball: A Guide to Getting Better By Playing Pick-up Games
P.S. Make sure you follow us on twitter @HoopsEducation
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