The drill starts with 1 player on the foul line, one on the baseline, and two in the paint. A coach or manager will throw the ball off the glass. Once one of the two players in the paint has control, the player on the foul line sprints back the opposite lane and faces the offense. The two players in the paint go on a 2 on 1 fast break. The player on the baseline follows the play to the top of the key and will become the defensive player going the opposite direction. Once the offense shoots, or the defense makes a stop, then first defensive player and the offensive player who first handled the ball go on a 2 on 1 fast break the other way, while the player who followed the play sprints back on defense once they have secured the ball. The drill goes 4 trips up and down the floor, as each player in the drill ends up as the defensive player once.
We teach our kids to sprint to the foul line and turn to see the oncoming fast break. Once there, we have them 'shade' to the ballside just a little. The important part of the drill is to make the defense dictate what the offense does. We do not let our kids commit to the ball or to the weakside too early, thus giving the offense the edge. We make them wait, and shading the ballside, the ball-handler must make a decision to take it to the hole, or pass. If they decide to go all the way, we make the defense either try to take a charge, or simply slide to good position and get their hands in the shooters face, then, most importantly, box out the shooter.
If the ball-handler passes, we make our defensive player slide into position to take a charge from the PASSER! Most kids will pass the ball and then keep right on going to the basket, assuming that the defense is going to the ball as soon as the pass is made.
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It is important to tell your kids that they are not going to be very successful on defense during this drill. A 2 on 1 break is a nearly hopeless situation for the defense. But if you can convince them that by taking a charge, or making a routine stop using good defensive principles in a game, that those types of play can be huge momentum boosters or changers, then they will buy into the concept. It sometimes only takes one big defensive play to change the complexion of a game. I have seen great success with this drill, as my kids now routinely step up to take a charge in this situation, whereas before, we usually fouled, were scored on, or both.
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Learning to Play Aggressive Defense in a Tough Situation
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