Pack Line Defense Notes

No one goes outside that line unless you are guarding the basketball.

INTRODUCE with 3 on 3 Give and Go / Screen Away.

1) Stay inside the PACK unless on the ball. Put down the Pack Line 15 to 16’ft.
2) Stance – see man and ball at all times. If you can “see”, you can “do”. This vision will
improve reaction time.
3) Deny only if ball is picked up (now you can go outside the pack).

There is only a RECOVERY rule – we don’t have a HELP rule since we are always in HELP. CLOSE-OUTS –
sprint to the ball / stop short / hands high – then wide.

WHAT YOU AS A COACH CAN CONTROL | Pack Line Defense Notes

1) Don’t give up any transition baskets – ALWAYS sub a player for loafing back on defense.
2) Don’t get beat by a good post player a) double to get the ball out
b) choke it or dig it out
We do the same drills at the beginning of the season that we do at the end.

CONVERSION | Pack Line Defense Notes

3 on 2 / 2 on 1 Drill
Shooter or person who throws ball away is back

Back defender – try and be in two places at once, just don’t stand there. Cat and mouse – fake and
recover, etc.

4 on 4 Switch-A-Roo Drill – Improves alertness

Perimeter players move ball around to the four spots. Coach yells “switch” at any time – offensive
player sets ball on the floor. All four offensive players must then get a foot in the lane and
come out guarding a NEW player. Defense becomes offense and looks to attack. Try and keep the
ball out of the lane. “TALK” and get to the ball.

Defense is MORE than getting back and playing hard. Defense is RECOGNITION, ANTICIPATION,
REACTION AND COMMUNICATION.

POST DEFENSE | Pack Line Defense Notes

Reminder, you as the coach can control whether or not a post player will beat you. Don’t let it
happen – double or choke it.

The way you defend the post dictates how you play everywhere else.

NO FEEDS into the post from the top. Don’t try and deny the high post – treat the high post like a
perimeter player. Ball fed inside from the wing – high side on the post, ball in the air – get
behind! Don’t go for the steal.

When playing a great post player – DOUBLE the post with weak side post when you want to get the
ball out. When playing a good post – CHOKE it out from passer’s defender. If you are guarding a
good shooter who passes into the post, you can only “fake” or “hedge” at post. Guarding bad shooter
who passes into post, you can attack the ball and get it out from the post.

You don’t want to make a bad post player a good player by allowing offensive rebounds because you
were fronting on defense.

Work POST / PERIMETER defensive drills. 10 minutes at least 3 NIGHTS A WEEK.

Post Double Drill (5 minutes on one end) | Pack Line Defense Notes

Off Guards Tandem / Passer Locked Up Drill (5 minutes on the other end). Bottom guard always calls
“basket”. Other guard takes FT line area.

Post Double / Guard Tandem Drill (5 minutes together) | Pack Line Defense Notes

The post double team will be much easier in “The Pack” because your defenders are always inside the
pack and not out chasing players around. Your runs will be shorter.

Two CRISIS situations. 1) Ball gets into the post from the top (all help to get it out)
2) Ball drives baseline – whoever – get it stopped!

BALL PRESSURE | Pack Line Defense Notes

Close – outs: Run 2 steps, chop step, hands high then wide.

Close-out Drill:

1) Pass out to coach and close out from top.

2) Pass to coach on wing – close out same but NO BASELINE. Coach can attempt baseline drive to
get defender to cut off and understand “no baseline”.

3) Don’t let player shoot a rhythm jumper – make them put it on the floor.

If you close with high hands, you can stop short. 1 sec. count hands high then out wide

Guarding the dribble drive | Pack Line Defense Notes

The KEY: Learn to LEVEL OFF your dribbler. No direct drives. Make them drive sideways. Develop
this skill with your players through drill work and repetition. They will get better at it.

1 on 1 zig zag defense full court DRILL
– Tell offense to do what they can to beat the defense up the floor.
– See how many times defense can make him change directions. Get them going sideways.
– If the player you are guarding is quicker, give up some space.

Ball pressure on top player – make them drive either direction (sideways). Force them to their
weak hand if they have one.

Stay in your stance – hands up on shot. Do not come UP on shot fakes – stay down with hand up.
Rules for closing out on the shooter.
1) Close-out hard, stop short with feet chopping and hands high then wide.
2) Take away baseline.
3) Take away rhythm jumper.
4) Level off dribbler – make them go sideways.
5) Bother them – pressure.
6) Jump to the ball on pass.

Jump to the Ball DRILL | Pack Line Defense Notes

(1 vs. 3) Work on: 1) Close-out
2) Jump to the ball
3) Take away basket cut – no face cuts.
4) Same defender closes out on pass to stop and repeats drill to left side.

Progress to:

3 on 3 Jump to the Ball Drill

Do this EVERY NIGHT! Vision – pass and cut.

OFF – BALL PRESSURE | Pack Line Defense Notes

1) Be in help – get to the ball.
2) Anticipate recovery.
3) The “help” move is taken out of the vocabulary – as you are always in help away from the ball.

Off – ball positioning. Play 3 on 3 LIVE until you get a stop and rebound.

DEFENDING SCREENS | Pack Line Defense Notes

Once you hear “screen”, you get to your man. You are NOT responsible for help or vision when you
are being screened.

“Tag” your man, trail right on their back. Chase them! Always stay within touching distance.
Defense plays “tag” and chases offensive player.

Screening DRILL (no curl cuts) | Pack Line Defense Notes

Screening DRILL progression

If you are GUARDING the SCREENER, you help in anyway you can and in the direction of the player
coming off the screen. Work on back screens, down screens, staggered screens, etc.

1) Give helper some freedom.
2) Touching distance of man screening.
3) Help defender in the direction the offensive player is going.

Screens in the Lane DRILL (use V-move) | Pack Line Defense Notes

If you are guarding the screener, you cover the rim.

Ball Screens (Ball defender force player into the screen and cut over ball screen – Screen defender
steps out while keeping arms distance from screener and forces dribbler sideways or levels off
dribbler then hustles back to their player.
Add Ball Screens now to previous screening drill

PROBLEMS | Pack Line Defense Notes

This will bother you and you need to work against it. These are weaknesses observed when trying to
teach defense the way it needs to be taught:

1) Shot Fakes – defenders coming out of their stance.
2) Reaching – trying to steal post pass will get you beat.
3) Hands down – this will kill you on the shooter and your rebounding.
4) Silence – you must get your team to communicate.
5) Over helping in the lane, especially by the post. Post help but get back. Stay at home.
6) Lateness on post trap and / or choke.
7) You must get on the floor! Check for bruises and missing skin after the game!

Click on the pdf link to download the basketball coaching clinic notes:

Pack Line Defense Notes