Winning Basketball Defense Tips by Mark Chapman

Written by Coach Peterman

I have coached at the NCAA Division 2 (Southwestern Oklahoma State University), NAIA (USAO), and JUCO Levels (Blinn College and Carl Albert State College) as well as high school. I just felt that fellow coaches especially young coaches need to constantly work on their “game”. Just like the basketball players that we coach. We as coaches need to improve ourselves. That is my story and why I do this blog.

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Basketball Coaching | Basketball Coaching Clinic Notes | Basketball Defenses

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August 23, 2014

Winning Basketball Defense Tips by Mark Chapman

The following are a list of Basketball Defense Tips, a high school coach has published for his players. As coaches it’s important that our players know what we expect and how we view the game of basketball. Having something tangible like a player notebook or offensive and defensive philosophy that we can give them to read is another avenue for them to understand how we want the game to be played.

The amount of detail that you want to go into in your player notebook is up to you but remember that a player’s attention span can vary. Here are some of the Basketball Defense Tips that were discussed in this player/coach notebook:

– Using the boxer’s shuffle (knee on your opponent’s crotch) keeping the knees bent and the feet spread, holding one, in at ball and feeling behind you for a screen with the other hand, stay between your man and the basket turning him to the middle of the floor until you step on the baseline.
– Try to watch both your man and the ball – don’t turn your head
– Always have a definite man to guard – even in a zone
– Be alert to switch if necessary | Basketball Defense Tips
– Don’t ball hawk unless your opponent fails to meet the ball
– Don’t follow your man too closely – go with him
– Pressure the ball and sag in the middle otherwise
– Call out the number of the man you’re guarding – avoid confusion
– Never relax on defense | Basketball Defense Tips
– Yell out screens
– Always build your defense from the basket on out
– Keep defense in a straight line to the basket
– Make your opponent go outside except at the baseline; then turn him inside
– Never let a man go uncovered – always clobber the cripple shot
– Avoid silly fouls when a man has secure possession of the ball

While many of these thoughts are good for any defensive player each should be considered against the philosophy of the coach. Not every defense has the same philosophy so things like which direction you force the offensive player or how you handle a ball screen will be different for each coach. I hope that you enjoy these Basketball Defense Tips.

Mark Chapman is the Head Boy’s Basketball Coach at Hamilton Township High School in Columbus, Ohio. Coach Mark Chapman always has great basketball plays and basketball coaching clinic notes to share with the basketball coaching world. Make sure that you check out his basketball X’s and O’s material. You will love some of his coaching ideas.