It's important to be able to defend as well as attack in Basketball. Unlike some other sports, all players play both in Basketball.
To help you remember the defensive stance, don't forget your ABC's:
Active: Hands, feet and mouth.
Basics: We need to get these right! Technique- feet wider the shoulder width apart. On the balls of your feet. Knees bent.
- (Advanced: Keep an arms length away. Pressure the ball- when your player, you're marking has the ball you need to be close and defending them).
Contest: Box out. We want every loose ball.
We will focus on the advanced basics and contesting later on.. But for now, be ACTIVE and get the basics right.
The ball screen produces almost half of all professional offensive possessions, yet most teams still teach it as a memorised play. The modern approach trains the read - giving players a framework to decide based on what the defence does, not what the coach called.
The closeout is the most repeated defensive action in modern basketball. With fouls per game climbing in the 2025-26 season, coaches must teach defenders to contest the three without surrendering the drive or putting shooters on the line.
The 2-3 zone defence remains one of the most effective defensive systems in basketball when coached and executed properly. This guide covers the fundamentals of running a 2-3 zone, including player roles, rotations, and when to deploy it for maximum impact.
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