Defending the Screen and Roll

Defending on-ball screens is one of the toughest principle to defend in today's game. Defending on-ball screens are not just about defending the ball-handler and screener, but how you react and rotate on the weak-side of your defense. Strategies are a big part of how attack the on ball screen, but the tenacity, energy, and knowledge of the ball-handler's defender are extremely important as well. Another factor is the type of team you have as well; short and quick, or big and tall. Here are seven strategies for defending on ball screens (middle and sideline screens).

1. Hedge and Recover - A basic strategy when defending on ball screens; the player can hard hedge or soft hedge. Hedge is where the screen defender shows above the screen and meets the ball-handler on the opposite side. The degree of the hedge depends on the threat of the screener, is he/she a roller or a pop threat. If the screener is more of a roller, you can hard hedge on the ball-handler. If the screener is more of a pop threat, you can soft hedge on the ball-handler.

2. Under 1 - Go under the screen if the ball-handler is not a shooter, but a great penetrator. Also, if the ball-handler is out of his/her range for the shot.

3. Under 2 - If the ball-handler is a great penetrator, but not a great shooter, and the screener is a great spot up shooter, you should jam the screener and have the defender go under the jam, which is 2 players. This strategy can be used against teams that run a lot of pick and pops.

4. Switch - Switch when the ball-handler and screener are of similar size and no advantage will be gained offensively. You can also switch as the shot-clock or game-clock is running down so the offense can not gain an advantage of penetration.

5. Trap - Trap the ball-handler when the ball-handler is not a strong passer or penetrator. You can trap also to get the offense out of rhythm, or end of shot and game clock situations.

6. Turn Down - Make the ball-handler turn down the screen if the purpose of the screen is to reverse the ball to the opposite side or to have middle penetration.

7. Over - Go over the screen when the ball-handler is a threat as a shooter, and the screener is not as big of a threat.

NEXT TOPIC: Transition Offense

Attacking a switching M2M defense

I think are five simple principles that you could use to attack a man to man defense that switches on screens.

1. Run set plays. Running a set play instead of running straight motion, where you can get a mismatch; for example, a big on a guard, or a big defending a guard.

2. Ball screens. Setting a big screen on a guard will create an automatic mismatch on a switch, or a guard set a screen on a big. At the point, it becomes exploiting the mismatch in your favor.

3. Pass and cut. Passing and cutting will not allow the defense to switch, and will create space for penetration as well as post play.

4. Screen your defender. This is a good strategy because most teams begin to anticipate the switch on the screen, so if you set a down screen, screen your defender while the other player pops. It will create a 2 to 1 on advantage, a quick seal or slip might be available.

5. Slip screens. Similar to the last strategy, there is always a point during the screen when the opposition anticipate the screen or cut off the screen. At that point, look to slip the screen.

NEXT TOPIC: Screen and Roll Defense

To switch or not to switch...

It seems that switching in man-to-man defenses is becoming more prevalent in today’s high school and college game. Switching man-to-man defenses is a strategic move to disrupt oppositions screening game (ball-screen, down-screen, flare-screen, and back-screens). Many teams switch like screens, such as guard-to-guard screens or post-to-post screens. In addition, teams that lack height, or have players with similar height will switch screens as well to eliminate indecision. It also eliminates indecision when it comes to scouting reports; teams will just tell their players they are switching everything. Lastly, teams will switch in late game situations or end of clock situations where a team needs a 3-point opportunity to tie a game. As you can see, there are many different philosophies when it comes to switching in man-to-man defense.

I think there are great opportunities to use switching in your man-to-man defense scheme, but I think long the way, as more and more coaches have used the strategy, the lack of individual defensive pride has decreased. Man-to-man defense is about defending the ball with five players, and more importantly as a team. But, there is an individualistic component to defending the ball, as well as a sense of pride. The pride element can be demonstrated in pressuring the ball, sliding/moving your feet, defending a player coming off-screens, among other defensive skills. Even something as simple as the offensive player isn’t going to score on me. I think these strategic components that are individualized in a way have been eliminated along with pride because “we can just switch the screen.”

NEXT TOPIC: Attacking a switching man –to-man defense