A good defensive team starts with the ability to closeout properly and successfully. I am in constantly looking for drills that have a good closeout component to start the drill, but then can be extended to work on other phases of defense. This drill works on getting 3 different people all closing out first and then can be extended after the closeout to work on different aspects of man-to-man defense.
I am detailing this drill using just 3 players but another player can be added to the drill for a 4 v 4 drill. It is a simple drill that can be used all the way from high school on down to the youth ages. After teaching and learning a normal closeout, this drill can be introduced to keep working on a closeout but getting more people involved in the drill.
On a team of 10 or 12 players, players can be split into 3 or 4 teams depending on if you are running 3 on 3 or 4 on 4. This keeps two teams on the floor practicing and only one team standing and waiting. This keeps more people involved. It has less down time for every player during practice.
I have sample practice plans that can help you keep players more involved in practice no matter the age group.
3 on 3 Closeouts
The drill starts and is setup like the picture above shows. Three defenders are across the baseline. Three offensive players are setup around the 3-point line. The ball starts with the defender all the way on the right. The ball is passed across the baseline by the 3 defenders. When the left defender gets the ball, they pass it to the nearest offensive player that is on the left wing. The offense then passes the ball around the perimeter until it reaches the offensive player on the right wing.
After each defender passes the ball, they run across the floor and will close out as their offensive player catches the ball. The right defender runs across the floor to the left wing. The middle defender runs straight up the lane to the offensive player at the top of the key. The left defender runs across to the right wing.
This drill can add an additional offensive and defensive player to it if you would want. The offense would setup in a 4-out formation instead of a 3-out formation. The defenders would still pass across the baseline and cross to their offensive player. The one major change is the two interior defenders in a 4 v 4 setup would cross to the two interior offensive players. The two outside defenders would cross to the two outside offensive players.
As the last offensive player catches the ball, the players then can play out a 4 on 4 possession. The first defender should closeout to their offensive player and then shift over into a midline spot as the last offensive player catches the ball. This drill will have every defender working on the ball, one pass away and help side defense as they rotate the defensive spots on the drill.
As the players get comfortable with just closing out, the drill can be modify to include more defensive concepts. This makes it really nice to go from one defensive skill to another without having to change the drill. This keeps wasted time in a practice changing drills from occurring. This will maximize practice time for the players.
3 on 3 Closeouts with Back Side Rotations
The first addition to this drill is teaching back side rotations. The drill starts the same as above, but when the last offensive player catches the ball, they drive baseline to the basket. The defender closes out and lets the offensive player go around them. The back side defender who is in help side should see the drive and rotate to stop the ball. The defender who is one pass away sees the drive and drops down into the middle of the lane.
Back side rotation is really important in not giving up easy layups. Good defensive rotation forces the offense to take contested shots or make extra passes. Contested shots have a lower chance of going in. Every extra pass has a chance to be deflected or stolen or thrown away by the offense.
Once the defense rotates to stop the ball, the 3rd defender drops down taking two offensive players.
The middle defender drops into the lane when the backside defender rotates to stop the ball. I refer to this as taking two. The reason for this is the defender is taking two offensive players on the rotation. Based on how a pass comes after the rotation will determine the new matchups for the possession.
If the ball is passed out to the top, then the middle defender closes out back to their original man and the rotated defender sprints back out to their original offensive player.
But if the ball is passed across the floor to the wing, the middle defender closes out to the wing since they are the closest defender to the ball now and the rotated defender switches the player they are now guarded due to the close out.
This rotational defense helps to prevent wide open shots. While this is not always a good defensive matchup with the two switching defenders, it does prevent a wide open kick out 3. It will force the offense to make an additional pass or additional offensive move. These additional offensive moves can wear an opponent down mentally and physically. It can also lead to turnovers because the offense is having to do additional things to score.
I work on rotational defense a lot. If the defenders are able to guard their man one on one, then you do not have to worry about rotating. But when you are playing better teams, then the offense is going to win matchups throughout the game. The defense is going to have to rotate to prevent wide open layups when a defender get beats. These practice reps on rotating behind the ball can make a defense very hard to score against.
3 on 3 Closeouts with Ball Screen
The 2nd variation I like to use with the 3 on 3 closeouts is having the offense set a ball screen and force the defense to defend it. The start of the drill is the same with the ball being passed all the way around the floor. On the final pass to the wing, the offensive player making the last pass follows the pass and sets a ball screen. The defense will closeout to each offensive player ending with guarding a pick and roll.
There are numerous ways to guard a ball screen and this drill gives a team a lot of reps to work on one way or different ways to guard a ball screen. It can also be used to prep an offense against a team who defends a ball screen a different way. For instance, if a team likes to double a ball screen, then the team can work offensively in the drill going against a double team. The ability to get a lot of reps in practice can make a huge difference in execution in a game.
This drill works on a bunch of little fundamentals like passing and closeouts. It also works on more complex basketball concepts like rotational defense and ball screens. This is a great all around basketball drill that can be used with very young players all the way up into high school and college players. If you are not using this drill, then it might be a good time to put it in your rotation of drills.
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