Category: Applying and Attacking Pressure

In breaking down our press we try to make practice tougher than game situations, so sometimes we will go 4 against 5. This makes the job of X1 much tougher because X1 does not have X5 to help take away the long cross court pass. In this drill the responsibilities if X4, X3 and X2 remain the same, but we are now also working with X1 to read the offense and try to take away the long pass. X1 shows ball side, in diagram 26, X1 is showing towards the left side of the floor. X1 reads the offense and does not get beat by the same pass two times in a row.

In diagrams 27 and 28, X1 is showing to the right side of the floor. In this drill the offense can only throw the ball into the backcourt, because X5 is not present. When the ball is inbounded on the right side, as is beign shown in diagram 27, X4 and X3 form the trap and X2 moves ball side, as we see in diagram 28. X1 will show to the ball, but now has two people to cover, again X1 must not get beat by the same pass two times in a row. We are still limiting the drill to the backcourt.

In diagram 24 we are working on the front part of our press. We are working on influencing the ball to the corner and then on forming the trap. Since we do not have X1 in this particular drill, we will not allow a long entry pass down the floor or any entry pass beyond the free throw line. Later we will add X1 and two more offensive players.

Once the ball is inbounded on the left side, as shown in diagram 25, X2 and X4 form the trap, using the endline and the sideline as two more defenders. X3 moves ball side to take away any pass back to the middle. In this drill and in all drills we emphasize our press rules, so X3 must not get beat by the same pass twice in a row.

At UW-Plateville we teach by the whole-part method. We will introduce a major concept and then continue to break it down and work on different parts. We not only use the whole-part method with our offense and with our defense, but with our press as well. What follows are a few of the drills that we use in breaking down the press.

Some teams will try and beat our diamond pressure by applying more offensive pressure in the backcourt, as we see in diagrams 22 and 23. They will do so by bringing a third person towards the ball in the middle of the floor. As we stated earlier, we cannot allow an inbounds pass to enter the lane area. We will counter this offensive strategy by taking our 4 person off of the ball and putting him into the lane, where X4 will deny any pass into the lane. Then, when the ball is inbounded, we are still in our diamond pressure. X2 and X4 will trap the left side, X3 and X4 will trap the right side, X1 has the next pass up the floor out of the trap and X5 has basket responsibility.

At times we may take the 4 person off of the ball just to give our opponents a different look, forcing them to make another decision.

If the initial or entry pass is made beyond the front line of our defense, as shown in diagram 20, we will get back on defense right away and not give up a lay-up. Remember, we want to get back to the paint and find our people from the inside out. We do not want to chase the ball down the floor. The only exception would be for the person guarding a prolific 3 point shooter, that defender woud pick up their person at the 3 point arc.

In transition, X1 must stop the ball near the top of the key and X5 must protect the basket, as we see in diagram 21. If the offensive player with the ball takes the ball towards X1 then makes a pass, X5 would go with the pass and X1 would drop back to protect the basket. If the offensive player with the ball passes the ball before nearing X1, then X1 would go with the pass and X5 would stay and protect the basket.

In diagram 17, the ball is being inbounded to our left. We are trying to keep the offense on one side of the floor to cut down the area that we need to cover. We try to do so, by having X4 overplay the middle and invite the pass to the near corner.

In diagram 18, the inbounder decides to run the baseline and move from our left to right. The inbounder may run the baseline and move from our left to right. The inbounder may run the baseline after a made basket or after a defensive goaltending call. If the inbounder runs the baseline, we must adjust our defensive press positions. X4 must go with the inbounder and keep pressure on the ball. X3 moves from one position to the right side of the floor, as X2 moves from the left side to show position. X1 will go ball side moving from left to right. X5 will go from right to left to cover the cross court pass.

Diagram 19 shows our new press positions with the ball now on the right side of the floor.

Most teams will take the ball out of bounds on the right side of the floor, which is the left side of defense (as shown in diagram 7), since most teams tend to be righthanded. If that is the case we want to keep them on our left and cut down the area that we need to cover. X4 who is on the ball will overplay the middle and try to influence the pass to the left corner. X2 covers the left side of the floor from the free throw line extended to the baseline. X3, who begins on the right side of the floor, is opposite the ball so he will show to the middle and take away any pass into the lane, while still being able to recover to a long pass on the right side of the floor.

X1 will also show to the left side of the floor or whichever side the ball is being inbounded on. Perhaps more than anyone else X1 must read the offense and anticipate.

If the offense has everyone in the backcourt, X5 is able to come up to the half-court area to increase the defensive pressure, but still has basket responsibility.

In diagram 7, the ball is being inbounded to the corner on the left side of the floor. Diagram 8 shows the defense reacting to the inbounds pass and beginning to form the trap. All five defenders must react when the ball is in the air. Again, anticipation is the key!

When the ball is inbounded on the left side of the floor, X4 will form the inside trap and X2 will form the top of the trap, as shown in diagram 9. It is important that X4 and X2 stay big and active in the trap without reaching in. We are trying to force turnovers, not commit mistakes. If we reach in and foul we are obviously commiting a mistake, plus it makes no sense to foul someone 80 feet from the basket. If we do go for the ball, we want to go in hard with both hands. This way we are more likely to steal the ball and less likely to commit a foul in the process. Keep in mind that defensive help in a diamond press is in the middle of the floor, so we must not let the offense beat the trap up the sideline. If the offensive player being trapped tries to reverse pivot to go away from pressure, both X2 and X4 chest up on the player with the ball and take away that step permanentely. If the player with the ball tries to step through the trap, both X2 and X4 should stand their ground and attempt to draw the offensive foul.

As the ball was inbounded on the left side, X3 moved the ball side. X3 must read the offense and anticipate the next pass or the pass out of the trap. If, on the first trap, the ball is passed back to the player who took the ball out of bounds, the next time X3 will take away that pass and not get beat by the same pass twice in a row. The reason is simple, if something works once the offense is more likely to try that same pass again.

X1 has moved ball side and is in intercept position, trying to take away the next pass up the floor.

X5 has basket responsibility, but if the offensive team brings all five players on one side of half-court, X5 is able to move up to increase the pressure on the offense and anticipate the cross court lob pass. If someone were to break to the basket, X5 still has basket responsibility. If X5 attempts to intercept the cross court lobpass, X1 must get back to protect the basket. This action is shown in diagram 10 above.

If the ball is returned to the inbounder, as shown in diagram 11, we will return to our original press positions and we will attempt to get another trap. Diagram 12 showsa us back in our original press positions. This is the only situation in which we will trap again. If the ball had been passed down the floor, we would have sprinted to the lane and assumed our half-court man to man defense.

In this situation the first pass out of the trap was returned to the in-bounder. Next time the ball is trapped on the left side of the floor, X3 will take away the return pass back to the in-bounder. According to our diamond press rules, we are not going to get beat by the same pass twice in a row. The reason for this is simple, people are creatures of habit, if a pass worked once the offensive team is likely to try the same pass again. We want to force the offense to make another decision and have to either try something else or make a more difficult pass that we may be able to intercept.

If the offensive team takes the ball out of bounds to our right side, as shown in diagram 13, we want to cut down space and distance and keep them on the right side of the floor. Again, we want to keep the offense away from the lane area and force them to catch the ball near the corner, where we can use the endline and the sideline as two more defenders. X4 will guard the person taking the ball out of bounds, shading towards the middle to keep the ball out of the lane area. X3 is covering the right side of the floor and X2 is covering the left side, but X2 is showing towards the middle, because the ball is being inbounded opposite of X2’s side of the floor.

X1 will again show towards ball side, in this case the right side of the floor. X5 again is able to come up to the half-court area, but still has basket responsibility.

In Diagram 14, the ball is being inbounded to our right. All five defenders must react when the ball is in the air. X4 and X3 move to form the trap, X2 moves ball side to cover any pass back to the middle, X1 reacts to cover the next pass up the floor from the ball and X5 will cover the long cross court pass, but most importantly X5 has basket responsibility.

Diagram 15 shows the completion of the trap and our new defensive positions on the court.

If a pass is made out of the trap and down the floor towards our opponent’s basket, as shown in diagram 16, we will get back to our half-court defense. As you recall, our defensive trap rule is “one and done,” meaning one trap and we get back to our half-court man to man defense. Once a succesful pass is made out of the trap, we do not want to chase the ball down the floor. We want to get back and play solid half-court defense. When a pass is made out of the trap, X4, X3, and X2 sprint back to the paint and find their people from the inside out, looking to stop the lay-up first. The only exception would be if one of the defenders are guarding a good 3 point shooter. If that is the case, we need to pick up the 3 point shooter further out on the floor. As X4, X3 and X2 are getting back on defense it is up to X1 to stop the ball andX5 to protect the basket.

At UW-Platteville we often talk about our system, which includes everything we do on the basketball floor. Our system therefore includes our offensive philosiphy, our defense philosophy, and everything in between. As you will notice when we discuss how we get into our full-court pressure, everything we do fits together and there is a reason for everything we do.

Diagram 5 shows our offensive alignment, as we describe in detail in our first book “The Swing Offense.” The 1 person brings the ball down the right lane, 2 is at the left wing, 3 at the right wing, 4 occupies the left lane line and 5 is in the low post.

Once we begin our offense these five players will obviously move and will end up in different spots on the floor, but no matter where they end up it is easy to move right into our press positions. #1 is responsible for being back on defense when the shot goes up, in our press #1 has basket responsibility until #5 passes him, then #1 moves up to cover the area from the free throw line extended to half-court. In our offense #2 begins on the left side of the floor, consequently #2 occupies the left side in our diamond press. #3 begins on the right side of our offense, consequently #3 is on the right side of our press. #4 is one of our best rebounders and always goes to the boards when a shot is taken, consequently #4 is ready to pressure the inbounder. #5 is also on the boards, but #1 has basket responsibility until the shot is made or the defense secures the rebound, #5 then moves back to protect the basket. See diagram 6.

1. Our diamond press is based on a numbering system that allows our players to move easily from our offensive positions to our defensive press positions.
2. X4 pressures the person taking the ball ot of bounds and forms the inside of the first trap.
3. Invite the inbound pass to the corner, so that X4 can trap with X2 or X3.
4. X2 or X3 will trap the sideline with X4. They must not allow the offensive team to beat the trap up the sideline.
5. The endline and the sideline work as two more defenders in our trap.
6. If X2 or X3 are not trapping with X4, they are responsible for any pass back towards the middle.
7. X1 is responsible for the long entry pass or the next pass up the floor out of the trap. X1 also must protect the basket until X5 passes him.
8. The main responsibility of X5 is to protect the basket.
9. One trap and done (unless the next pass after the initial inbounds pass is made backwards.
10. The key for positioning is reading the offense and anticipating where the inbounds pass and the pass out of the double team will go.
11. Never get beat by the same pass twice in a row.
12. No second shots off of transition.
13. When we steal the ball we will attack the basket and look to score. Many times after a steal players on the opposing team will get fustrated and become foul prone.
14. We stay in our diamond press even though it may appear to be innefective at times. By keeping the pressure on, we are forcing the offensive team to constantly make decisions that will eventually lead to turnovers.

In describing our diamond press positions, we will begin with the person on the ball (X4) and work our way down the floor towards our opponent’s basket. (Diagram 2 and Diagram 3 are identical)

#4 – In our system our 4 person is usually a good athlete who is one of our better rebounders. Since #4 is usually around the basket area every time a shot is taken we have our 4 person guarding the player taking the ball out of bounds. X4 will begin by applying high hand pressure to discourage the long entry pass. At the same time X4 is encouraging an entry pass to either corner in the backcourt. When the ball is passed to the corner, X4 will form the inside of the trap with X2 or X3.

#2 – is on the left side of the defense, covering the area from the free throw line extended to the baseline. X2 will also encourage an entry pass to the corner, but must discourage any pass to the middle of the floor or the lane area. If the ball is entered to X2’s side of the floor, X2 will form the trap with X4. If the ball is entered on X3’s side of the floor, then X2 becomes responsible for any pass back toward the middle of the floor.

#3 – is on the right side of the defense, covering an area from the free throw line extended to the baseline. X3 will also encourage an entry pass to the corner, but must discourage any pass to the middle of the floor or the lane area. If the ball is entered on X3’s side of the floor X3 will form the trap with X4. If the ball is entered on X2’s side of the floor then X3 becomes responsible for any pass back toward the middle of the floor.

#1 – covers the area from the free throw line extended to halfcourt looking to intercept the long entry pass or the next pass up the floor out of the trap. X1 reads the offense and tries to anticipate where the next pass will be made. Also, X1 has the responsibility of protecting the basket until X5 is able to get back on defense. X1 stays back until X5 passes him.

#5 – The main responsibility of X5 is to protect the basket and not allow a lay-up off of the press. Since X5 is our best offensive post player and will be around the basket when the shot is taken, X5 must first go to the boards and then get back on defense. This is why we want X1 back to protect the basket until X5 pases him.