Defensive Principles by Kestutis Kemzura

BASIC DEFENSIVE PRINCIPLES

of the
LITHUANIA NATIONAL TEAM
by
Kestutis Kemzura

Although we are using different defensive systems with the Lithuanian National Team (also with my club teams), our main-
basic defense is “man to man”. We believe it gives stability for our game (carry through bad offensive days) and also allows us
to use successfully other defensive systems – zone, match – up zone, etc., because good “MtM” defense fundamentals (stay
in front of the ball, see ball & your man, right help position and others) are useful in any defense.

Our defensive philosophy demands a lot of personal responsibility, but in the team concept, so, because of that, the ability to
help each other is very important. In order to play effective and successful team defense we need hard and synchronical work
and self – sacrifice from all 5 players. Defensive team strength depends on all 5 players on the court with clear understanding
and knowing what to do and how to react on different situations during the game.

We truly believe that defense is habit or skill (same like shooting, dribbling or others) which we can improve and have to work
hard on it during the practice.

3 main goals of our defense:

1. ELIMINATE EASY BASKETS:

• Take away FB lay ups / baskets – transition defense;
• Limit paint shots / lay ups – stop paint penetrations & post ups;
• No 2nd chance baskets – all 5 block out & defensive rebound.

2. AGGRESSIVENESS & INTENSITY:

• Ball pressure (maintain full court pressure on PG, take away vision from passer);
• Deny one pass away / easy catches (gain a meter);

3. NO “CATCH & SHOOT” SHOTS:

• Contest every shot – “high hands”;
• Force in between contested jump shot.

Our main defensive principles:

• Defensive stance – stay low & wide with head up (chin behind knees);
• Ball pressure – maintain full court pressure (but control!) on the ball, take away vision of passer, contest every shot;
• Deny first pass away / easy ball reversal – force offence out of its comfortable zone/angles, slow down ball
movement;
• Vision – see ball and your man every time;
 Defensive Principles by Kestutis Kemzura

• Defend against all penetrations – be always in position to defend your man, the ball and the foul lane
• Movement – help, be willing to give yourself up for teammates (all 5 moves every time ball changes spot);
• Communication – talk, there has never been a great „silent“ defense (call screens, comment your actions + „inside
voice“);
• Toughness & physicality – have the courage to be physical, to put bodies on people, to make the first hit on block-
outs and to challenge cuts.

COMMITMENTS TO THE DEFENSE:

1. GOOD TRANSITION DEFENSE – STOP THE BALL EARLY, SPRINT BACK (1st 3 STEPS!) BELOW BALL LINE
Make the opponent score five on five against a set defense most of the time, not 2 on 1 or 3 on 2.

2. PRESSURE ON THE BALL WITHOUT GETTING BEATEN (TURN IT TWICE OR MORE UNTIL MID-COURT
LINE)
Don’t let the opponent walk up the ball, dictate tempo, but control!

3. FORCE THE BALL OUT OF THE MIDDLE, TRY TO KEEP IT ON THE SIDELINE IN ODER TO ESTABLISH
„WEAKSIDE“ HELP AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE
A good weakside helps fortify the entry side, puts them in positions to attack penetration and makes better defenders
out of the players on the strong side. No middle, no paint!

4. DENY EASY BALL REVERSAL , GAIN A METER – PUSH OFFENCE OUT OF THEIR SHOOTING RANGE /
ANGLES
Easy ball reversal creates problems for weak side defenders, preventing them from giving adequate help angles. Take
away offense from their comfortable angles and ranges, slow down ball movement.

5. STOP DRIBBLE OR PASS PENETRATIONS – PROTECT THE PAINT

No direct drive to the basket – make ball go „east or west“, but not „north or south“ – create „wall“. Deny post /
paint catches.

6. CONTEST EVERY SHOT – HAND UP ON EVRY CATCH („HIGH HANDS“)

Rotate out on every pass. Force in between contested shots, no „catch & shoot“ 3’s.

7. COMMUNICATION („INSIDE VOICE“) AND MOVEMENT

Talk out loud and early to each other – comment your actions and situations to help each other. Change your position
on every ball movement – see ball and your man every time!

8. BLOCK OUT ON EVERY SHOT AND DEFENSIVE REBOUND ALL 5

Take away 2nd chance opportunities from opponents. All 5 are involved in defensive rebounding (guards responsible
for long rebounds).
Defensive Principles by Kestutis Kemzura

Defensive position defending on the ball

Defense on the Ball

Every time there is a possibility (on made shots or dead ball situations) we pressure the ball
full court (but control) and try to turn it 1-2 times until mid-court line. After the ball crosses the
mid-court line we would like to stay in front of the ball and push it to the side line in order to
establish a weakside situation as soon as possible.

Defensive positioning on the ball

We are not allowing any drive straight to the basket (not forcing baseline or, especially,
middle). We want to create a “Wall” in front of the ball – go “east or west” but not “north or
south”. Our rule on the wing – No middle, no paint!

Positioning: Low and wide, inside foot is a little bit up (outside foot back – Toe at the middle
of inside foot) and defender’s nose into offensive player’s chest (or outside shoulder); one
hand up – Contesting the shot other hand contesting the pass/ drive.

Defensive positioning on the top

We try to keep the ball out of the middle, but if it happens we do the same - create a “wall” in
front of the ball (little bit more forcing ball to weaker hand side) and not giving any direct
driving line to the basket. Our rule on the top –no paint, force in between contested shot.
Positioning: Wide and low (eyes into chest, feet shoulders wide), one foot a little bit in front
(don’t open too much), defenders nose into offenders chest (or strong hand…)

Distance and Aggressiveness because of the ball position

Defender has to recognize ball position in his opponent’s hands and anticipate possible
offender’s moves:
- If Ball is high - Step to the ball with “high hands” and put more pressure;
- If Ball is down - Step back and keep distance, watch for dribble penetration;
- If the player with the ball turns to one side for a pass - help more from other side even
playing one pass away.
Defensive Principles by Kestutis Kemzura

Defensive position playing off the ball

Defensive position guarding a player 1 pass away

We don’t want to give any good passing angles and shooting ranges for offence. Even when
we play defense we want to be aggressive and dictate our conditions - Be “Actors” not
“Reactors”! Because of that we play up & on passing lines (inside foot up, hand/ or shoulder
on passing line, chin above shoulder).
Help on drive with inside foot - stunt and back.

Denying cut one pass away

Denying the entry pass we don’t want to give up back door baskets and don’t want to extend
our defense out too much to not lose position.
The goal is to force offence out of their spots.
Guarding back door or V-cuts we want our defender to turn his head, stretch his hand and
follow the cutter (also then the defender can see all back picks coming and avoid them).

Important: Stay in between ball and your man (not between ball and basket), see ball and your
man at any time.

Exception in positioning
On isolation (iso) plays, at the end of shot clock or guarding individually very strong players we
have a defensive exception - instead of playing passing lines and denying, we helping early on
driving lanes (zone up) provoking the penetrator to give up the ball and then on the pass we
sprint into close out.

Positioning: Stay between ball and basket, protect driving lane early!
Defensive Principles by Kestutis Kemzura

Weakside defensive position

Weak side defensive positioning

-If ball is above FT-line extended - 1 Foot in the paint;
-If ball is below FT-line extended - 2 Feet in the paint;
-If defending man in weak side corner and ball is below FT-line extended – stay under the
basket;
Positioning: Stay down, keep inside foot up, see (and point at both) ball and your man at same
time (chin above shoulder!);
Be between ball and your man; up & on the passing line)

From weakside help position into deny

On ball reversal the weakside defender sprints to deny the easy pass to the wing (not to his
defender, but to the passing line between the ball and his man), forcing the offensive player to
receive the ball higher (out of good angle to feed the post).

“SKIP” Pass conception

On a “skip” pass the weak side defenders are getting in dangerous “close out” situations. In
order to protect the paint from dribble-drive we are asking our players to shrink the gaps in the
“skip” pass and to run not into denial position (passing line), but sprint into a help position
between the ball and basket.

Important: Talk, yell out - “skip” pass!

All 5 players sprint to the ball on a skip pass

The goal is to protect the paint and to stop penetration, not to play aggressively the passing
lines! Crowd the paint first and then rotate out on the extra passes!
Defensive Principles by Kestutis Kemzura

Low post defense

Low post defense

- First of all we want to deny good passing angles for the inside pass. Pass into the post area
(FT line extended and below);
- Also we will ¾ fronting the low post (working around & pushing out) not to let the inside
player receive the ball inside the paint or on the block.

Low post defense when ball is in the post

- Not giving any direct move to the basket, especially to base line (spin, drop step, etc.);
Forcing to turn away from the basket;
- Defenders on the perimeter are “digging” to the ball on dribble (moving towards ball & back
without leaving the own man), forcing to pass ball out.

Defense if the ball is inside the paint

If our defense gets caught and offense receives the ball deep inside the paint (or get deep on
the dribble) - it’s our emergency situation and all defensive players have to sprint to the ball
for help - forcing the opponent to “kick” the ball out.
Defensive Principles by Kestutis Kemzura

Stance – sliding drills

“Stay in front” stance-slide defensive drill

3 positions (20 sec defense, 20 sec rest, 20 sec dribbling)
- right side
- top of the key
- left side

Offensive player dribbles the ball side to side, defense has to move lateral to stay in front of
the ball (ball between feet!);
Stay down & wide in stance all the time (20 sec), have active …

“Zig-zag slide-sprint” conditioning drill

Same player plays defense 2-3 time in a row (depend if it is a group of 3 or 4 players):
- Offensive player dribbles the ball in zig-zags up to court (until mid-court line) at 75-80%of his
speed in determined lanes;
- Defense slides & sprints in order to turn the ball as much as possible;
- When offense reaches ½ court. He rolls ball back to the next…

Defensive shuffle-reaction drill

5 players stay in stance facing coach and on his signal start moving all together - sliding to left
or right and sprinting back into their original spot when coach puts hand down.
Defensive Principles by Kestutis Kemzura

Close out & Positioning drills

“6 Spot” defensive drill

1) Roll the ball and close out;
2) Jump to the ball on pass to the top;
3) Deny one pass away, no back door lay up;
4) Front the post;
5) Help from cutter on base line drive - weak side help;
6) Deny flash to high post;
7) Stop 1 on 1 from the top.

2 on 2 close out & help on dribble drive drill

As soon as the coach rolls the ball to one of the offensive players, one defensive player sprints
into close out to contest the shot and the 2nd defender sprints into a weak side help position.
The player with the ball makes a skip pass to weak side to create another close out situation
in which offence tries to dribble drive (live game starts). Defense has to stop paint penetration
and get the defensive rebound. Offensive player can’t make a cut…

3 on 3 positioning drill
- From weak side help get into aggressive deny (one pass away) position.
- See the ball and your man at all times;
- Ball pressure on the passer;
- Recognize when you are playing one pass away and when on weak side;
- Add dribble penetration to offense and work on help & rotate defensively.

4 on 4 help & recover on base line drive

4 on 4 freelance without ball pick

2 most important things for coach to watch:

1) Defense has to arrive together with the ball, if defense arrives after player receives ball –
not aggressive enough;
2) When ball is on side somebody has to be in the paint - weakside…