TEAM DEFENSE: GAP MAN 2 MAN

Presented by Dennis Chamberlain

For Dr. Michael Anastasiadis
Cyprus Basketball School

Form Close-outs
* On 1st ball bounce — foot fire
* On 2nd ball bounce — touch hands
* Close out to coach
* Slide sideline
* Slide baseline

1 v. 1
* Bounce pass
* Close-out
* Push sideline or baseline

4x Defense
1. Start in GAP (1) (2)

On pass, close out

On pass, jump to GAP
2. Defend the cut

Front the post
3. Start in help

Defend the flash
4. Start in help

On skip pass, close out (3) (4)

Play 1 v. 1 (3 dribble max)

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2 v. 2: Close out & Help
* Coach passes to a wing,

Ball side defender closes out 

on the ball;

Weak side defender closes out 

to help
* Skip pass
* 2 v. 2 

(3 dribble max, no on-ball screens)

3 v. 3: Close-out, Gap, & Help

* Coach passes to a wing,

Each defender closes out: (1) (2)

On ball, to the gap, & to help
* Pass to top:

Defenders jump to the gap
* Pass to opposite wing:

On ball, to the gap & to help
* 3 v. 3 

(3 dribble max, no on-ball screens)
(3)


Memphis Close-outs
* X1 passes to X2 to X3 to O1 (1) (2)
* X1 closes out on-ball vs. O1

X2 closes out to gap vs. O2

X3 closes out to help vs. O3
* Pass to top, 

defense jumps to gap
* Pass to wing, 

defense jumps to gap and to help
(3)

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2 v. 2, Front the Post, Help
* Coach with the ball on the wing,

X1 fronts the post,

X2 in help vs. opposite wing
* Coach tries to pass to the post,

On lob, X2 helps
* 2 v. 2 after coach’s pass

3 v. 3, Defend entry pass, Front the post, Help

* 2 wings and 1 post on offense;

3 defenders, 1 on ball, 1 in help,

and 1 fronting the post
* Wings can pass the ball while

the post works for position
* Defenders must shift properly 

from on-ball to help position
* Live after entry pass is made

4 v. 4, Shell Drill — Pick and Roll, “Even”

* Post comes up even with the

screener
* Guard goes over screen
* Defender (X2 in diagram) on the

roll side, tags the screener as he

rolls to the basket
* Defender (X3 in diagram) on the

ball side stays home

4 v. 4, Shell Drill — Pick and Roll, “Blitz”

* Post blitzes the screen and 

traps the ball
* Guard goes over the screen
* Defender (X2 in diagram) on the

roll side, tags the screener as he

rolls to the basket
* Defender (X3 in diagram) on the

ball side stays home

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4 v. 4 Shell Drill — Down Screens
* 1 passes to 2 and screens for 3
* X1 jumps to the gap to prevent 

the face cut
* X1 then opens up to allow X3 to 

slide thru on the ball side of the screen
* Sequence continues as 2 passes 

to 3 and screens for 4
* X2 jumps to the gap to prevent 

the face cut
* X2 then opens up to allow X4 to 

slide thru on the ball side of the screen

4 v. 4 Shell Drill — Help the helper

* 3 drives baseline, (1) (2)

X4 helps on the drive
* X1 sinks
* When the ball is passed out,

the defender who helped stays;

the defender who got beat rotates out

(3)

5 v. 5, Half Court + Transition (one possession)

* Offense can run either sets or motion
* Defensive principles:
✓ On ball defender is chest to chest, pushing sideline or baseline
✓ Defender 1 pass away is in the Gap
✓ Defender 2 passes away is in Help
✓ For on-ball screens, the coach determines whether the Defense plays Even or Blitz

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5 v. 5, Controlled Scrimmage (three possessions)
* Start with a free throw (or inbounds play)
* After a made free throw, Offense should run a set
* After a missed free throw, Offense should run the secondary break into ball-screen motion
* Defensive principles:
✓ On ball defender is chest to chest, pushing sideline or baseline
✓ Defender 1 pass away is in the Gap
✓ Defender 2 passes away is in Help
✓ For on-ball screens, the coach determines whether the Defense plays Even or Blitz
* After three full court possessions, line up for another free throw (or inbounds play)

5 v. 5, Free Scrimmage
* Play for 6 minutes, then allow both teams a time-out and a substitution; then play another
6 minutes.
* Defensive principles:
✓ On ball defender is chest to chest, pushing sideline or baseline
✓ Defender 1 pass away is in the Gap
✓ Defender 2 passes away is in Help
✓ For on-ball screens, the Defense may choose to play either Even or Blitz
* After three full court possessions, line up for another free throw

5 v. 5, Application Game
* Offense can run either sets or motion
* Defensive principles:
✓ On ball defender is chest to chest, pushing sideline or baseline
✓ Defender 1 pass away is in the Gap
✓ Defender 2 passes away is in Help
✓ For on-ball screens, the defense can Blitz or play Even

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