About This Play/Drill

Drill Setup: Three defenders X1, X2, and X3 form a line in the paint
facing the four offensive players. A coach, player, or manager (5) has a ball along the baseline.

The coach passes the ball to any offensive player on the perimeter and the three defensive players communicate and scramble accordingly. Offensive players may pass, cut, screen, and dribble penetrate and try to score.  On any pass, the closest player takes the basketball and closes out hands up butt down with choppy steps. The other two players sprint and get to help.

Here you see the players positioned correctly in frame 4. We use the following verbal commands to communicate our position. X3 says "ball", X2 says "help" and X1 says "I got 2" referring to guarding both player 1 and 2 on the weak side.  On every pass, each player must jump to the ball and communicate accordingly.

In frame 6 when the ball is in the slot area, X1 is still playing two and must be in position to take away 2 player cutting to basket and still possible take next pass to player 1. X3 jumps to the ball and is in help.  On the slot pass, defender X1 closes out on the ball with high hands and choppy steps. X2 jumps to the ball and communicates help and X3 sprints to the middle of the paint and anticipates either skip to player 4 or pass to wing to player 2.

In frame 8 when the ball is passed to the wing area, defender X3 closes out on the ball and X1 jumps to the ball and is in help position. Defender X2 drops to the middle of the paint and is now playing two on the weak side.  On baseline penetration, the player farthest from the ball playing two must sprint and stop penetration before it gets to the painted area. The other help side defender X1 must sprint to the hoop and help the helper.  On a pass back out defender X1 must sprint to cover the ball and defender X2 and X3 scramble accordingly.