Step 1/2Ball at the top: pressure, gap, help
Orange = offense · blue = defense · solid line = cut · dashed = pass · zig-zag = dribble · T = screen · dotted arc = shot
Defense drill
Shell Drill 4-on-4
Team defensive positioning — on-ball, deny, and help — as the ball moves around the perimeter.
- Time
- 12 min
- Players
- 8+
- Ages
- 11+
- Level
- Intermediate
Equipment: 1 ball
How to run the drill
- 1Four offensive players at the two guard spots and two wings.
- 2Defense starts in correct position: on-ball pressure, one pass away in the gap, help side in the lane.
- 3Offense passes around the perimeter; defense jumps to the ball on every pass.
- 4Progress: add skip passes, dribble penetration, then live play to a stop.
Coaching points
- Move on the flight of the ball
- See ball and man — pistols
- Talk: 'ball', 'help', 'deny'
- Closeouts with short choppy steps
More defense drills
Defense · Intermediate
1-on-1 Closeout Live
Defender passes out, closes out, and plays live 1-on-1 with a two-dribble limit.
10 min2+ playersAges 10+
Animated
Defense · Intermediate
2-on-2 Help & Recover
Ball handler drives; the help defender stunts or helps, then recovers to their player on the kick-out.
10 min4+ playersAges 11+
Defense · Advanced
Ball-Screen Defense: Hedge & Recover
2-on-2 pick-and-roll: big hedges to stop the ball, guard fights over the top, big recovers to the roller.
10 min4+ playersAges 13+
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