HOW TO PLAY DEFENSE - PART I

If you can play defense properly, YOU CANNOT LOSE ANY MATCH. These words of my coach are ringing in my ears even after four decades. The pity is that at that time we didn't listen fully to him. We were gung ho with the conviction that we will win always. Only when we lost - we opened our ears for listening.

DEFENSE means in very simple terms - to be able to get back in position to your side of the court before the opposition brings the ball up. There are a few exceptions to this - like full court press etc about which we will discuss later.

DEFENSIVE STANCE: Stand like a boxer, open your legs wider with one foot slightly forward [left or right depending on which side you are] and the arms raised with one slightly up and the other near your chest. Divide the weight of your body equally all over as if climbing a hill - ready to shift the weight at any time. Maintain a proportionate distance from the attacker - about one and a half steps near the half line - about one step near the three pointer line and just about breathing down the neck [no space] inside the paint.

DO NOT OVER-COMMIT! How often we see in the matches, that a defensive player over commits on a fake and an easy basket is made. All younger players look at the ball - YOU MUST LOOK AT THE CHEST and peripherally the feet. Just copy the reflections as in a mirror. Whatever the attacker does - just copy him [move your right foot for his left foot movement and vice versa]. Most attackers have certain habits on which we can build our defense. Some players do not fake at all - it is easy to mark them. Some play fake once and some twice or even more. Study their motions - of course, they will change their strategy for which you must too be ready.

THE PHYSICAL DEFENSE - Widen your stance, be ready to move with the man, keeping your body always in between the attacker and the post. You must have very fast reflexes and totally concentrate on the physical movements of the attacker. Do not allow the opposition the luxury of being able to use their feet freely. Force their foot-work and half the job is done. When you are able to make them stand in an incorrect way, dribbling, passing or shooting will not be accurate. THE FOOT-WORK IS THE KEY. Force their feet to a wrong stance. If you allow them their normal stance - that is not defense - you have lost the battle already.

THE FUN BEGINS WITH THE TALLER PLAYERS! I have always enjoyed defending the taller players - IT IS SO EASY! And I do not understand, why coaches do not see it from my view-point - 5' 3" high POINT OF VIEW! A taller player is very uncomfortable when he is dribbling the ball - the ball bounce is unprotected for a longer duration. His body moves very clumsily - sharp change of direction - creating a fake - all come with great difficulty. The shorter defender has to just create a little doubt and then move like lightening to either tap the ball or make the holder stop the dribble or push him into the corner at zero degree. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENORMOUS! It is fun for you - and destroys the confidence of the attacker. AND YOU CAN ALWAYS HUNT IN PAIRS.

At Cluny Convent, Jalahalli, Bangalore we had a pair MARKESH and KRUPESH. Their stealing was legendary and my son who was the coach used it to the hilt. Some players are just born stealers - they polish their skills in every match - these days I see Chander Shekhar and Karthika do it in V.S.C. I, one of the great defense players for my teams [FINALLY YOU KNOW HOW I BOAST - but it is to motivate my students rather than personal pride], would need a month to explain all the intricacies of defense as a weapon. Anyway, let me continue, with whatever is possible in this manual.

DEFENSIVE PREDATORS : These are the guys who intercept passes, who create turnover after turnover. They are the fastest sprinters - and possess bucket loads of stamina. They go on and on and get on the nerves of the opposition and some-times get an intended or un-intended jab - BUT THEY ROLL WITH THE PUNCH - get up, wipe their hands and get on the job again WITHOUT A WORD! I have been a cross country runner and I always use to wonder at people who played basketball as if they had come to visit a garden. For me, it was a continuous movement of speed - either in attack or in defense. I LOVE RUNNING - though, at 56, sometimes I am breath-less.

COVERING ALL BASES : It is important that no vacant space or attacking lane is available to the defense. There is no need to hack a person who is going with the ball - just move with the person [YOUR COACH KEEPS SHOUTING IT - but do you hear?]. As and when an attempt at a basket is made - THAT IS THE TIME FOR HACKING! Remember 24 seconds aren't a great deal of time - just recently CHINA shut the doors on Indian women team by making them use all the time without taking a shot. It was defense of an extra-ordinary quality. All the five attackers were unable to pass, take a shot or have a comfortable position for any purpose - THERE WAS A CONTINUOUS FLURRY OF DEFENSE which didn't permit it. BUT it was done because the defense had the speed, agility and stamina to go for it. DO YOU HAVE THE STAMINA? If not, start working on it. The joy of being able to run without tiring is extra-ordinary.

NO CONTACT DEFENSE! I often see unnecessary fouls being made at junior level. It is an indication of poor defense and ultimately deprives your team of your skills. A foul is to be made for WINNING THE MATCH and not LOSING THE MATCH, by giving away free throws. A good defensive player hardly makes any foul - he is too intelligent to be clumsy. He shadows the attacker all the time and just stops short of hitting at the last micro-second. The attacker doesn't know what the defender will do hence he is off-balance for that moment which is what DEFENSE IS ALL ABOUT. Creating a doubt or confusion in the mind of the attacker is the essence of great defense.

From a remote corner of India, a child wrote to me that he is reading this manual and the other day my nephew phoned me that he reads my posts regularly. I hope all of my friends who play basketball and even those who don't[which I hope they will start playing]will enjoy reading this manual. It is wonderful to be able to communicate on this public platform. Please let me know if you have any concerns.