Contents > 2. Defense > 2.1. Player-to-Player, 1/4 Court Defense > 2.1.2. Deny Defense >
2.1.2.2. Offensive Player Cut Deny
(1) Q: What are offensive player cuts in deny defense?
A: When in deny defense, your assigned offensive player can cut in one of several directions, ranked in order of the most dangerous to the least dangerous threats:
1: Towards the hoop in front of you
2: Towards the hoop behind you
3: Towards the ball
4: Away from the ball
5: Away from the hoop
(2) Q: How do we defend the most dangerous cut, a cut to the hoop in front of us (#1, called a ballside cut)?
A: In short, do not let the offensive player ever get between you, the ball, and the basket when in deny defense.
(3) Q: How do we defend the next most dangerous cut, a cut to the hoop behind us (#2, called a backdoor cut)?
A: There are several strategies to this, but if your offensive player goes backdoor, we believe it is best to continue in the same position you are in (default deny position), but slide backwards, with your body still between your player and the basket.
(4) Q: During the backdoor cut, what if the offensive player starts to go past me?
A: If the offensive player starts to get past you, you must switch your hands, your head, and your lead foot in the opposite direction, while still facing the player
(5) How do we defend a cut towards the ball (#3)?
A: If offense moves towards the ball, use your defensive slides to slide with them, still staying between your player, the ball, and the basket.
(6) Q: How do we defend when the offense moves away from the ball (#4)?
A: At this point, since the offensive player will become farther than one pass away from the ball-handler, you will transition into another defensive position (called Help Defense) which we will talk about later.
(7) Q: How do we defend when the offense moves away from the hoop outside the three-point-line?
A: Here you will only deny defend the offensive player until one step past the three-point line. They are not a threat far outside the 3-point-line, so there is no need to defend them there. Here you will also transition into help defense.
Skills Drills
Skills Drill #1: Offensive Player Cut: To the Ball
Offense Player 1 (O1) has the ball; starting position is at the top of the key.
O2 starting position is on the right or left wing, at the 3-point line.
Defense Player 2 (X2) is in default deny position on O2.
Instead of staying stationary, O2 will cut towards the ball until about 1.5m away from O1. O1 will pass the ball to O2; X2 must prevent the pass by deflecting the ball with their deflection arm.
Repeat this for several passes, ensuring X2 has proper deny position during O2’s cut.
Rotations: once finished X2 will go to O2; O2 will go to O1, and O1 will go to the end of the line. The next person in line will go to X2. Repeat.
Skills Drill #2: Offensive Player Cut: Ball-side Cut
Same as above, except instead of cutting towards the ball, O2 will try to cut towards the hoop on the ball-side of X2. O1 will pass the ball to O2, and X2 must deflect this pass.
Skills Drill #3: Offensive Player Cut: Backdoor Cut
Same as above, except instead of a ball-side cut, O2 will attempt a backdoor cut. O1 will pass the ball to O2, and X2 must deflect this pass.
Skills Drill #4: Offensive Player Cut: Defending All Player Cuts
Same as set-up as above, but now O2 can choose whichever cut they like: cut to the ball, a ball-side cut to the hoop, or a backdoor cut to the hoop. O1 will pass the ball to O2, and X2 must deflect this pass.
