(1) Q: What happens if the ball-handler dribbles past my on-ball defensive teammate to the middle into the key, and also dribbles past my teammate in deny defense? 

A: In this situation, if you are the closest player to the ball-handler when in your default help defense position, you must come help defend the ball-handler (ball threat help). 

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(2) Q: How do I achieve ball threat help? 

A: Two strategies are: switch or help and recover. 

(3) Q: What is switching? 

A: Switching means you will now be in on-ball defense on the ball-handler. The other defensive teammates will rotate and pick up new assigned players. It is best to switch if the original on-ball defender is very far from the ball-handler. Hopefully this situation will be rare.

(4) Q: What is help and recover? 

A: Help and recover means you will play on-ball defense briefly until the original on-ball defensive player is back in position to defend the ball-handler. Once that occurs, you can then recover back to deny defense on your assigned player, or proceed into on-ball defense if your assigned player gets passed the ball (which we will talk more about later). It is best to help and recover if the original on-ball defender is close to the ball-handler. This is hopefully a more likely situation than switching. 

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SKILLS DRILLS

Skills Drill #1: Ball Threat Help (Ball-Handler Movement)

btm1.png

This is the same skills drill as 2.1.3.1 Skills Drill #1, however the ball-handler O1 will occasionally dribble drive to the basket. X2 must briefly stop O1 from getting closer to the basket, then recover back into help position (O1 will return back to outside the 3-point line).

Skills Drill #2: Ball Threat Help (Assigned Player Movement)

Same as 2.1.3.1. Skills Drill #2 but with O1 dribble driving. 

Skills Drill #3: Ball Threat Help (Ball-Handler + Assigned Player Movement)

btm3.png

Same as 2.1.3.1. Skills Drill #3 but with O1 dribble driving.