There are many different ways that the defense can guard a ball screen, and it is important that the ball handler can quickly recognize what their defender is doing and then do the right move to make them pay. For example, if the defender guarding the ball handler goes under the ball screen, it is the perfect time to pull up behind the screen and shoot the uncontested shot.
This is exactly what this basketball shooting drill is designed to do. There are going to be 3 different ways that the defender can guard the ball screen, and according to how the player is guarded, the player must read it and then react accordingly to it to make the right play. Basketball drills like this one are great for practicing live game situations and learning to make defensive reads.
Basketball Drill Overview
Drill Name: Read and React Guard Defense Ball Screen Series Basketball Drill
Equipment Needed: 1 basketball and 2 partners.
Similar Basketball Drills and Resources
- Ball Screen Flat Switch Basketball Drill
- Ball Screen Switch Mismatch Basketball Drill
- Ball Screen Defender Goes Under Shot Basketball Drill
Goals of the Drill
- Learn how to read the guard defender and then make the right play on the ball screen action.
Coaching Points
- Keep your eyes up on the dribble, and don’t ever turn your back completely to the ball screen.
- Practice seeing the floor when you use the ball screen because, in a real game, you could hit an open teammate for a shot.
- Set the defender up every time before coming off of the screen.
Basketball Drill Instructions
- One of the partners will be a screener on the wing, and the other will play token defense on the ball handler.
- The token defender has 3 different options to use when guarding the ball screen; go under the screen, fight over the top, or deny (down) the screen.
- The player is going to react differently to each way that the defender guards the screen.
- Defender goes under = stop behind and shoot a shot, defender fights over = turn the corner on the screen and attack, defender denies the screen = refuse the screen and attack baseline for a pull-up.
- The defender will mix it up and use any of these 3 types of defense, and the player must read and react.
- You can do this off the dribble basketball shooting drill for a certain number of shots, makes, or time and then switch sides and repeat.