When it comes to navigating off-ball screens as a defender, you must do your best not to get hit by the screen. This sometimes means taking the same path, cutting under the screen, or denying the cutter the screen. In this defensive basketball drill, though, the player will take the same path as the cutter and then get back in front after the screen.
The defender must get on the cutter’s outside hip and then make sure to get back in front with a great angle after clearing the screen. Along with navigating a down screen, this basketball drill will also allow for working on 1 on 1 defense and offense. After the screen, the offensive player will receive the pass at the top of the key, and it turns into a live-action competition basketball drill.
Basketball Drill Overview
Drill Name: 1 on 1 Midline Chasing Cutters Defensive Basketball Drill
Equipment Needed: Passer, screener, basketball, hoop, and at least two players.
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Goals of the Drill
- Work on navigating down screens by getting on the cutter’s outside hip and then jumping back in front to square them up after clearing the screen.
- After navigating the screen, players will play 1 on 1 and work on live offense and defense.
Coaching Points
- The defensive player must get on the outside hip of the cutter to avoid being hit by the screen.
- As soon as they clear the screen, they need to take a good angle to get back in front of the cutter so that they can square them up on the catch and play solid man-to-man defense.
- The offensive player should look to set up their defender before each down-screen action and then look to work on their offense when they receive the ball.
Basketball Drill Instructions
- The passer will start on the wing on either lane line area with the basketball, and the screener will be on the opposite elbow, ready to set a screen.
- Players will start on the baseline area out towards the corner below the down screen.
- One player will be on defense, and one will be on offense.
- When the drill starts, the offensive player will set up the defender and then look to come off the screen shoulder to shoulder for a straight cut to the top of the key.
- The defensive player must jump to the offensive player’s outside hip as they use the screen, jump back in front immediately after clearing the screen, and then square them up and play defense on the catch.
- As soon as the offensive player catches the ball, it is live, and they can look to score (screener needs to clear out of the way, and you can set a dribble limit if you would like.)
- The drill finishes with either a basket, foul, or defensive stop.
- If you have a group of players, the next players in line can go, you can have the offense or defense stay, etc.
