# Man-to-Man Defence · Basketball Level 4: Intermediate

Basketball · Level 4: Intermediate · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/basketball/level-4/man-to-man-defence/)

Man-to-Man Defence in Basketball (Level 4: Intermediate) on Insporta: 100 sourced facts behind 10 tests. Covers: the idea of man-to-man; and more.

The idea of man-to-man, pressure and sagging, the pack line, gap help, help the helper and rotations, matchups and cross-matching, no middle, defending a star, its weaknesses, and the shell drill.

## Test 1: The idea of man-to-man

- Every attacker must have one defender. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- On-ball defence, help and rotation all appear in man-to-man. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Man-to-man is five players helping each other. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Similar size and speed make fair matchups. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Every player knows whom he must stop. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Each link in man-to-man matters. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Matchups should fit speed with speed. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Back, find, call, stance. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The further from the ball, the more he sags. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Each defender stands with one attacker of his own. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)

## Test 2: Pressure or sag

- Tight guarding disrupts passes and dribbles. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Sagging defenders crowd the paint. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A poor shooter can be given space. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A shooter must not get room. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Tight guarding gives up the drive. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Help covers the drives that beat the pressure. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A slow shooter is safest pressed up tight. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Report, read, choose, stance. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The better the shooter, the tighter. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A quick player who cannot shoot should be given room. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)

## Test 3: The pack line

- Off-ball defenders stay inside an imaginary line to clog the lane. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- His son Tony made it famous at Virginia. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A packed lane leaves no driving room. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Sagging inside the line leaves shooters more room. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Only the on-ball defender pressures. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Drivers meet a crowd of defenders. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Packing the lane takes away their strength. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Drive, step in, stop, recover. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The pack line sits between the block and the arc. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- About five metres out, well inside the three-point arc. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)

## Test 4: Gap help

- From the gap a defender can stop a drive and recover. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The gap lets them help without losing their man. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Diggers poke at the ball and recover. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Strong-side help is close but leaves a shooter one pass away. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A short pass finds the open man fast. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A long pass gives time to recover. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Gap help works only if he gets back. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Gap, see, dig, recover. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Weak side is safest; helping off the corner is riskiest. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- One pass away, he stands in the gap. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)

## Test 5: Help the helper

- Late rotations end in fouls or open shots. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The low weak-side man covers the roller or big. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A sinking defender protects the rim. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The defence gives up the longest pass. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- After a skip pass, two defenders cross to swap men and recover quickly. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Talk stops double coverage and open men. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The closest defender runs out under control. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Help, rotate, rotate again, give up the long pass. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Skip, sprint, cross, arrive. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The next defender covers the first helper's man. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)

## Test 6: Matchups

- In a hurry, players take whoever is closest. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The nearest defender stops the nearest threat. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- They swap back when it is safe. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Offences look for the weakest matchup. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The weak defender guards the least dangerous man. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A long defender can contest from further away. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A big helps until the mismatch is fixed. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Lose, nearest man, slow, switch back. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Hide him on the least dangerous player. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- In transition, he guards the nearest threat. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)

## Test 7: No middle

- The ball is kept away from the centre of the floor. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The line and the help trap the drive. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A baseline drive can beat help to the rim. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Defenders try to stay between the ball and the rim. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Moving the feet keeps the ball out of the middle. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A shared rule tells helpers where the drive will go. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- No middle means pushing him to the side. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Shade, drive wide, help, stop. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The middle is the most dangerous. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Keep the ball on one side of the floor. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)

## Test 8: Defending a star

- Help sits on the side he prefers to attack. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- More defenders sit where he is going. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- A crowded lane can stop him driving. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Help on him leaves others free. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Forcing a star to pass spreads the scoring. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Help where the danger is greatest. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- He is hot and the others are cold: help on him. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Catch, show help, see, pass. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Help goes to the biggest threat. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Help sits on the side he drives to. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)

## Test 9: Weaknesses of man-to-man

- Helping off a shooter gives up threes. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Each screen forces a choice: fight, switch or help. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Following cutters and screens costs energy. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Without isolation threats, man-to-man holds up well. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Clear matchups make box-outs simple. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Changing defences upsets the attack's rhythm. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Help and fronting make up for size. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- Find, screen, ball, attack. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- The more isolation threats, the harder. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)
- One player can be beaten one-on-one. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, man-to-man defence)

## Test 10: The shell drill

- Each stop corrects where helpers stand. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)
- Each pass, defenders jump to new spots. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)
- Positions come first, then live play. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)
- Live actions test the help. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)
- It trains the run from the paint to the arc. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)
- It builds stamina and on-ball defence. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)
- The shell drill trains help positions. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)
- Spread, pass, jump, go live. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)
- From footwork to team defence. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)
- Four on four, with the ball moved round the perimeter. (Source: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3, defensive drills)

Sources: FIBA/WABC Coaches Manual Level 3 and general coaching references; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered FIBA rules belong to the Rules category.

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