Expert: Mark Berrier - 12/23/2003

Question
i need help.wots the best way to stop em from pulling shots over me

Answer
Hello femi!

Let's use a scenario for playing "D". Let's say that the player you are guarding has the ball on the right wing. This is how you should be guarding him.

Keep your left foot stationary on the floor and put your right foot back in a retreating mode. You want to discourage the offense from going baseline, but that means you give up an opportunity for them to go somewhere else. Why not "encourage" them to go where you have help? That's to your right where your teamates are.

So you are denying left and giving up a little move to your right. Put your left hand up in the defender's face and pull your right hand back. Now if the dribble is picked up, the offense cannot move again util they pass or shoot. If they pull up to shoot, come hard with the right foot and at the same time the right hand should go up in his face. If they have the dribble, again make them go where you have help. And in this way, you can cover about twice as much area. Your left foot is kinda like a pivot on defense. That doesn't mean you don't move it. It just makes you quicker than the offense. Go where the dribbler will be, not necessarily where they are now. Pick a point out ahead of the offense and beat them to that spot. Remember the goal. Keep your body between the ball and your goal.


I hope that this has helped.

Good luck, Mark Berrier