The first defensive priority must be STOPS. Call it what you like, HARD 2's or ONE BAD SHOT, the mandate is NO EASY BASKETS. No easy baskets, no easy baskets, no easy baskets.
Nobody wins 0-0 but defense keeps you in the game until offense catches up. What comprises NO EASY BASKETS?
1. Know your assignment. When you don't know your job, you can't do it.
2. The ball scores. If you're covering Susie but Latoya is penetrating, then you must help on the ball (load to the ball) and recover.
3. Stop the ball. Allowing penetrators a full head of steam seldom goes well.
4. Protect the paint. Hard 2's don't generally live in the paint.
5. Win in transition. Beat your player to half court, fully aware. Take three explosive strides and defend with attitude. Win with your feet and your head.
6. NO LAYUPS. The team atop the layup battle succeeds in youth basketball.
7. Show your hands. Move your feet and avoid fouling flyaways, runners, fallaways, and jumpshots.
8. Communicate. Silent teams lose. Be hard to play against and easy to play with.
9. Clean the glass. Own the defensive boards with position and toughness.
Redemption expresses the beauty of sports. An integrated USC went into Alabama in 1970 and crushed the mighty Crimson Tide. Alabama integrated their program, closed practices, and returned the favor the next season running the Wishbone to beat the Trojans.