Basketball: Escaping Traps

Young players are especially vulnerable to pressure and traps, which is why trapping is a staple in youth basketball. Forcing 'live-ball' turnovers often results in high quality scoring chance out of conversion. 

Recognizing and understanding defensive intent helps offense defeat pressure. 

1. Avoid them. Teach the primary trap zones. 

Inbounding or dribbling into 'primary trap zones' invites traps as defenses take advantage of "boundary lines" to aid their traps. 

2. Make quick decisions. Think 0.5 (seconds) and don't be a ball sticker. To make better decisions, you must practice against pressure.  

3. Inbound the ball quickly after scores. Quick inbounding prevents defenses from easily organizing their pressure. Also, offensive players have a tendency to let down or even "celebrate" the score. 

4. Pass and cut. "Movement kills defenses." The two drills that reinforce this are: 

• Advantage-disadvantage. FIVE versus SEVEN with added constraints of no dribbling. 
• Ultimate. Ultimate simulates football with FIVE on FIVE full court with no dribbling and the goal to advance the ball via pass to the END ZONE to score. When the ball hits the floor, it is turned over and LIVE going the other way. 

5. Move the ball. Prioritize passing and cutting over dribbling. I favor "gauntlet," a.k.a. "28 special. Two players must navigate the length of the court against four pairs of defenders. Each new touch, the offensive player is allowed one dribble. 

6. "When they go low, we go high." 

Defeat "high hands" by getting low and passing around them. 

7. Anticipate. Expect the blitz from the two at the top of the 2-1-2 or when teams trap at the top. This sets up major advantage via short roll passing.

 

8. Teach and use escape dribbles. Teach a "back dribble crossover" to guards recognizing a trap if they can't quickly pass around or over it. 

Teaching teams to welcome and exploit pressure and traps creates high quality scoring chances and increases player and team confidence. 

Lagniappe. Balance and flexibility are part of basketball training.