A '''full-court press''' is a basketball term that refers to a defensive style in which the defense applies Man-to-man defense or zone defense to pressure the offensive team the entire length of the court before and after the inbound pass. Some presses attempt to deny the initial inbounds pass and trap ball handlers either in the backcourt or at midcourt. Defenses not employing a full-court press generally allow the offensive team to get halfway down the court (a half-court press) or near the basket before applying strong defensive pressure.
A full-court press takes a great deal of effort, but can be an effective tactic. Often when teams are behind late in a game, they will apply full-court pressure as a means of attempting to produce turnovers, as well as tire opponents. Certain teams, such as those coached by Rick Pitino, are known for applying full-court pressure during most of the game. Presses are especially effective against teams with poor ballhandlers, shallow benches (since players become more fatigued attacking a press), or teams with deliberate offenses (since taking the ball up the court can waste a substantial portion of the shot clock). Once a press is broken, however, the defensive team is vulnerable to a potential fast break or open three point shot opportunity since defensive players may be caught behind the play.
Effective press breaks employ quick passing more often than dribbling to advance the ball up the floor. Short, quick passes are less prone to turnovers than either long passes or dribbling. Another effective way to break a man-to-man press is to pass to the center (basketball). Most presses keep a "last man back" (usually the center) whose job is to disrupt a potential fast break resulting from the press; this may leave the offensive center unguarded and able to receive a pass near midcourt.
Bo Ryan shares his full-court pressure defense and how he attacks that defense with you in this video. The full court 1-2-1-1 press is broken down and the importance of transition is emphasized in the defensive portion of this video. Coach Ryan also covers how to break full court pressure by "z-ing" the floor and attacking the basket. Running Time: 53 Minutes. 1996
Herb Welling’s press philosophy is to have an attacking mentality without gambling and to be relentless. The pressing system Coach Welling demonstrates in this DVD will follow those rules in an attempt to create more possessions. Welling breaks the press down with a variety of drills to teach all the aspects necessary to be a good pressing team. The press itself has a man on the ball, two pressers and two safeties who’s jobs will vary depending on the press attack being used. He also covers pressing off missed shots. Running Time: 44 Minutes. 2009
with Don Meyer, Northern State University (SD) Head Coach; second all-time winningest coach in NCAA history (891 wins); 2X NAIA National Coach of the Year, NAIA Hall of Fame
Utilize full-court and half-court trapping to disrupt offensive patterns. Take a star out of the game ... speed up tempo ... force non-handlers to handle and role players to take shots. Develop a philosophy of high percentage trapping to score from your defense.
This video breaks the 2-2-1 press down so you can teach it at any level. It will demonstrate how the initial traps are established, how to defend ball reversal, and how to defend the ball in the middle. Practice drills to aid in teaching the defense are also demonstrated. Running Time: 38 Minutes. 1997
Gregg Marshall teaches with 2-2-1 press with drills and game footage. The emphasis is to force the ball up the sideline with coverage in the middle. The drills help teach the defenders to steer the ball up the sideline and the various spots on the floor the defense will attempt to trap. Coach Marshall also demonstrates how the press easily flows into his ball pressure match-up zone defense. Running Time: 35 Minutes. 2005
Grinnell has been known as an scoring machine, but much of their offense is predicated on forcing turnovers. They force an average of 29 turnovers per game with a goal of 32. The Grinnell defense starts in the full-court with intense ball pressure trying to force the ball to the outer third of the court. The wings try to force the ball up the sideline without allowing a return pass to the inbounder, the interceptor defends passes sideline and middle and the safety is more concerned with a pass down the sideline then crosscourt. The system is show against four different press attacks. The DVD also demonstrates pressing off a missed shot and a variety of special situations including defending in the half-court. Running Time: 40 Minutes. 2008
This video contains four different trapping defenses. It starts with a full-court 1-2-1-1 set and proceeds with a 2-2-1 three-quarter court trap, a 1-2-1-1 half-court trap, and finishes with a run and double defense that is shown in the full-court, but can be used anywhere on the floor. Player alignment and responsibilities are covered for each defense and the various trapping situations and their rotations are demonstrated. Coach John Kresse is an outstanding teacher and this video is yet another example why the College of Charleston continues its run of success. Running Time: 56 Minutes. 2000
Coach Tom Herrion demonstrates multiple pressing defenses in this on-court clinic DVD. Coach Herrion starts with the reasons for pressing and using multiple defenses and shows one drill designed to teach trapping and anticipation. Coach Herrion then demonstrates three full-court presses, their coverages, and the offensive passes and cuts that must be avoided in order to be successful in these presses. The first press is man-to-man with two variation (squeeze and lock). The next two defenses are zone presses. The 1-2-2- contain press and the 2-1-2 press are each demonstrated from their pick up points to the coverage in half-court. Running Time: 51 Minutes. 2006
Rob Jeter covers the basics of the 1-2-1-1 diamond press in this on-court clinic DVD. Coach Jeter has been involved with the diamond press since his playing days for Bo Ryan. He discusses player positioning and responsibilities and demonstrates the traps and rotations necessary to make this press effective and shows transition drills to help implement the defense. He also discusses facing different offensive sets. The diamond press can be used to speed up the game and force your opponents into making faster decisions then they normally make. Running Time: 48 Minutes. 2007
with Andy Landers,
University of Georgia Head Women's Basketball Coach
University of Georgia's Coach Landers has used, and recommends using, the full court press for one reason - because most other teams don't! He thinks that if you practice, and perfect, the full court press, not only will your team be able to harass the other team, you will be able to break any pressure they put on you. In this excellent presentation (filmed at one of the largest demonstration clinics in the US), Coach Landers shares 8 effective drills to perfect your full court pressure. He divides the court into three areas and teaches you different ways to pressure each area. With the help of on-screen graphics and on-court demonstrators, Landers demonstrates each drill first and then lets you see it at full speed. The drills start with 1 on 1 and move up to more complex, 5 on 5 drills, that help players learn the full court press. The drills shown in this video, and the building blocks for the press that Coach Landers demonstrates, are essential for any press. Whether you run a 2-2-1, 1-2-2, 1-2-1-1, or a Run and Jump full court press, this material can help you with positioning, spacing, ball pressure, and help defense.
with Gary Williams,
University of Maryland Head Coach;
, 2002 NCAA Champions, Seven "Sweet Sixteen" appearances
"Full court pressure is the ultimate weapon in basketball."
- Gary Williams
A game-tested, baseline-to-baseline method for trapping and applying pressure defensively! Coach Williams gives you an insider's look into one of the most potent and aggressive full-court defensive systems. A large part of Williams' success has come from his aggressive and intense style of play, which includes the full court pressure defense. Williams provides extensive game footage to help illustrate the finer points of this defensive system, as well as on court demonstrations to further enhance his entire defensive playbook. Coach Williams also teaches you drills, special situations, rules, and the proper Xs and Os to best utilize this dominating defensive system. He systemically builds this defense as he walks through each player's positioning, responsibilities, when and where traps should occur, and how to rotate out of them, along with the transition needed to prevent easy scores and get the backdrop defense established. This defense is used to cause turnovers, create fast breaks, control game tempo and increase scoring opportunities with an attacking, trapping style of play, which can easily be transitioned into a half-court, man-to-man set. Williams also shares with you five "secrets" to utilizing this type of smothering defense. In this complete guide, three major presses are outlined: man-to-man, 1-3-1, and 1-2-1-1. Also included is instruction on situational Run-and-Jump pressure. This full court pressure defense is the perfect weapon to give to your team an advantage that is completely adaptable to your team and can be used at any level of play.
with Kelvin Sampson,
Indiana University Head Coach,
former University of Oklahoma Head Coach;
'01-'02 National Coach of the Year; 2002 Final Four
With 5-on-5 breakdowns, Kelvin Sampson teaches effective methods for stopping a team's offensive transition on every possession. Coach Sampson supplies step-by-step instructions on how to design and deploy an effective transition defense. He includes competitive drills such as Transition Defense Drill, Circle Transition Drill, Toughness and Transition Drill, Single Bubble Drill, NBA Shuttle Drill and Defending the Screen & Roll. The toughest teams are the teams that find a way to win. This video will help your team build mental toughness, physical toughness, and the ability to communicate, and will help you to create a competitive practice environment. Sampson stresses the significance of having the best player be a leader for his teammates and be excited about practice everyday. Eliminate easy baskets with these all-inclusive drills provided by Coach Sampson. These drills will build your athletes' commitment to team defense. With these drills, techniques, and competitive fire, Sampson will demonstrate how to change your practice and your players into a stifling defensive unit at any level of play. The results will be evident on the court and in how your team handles every kind of defensive situation.
with Billy Tubbs,
Lamar University Head Coach,
former Oklahoma University Head Coach,
NCAA Runner-Up ('88), 2X National "Coach of the Year"
Coach Tubbs' press is a trapping, man-to-man press based on quickness, anticipation, and communication. This defense has been the cornerstone of one of the most successful coaches in the country. Using on-court demonstration, Tubbs details each player's responsibilities, when and how to trap, how to stunt, and transitional coverage once the press has been broken. He includes basic coverages for all press breaks and breakdown drills to improve coverage and communication skills. Tubbs teaches trapping areas, close down techniques, defending screens, and covering guard penetration, skip passes and other special situations. He also teaches special sideline calls such as trapping off the first dribble and trapping off the first pass. This is an enthusiastic and impressive instructional video for teaching one of the most feared trapping defenses in the game today!
with Rene Portland,
Penn State Women's Basketball Head Coach,;
7th winningest coach of all-time, 4x Big Ten Coach of the Year, 2x WBCA National Coach of the Year
Rene Portland gives a detailed demonstration of the renowned "Mosquito Defense" that legendary Marquette Coach Al McGuire used to win the 1977 NCAA National Championship. In this DVD, Portland teaches this innovative, four-part pressure defensive system giving detailed explanations of the different positions and their roles. The Penn State Lady Lions work on at least one of these press systems everyday, and Portland has been able to successfully modify the system to meet the needs of her team. This video will help you strive to protect the baseline, control the tempo of the game, vary the length of the pressure and move people around. In addition to teaching the Mosquito Defenses, Portland also instills a few of her own unique drills designed to build communication skills, be attentive, and protect the paint. It is a must have for anyone who remembers the profound achievements of Al McGuire and who wants to model their own defensive systems after his. Rene Portland does a phenomenal job of making the Mosquito System understandable, and with this DVD you can include this dominating defensive system in your own basketball playbook. Coaches, please note: the name of one drill (necessary to get a full understanding of the positions on the court and the formation of the defense) may offend, and may not be appropriate to play in front of your team.
with Bruce Pearl,
University of Tennessee Head Coach;
2006 SEC Coach of the Year,
3X Horizon Coach of the Year
Coach Pearl is widely known for his fast tempo and full court pressure. He believes that a breaking offense can create tempo, but the full court attack on defense can control tempo. This "encyclopedia" of Pearl's full court style is presented by taking parts of Pearl's previously released videos from Pearl's days at Southern Indiana (D-II National Champs in '95), and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, (NCAA Sweet 16 in '05), and is divided into three parts: a lecture session where he breaks down the defense; on the court, where the defense is shown in a teaching setting; and through extensive highlight footage, where you can see his Tennessee teams using this defense in game action. The "Building the defense" segment is a step-by-step tutorial on how to choose each player for the pressing system. The advantages of Pearl's defense are numerous and include: it makes teams change their normal style and forces them to prepare especially for you, it can help you score in bunches and break a game wide open and it wears down the opponent physically and mentally. This full court pressure defensive system will present a way for you to control the tempo of games instead of reacting to it!
