Ball-screen coverages

Setup

1. Three attackers: handler on the wing or top, screener at the elbow, shooter on the weak side; three defenders.
2. The coach calls the coverage before each block: drop, hedge, switch, then ice for side screens.

How it runs

1. Drop: the big sits at the level of the screen, the guard chases over the top. Hedge: the big jumps out level, then recovers.
2. Switch: both defenders call it early and the new on-ball defender steps up, no gap.
3. Ice: the guard jumps to the top side and forces baseline; the big drops below the screen to meet the ball.
4. The weak-side defender tags the roll; on the skip they close out and the next defender X-outs. 3 minutes on, 1 off.

Coaching points

• Call it early and loud: 'screen left', then the coverage word.
• Guard: get skinny and fight over the screen; going under is only for a non-shooter.
• Big in drop: shoulders square, between the ball and the roller, hands active.
• Tag with the body on the roller's path, then sprint back out short and high.

Common mistakes

• The big hedging too long, leaving the roller alone at the rim.
• Guards turning their back to the ball to chase, so the handler rejects the screen.
• No one tags, or two defenders tag and the corner is open.