This weekend we’re excited to add another clinic to the growing list on SGTV, this time from Player Development Coach and Advanced Scout Luka Bassin! Coach Bassin has tremendous experience coaching and working with all levels across Europe and shares with us his thoughts on implementing, teaching, and running a successful “Box and 1” Defense. Below are a few interesting points he makes in the full clinic video.
Rules, Roles, & Responsibilities
Coach Bassin opens the clinic by detailing the Rules and Positional Roles of the Defenders within the “Box and 1,” with one of the most important being the assignment of one defender to blanket the chosen “Star” while the remaining four defenders play a match up zone. This matchup zone can be either a “box” or “diamond” depending on the alignment of the offense. This building block of the defense is something Coach Bassin details during his film analysis of the Toronto Raptors’ executing the “Box and 1” against the Warriors and Steph Curry…
 |
Defending the “Star” in Screening Action
To have success in running a “Box and 1” the defense must be prepared to defend screens and understand how responsibilities change when the “Star” player both is and is not involved in any type of screening action. One example, is when the “Star” is receiving an off-ball pindown. The “Chaser” will fight over the top while the nearest “zone” defender sells out to prevent the catch and/or curl to the rim…
|
Another strategy offenses will deploy is to turn the “Star” player into a screener, aiming to free a teammate or shake his defender loose for a catch. Having discipline and understanding responsibilities, the “Chaser” will provide no help, leaving the other defender to fight over the screen or pass off the player to the next defender…
|
Defending Screening Actions Away from the “Star”
When it comes to navigating screens not involving the “Star” the defense will either switch or go under the action. With these types of screens the defense has made the decision the other four players are less threatening, so a defender should not put themselves in a disadvantage by chasing over any screen or trying deny a pass outside the operating area. The key is to maintain tight positioning within the match up zone…
|
The Gamble
As touched upon earlier, the “Box and 1” strategy is built on some predetermined, calculated risks, betting that the offense does not have enough shooting, playmakers, or IQ to punish the defense, whether that be for a single possession or over a longer period of time. One example of that gamble, as shown below, is Panathinaikos leaving Ricky Rubio unguarded and daring him to shoot…
|
Beyond understanding the Rules, Roles & Responsibilities within the “Box and 1”, Coach Bassin’s 48 minute clinic covers:
- Player requirements for the coverage
- Why to run a “Box and 1”
- When and What time to run a “Box and 1”
- Weaknesses
- Methodology to implementation
- Film analysis
Now available today on SGTV!
