International basketball is perhaps the best place to look when it comes to studying “false” or “pre-screen” actions that are easy to overlook in the flow of the game. Guard-to-guard hand-offs, dribble weaves, and dribble pitches have all become common actions used to initiate and enhance a ballscreen attack, and though they may appear harmless at first glance, they play a crucial role in limiting the defense’s ability to impact the ball and effectively apply their coverages. By forcing defensive shifts and engaging multiple defenders, these subtle actions create opportunities for the offense to generate pace, establish better spacing, and exploit gaps. The cumulative effect of these sequences places constant pressure on the defense, ultimately enhancing the efficiency and unpredictability of the offense’s attack.
Today, we’ll look at a strategy used to counter the advantages created by these guard-to-guard hand-offs or pitches…”Switch to ICE.” In this strategy defenses can choose to switch the initial action, putting themselves in an ideal position to ICE (force the ball down and away from the screen) the PNR. While no strategy is foolproof, “Switching to ICE” offers several advantages in neutralizing the key benefits these actions are designed to generate.
To Switch or Not to Switch?
The most significant advantage of the guard-to-guard hand-off or pitch-back is its ability to generate substantial pace for the player receiving the ball as they approach the ballscreen. This interaction helps loosen the on-ball defender, providing the ball handler with the separation needed to build speed and force into the screen. As a result, if the defense chooses to stay with their matchups, the on-ball defender must navigate both the hand-off and the subsequent ball screen—multiple actions that will make it challenging for the defender to stay attached and impactful at the point of the ballscreen.
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Zooming In: As demonstrated above, when the defense chooses to stay attached to their matchups, the ballhandler is able to attack the screen with significant pace, forcing the defending big to commit. This initial advantage triggers a chain reaction, putting the defense in rotation and creating opportunities for the offense to exploit long closeouts and defensive breakdowns.
Opting not to switch also places additional stress on the backside rotations. Following the pitch-back or hand-off with an immediate ballscreen forces the defender, who was just guarding the ball, to quickly engage with the ballscreen coverage and be ready to rotate or tag the roller. This rapid transition can cause the defender to be late in recognizing their next responsibility, leading to an unattended roll or a failed “X-out” rotation on the backside.
ICE, ICE, Maybe…?
Ready to switch, but still hesitant about denying the ballscreen with an ICE coverage? Switching the guard-to-guard exchange can help the defender switching onto the ball to get attached and positioned better to chase hard over the screen (“Drop” coverage). When switching the first action, the defender off the ball is also better prepared to organize their responsibilities behind the ballscreen, ensuring a more cohesive and effective defensive coverage. However, switching still doesn’t neutralize the pace of the ballhandler, and chasing over the screen forces the defense to contend with the spacing the action was designed to create in front of the ballscreen. This is where the “chasing over” coverage can still be problematic for a defense.
Whether it’s a DHO on the outer third, or a pitch back in the middle third, either interaction creates a double gap for the ballhandler coming off the screen. With both space and pace, aggressive ballhandlers can be very difficult to corral off the screen…
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Zooming In: Even with the switch, it remains difficult for the defender switching onto the ball to impact the ballhandler with any force at the screen. Coupled with the double gap for the ballhandler to attack and cutting schemes designed to further take away help from the nail, the defense may not have significantly improved their position by switching the guard-to-guard DHO.
Take The Switch “On the Rocks”
So where does this leave us? How can a defense best take away the pace, space, and confusion that these types of guard exchanges aim to create? By adding the ICE coverage, the defense can directly neutralize the ballhandler’s pace and impact the ball by switching the guard up and into their ICE position, placing them between the ball and the screener.
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Zooming In: As shown above, the guard will switch on the high side of the ball, positioning themselves directly in the path of the screen, while the big adjusts their position between the ball and the rim. This effectively stymies the ballhandler’s ability to speed dribble into the ballscreen, forcing the offense to play back towards the shrunken, more contained side of the floor.
Critical to the success of the strategy is the ability of the guard switching onto the ball to properly position themselves between the ball and the screen, while absorbing any potential contact with their chest. This allows the defender to effectively disrupt the ballhandler’s pace and funnel them back toward the help defense.
Another important aspect of this strategy’s success is the guard off the ball shrinking space after the hand-off, rather than following their matchup away. To protect against early rejects, the off-ball guard should close the gap, supporting the guard attaching to the ball and the big getting into their ICE position.
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Zooming In: The switch places the on-ball defender early in their ICE position, but keen offensive players, anticipating the switch and ICE coverage, will look to immediately rip and attack the momentary opening in the defense. The off-ball guard acts as a safety valve, quickly shrinking space and crowding the ballhandler, so their only recourse is to attempt to solve the ballscreen in limited space.
Guard-to-guard DHO’s, weaves, and pitch-back actions all present significant challenges for defenses, but with the right strategy, particularly through the use of ICE coverage, those challenges can be neutralized. While a “Switch to ICE” strategy is not without its risks, it provides a cohesive and strategic option to disrupt offensive flow, forcing the ballhandler into more confined spaces and limiting their options. As with any defensive coverage, the key lies in executing with precision—switching with force and positioning properly—to effectively counter these dynamic offensive actions. To learn more on this strategy please view the complete breakdown now on SGTV!
