I coach a 5th grade boys team and we have been working on "getting through" screens. We have been working on the man being screened going under the screen. It seems at this level that makes more sense than having them chase their man over the top of the screen. Is there a right or wrong answer on this?

Three years ago, I would have told you to fight over the ball screens no matter what. That way, if the high school coach wants to hedge, they've developed the good habit. They can always adjust much easier to going under the screen if they chose to.

Now, I might tell you to pick one that you are comfortable with, spend a few minutes during a couple of practices on it, then focus on other more important things like shooting, dribbling, passing, offensive concepts (cutting, screens, spacing, reacting to dribble penetration), basic ball-you-man defense concepts, and improving athletic skills.

As a varsity coach, I have would enough confidence in myself that I could get my freshman coach to teach hedging and fighting over the screens properly so by the time they reach me, I wouldn't have any bad habits to break. I would tell you to focus on the other things. Just a thought.

I hope that helps.

I agree Joe,

At this level thats the easy way and you can spend more time on other fundamentals.

As a Varsity coach we always went ball side and over the top but with the way some kids can shoot the three and they get multiple screens we started chasing - forcing them to curl to the middle where we could give help. If the kid was a poor shooter, we went ball side.

If it was a screen on the ball... we fought over the top with the other defender showing early help giving us space to go over the top and NOT chase that player.... we beat him to the spot.

Thanks guys! I agree that this is a minor piece and we spend most of our practices working in skills. I just wanted to make sure we are not teaching something that will have to be "unlearned" later on. We will keep working on making them all better bnall players.

Glad we could help you Marshall.... IF you have any other questions fire away.

By the way, we all know that its not minor IF they are killing you with those screens. :-)

Keep up the good work.