Keep Defensive Player Focused on Man

What good tips do you have on how to keep the defensive player from chasing the ball?

I read one where you would have a player guard another without the ball, keeping the offensive player in front of you.

Keith,

I'm not sure what you mean by NOT chasing the ball?? Are you referring to the man defending the ball or another player on the floor?

You need to start by teaching on the ball defense - then one pass away, either denying the pass or packing it in more to stop penetration... - two passes away the player should be on the help line... (middle of the floor) seeing both THEIR man and the BALL.... pointing at both with their butts to the base line.

So, if you could explain exactly what you are referring to I'm sure you will get the answer.

What I meant, and this a question that comes to quite often, is the defensive player leaves the man they are suppose to guard and just chases the ball. This is something almost all youth basketball and soccer players do.

OK Keith,

I'm not sure how old these kids are... but... you might try a simple 3 on 3 drill... no dribbling... player at the point and one on each wing.... we talked about pointing the pistols...

Player at the point passes to the wing... the wing defender closes out and the opposite wing defender goes to the help line pointing at the ball and his man - the defender on the point player slides slightly to the ball.... they keep reversing the ball and the players get used to the proper positions.... seeing man and ball.

What you are saying is that during games they just go double the ball? This is going to take a lot of repitions until they understand where they should be... Young kids get excited and forget what they are supposed to do. (heck, so do older kids)

You can go from 3 on 3 t 4 on 4 and do the same thing... working on proper positioning. REPITIONS ..... just keep doing that until the get it.

Is this what you were looking for?

Depends upon age of players, but it sounds like your players can double team. I agree with sars, we run that same drill and call it the sheriff drill.

We use two coaches, one dribbles ball with other coach guarded by the defensive player. D player points a pistol at each O player, but stays with the person they are guarding. Ball can be passed back and forth allowing for some cuts by the coach they are guarding. If coach they are guarding gets behind them and scores we stop to emphasize staying with their man.

Thanks for all your replies. It'll give the coaches some other options rather than just my opinion.