The shape
Three defenders against three attackers with no help coming. The guard picks up the ball handler at the arc, because a shot from there counts two, and forces the drive toward the centre. The forward denies the wing one pass away, hand in the lane, body between the ball and the wing. The centre guards the post and stays between the ball and the basket, ready to step up on a drive and then recover to box out. Screens are switched.
Roles
- Guard. Pressures the ball at the arc with a high hand to take away the two, forces the drive to the centre, and calls the switch on a ball screen.
- Forward. Denies the wing and the give-and-go, closes out to the arc with a high hand when the ball is kicked, and puts a body on the shooter.
- Centre. Guards the post from behind or three-quarters, steps up to stop a drive without leaving the rim exposed, and boxes out every shot, because the defensive rebound is a possession.
Strengths
- Pressure at the arc takes away the two-point shot, the biggest swing in the game.
- Switching is simple to teach and removes the need for help.
- Three defenders can see everything on a half court, so talking is easier than in 5-on-5.
- A defensive rebound turns straight into offence.
Weaknesses
- No help defender: one blown assignment is a layup.
- Switching puts your small guard on the centre and your centre on the guard.
- Fouls are costly, with team fouls leading to free throws as the game goes on.
- Fatigue hits fast, and tired defenders stop boxing out.
When to use it
Teach it from the start for every 3x3 squad, because it is man-to-man at its purest and the fundamentals transfer straight to 5-on-5. Switch screens with a squad of similar size; with one tall player and two small ones, keep the tall one on the post and let the guards fight through screens.
What to coach in training
- Closeouts to the arc in pairs: pass, sprint, chop, high hand, then contain the drive, with a two-point shot allowed counting as a fail.
- Switching 2v2: the offence sets a ball screen, the two defenders switch on the call, the guard picks up the roller and the centre stays in front of the ball.
- Box out and clear: a coach shoots, the three defenders secure the rebound, then clear the ball behind the arc with one pass.
Works well against
It copes well with a ball-screen heavy 3x3 offence when the switch is clean, and with an offence that leans on one guard to create everything, because that guard sees pressure all possession. It struggles against three players who all shoot from the arc and move the ball quickly, and against a team that attacks the offensive glass with all three.
