Equipment Needed
- One basketball
- Half court
Setup
- Ball handler and screener start on offense at the top of the key; their two defenders match up tightly, ready to guard live.
- Coach calls the coverage (hedge, switch, or drop) before each rep so defenders know their assignment in advance.
Instructions
- Coach calls the coverage, then feeds the ball to the ball handler to start the possession live.
- On a hedge call, the screener's defender steps out to temporarily wall off the ball handler before recovering to their own man.
- On a switch call, defenders trade assignments the instant the screen is set, with clear verbal communication.
- On a drop call, the screener's defender sinks toward the rim to protect against the roll while the on-ball defender fights over the top.
- Play out each possession for a real shot or stop, then rotate the offensive pair and call a new coverage.
Coaching Points
- Coverage calls only work with loud, early communication — defenders should be talking before the screen is even set.
- On a switch, the defender picking up the ball handler must sprint to close distance immediately; a slow switch is the most common breakdown.
- On a drop, the on-ball defender needs to fight over the screen rather than going under it against a shooting threat.
- Debrief each rep briefly — ask defenders what they saw and why they made the read they did.
Variation
Add a third offensive player on the wing to create a passing outlet and force closeout decisions after the coverage, or run this 3-on-3 to layer in help-side rotations behind the primary coverage.