If your team struggles to apply ball pressure, rotate with purpose, or protect the paint against quick guards, working in full court press defense drills can transform your defensive identity. Pressing isn’t just about speed. It’s about angles, teamwork, and early help. That’s why the drill in this video breakdown is such a valuable teaching tool for youth and high school coaches.
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Building the Foundation: Why the Gap Matters in a Full Court Press
Press defenses succeed when players understand help positioning, not just the first on-ball defender. Coach’s demonstration starts with a simple 2-on-2 alignment on the baseline, which reinforces the same rotations you need when teaching how to run a full court press in youth basketball.
Players learn two off-ball concepts:
- Denial – jumping into passing lanes to disrupt quick guards
- Gap defense – sagging into a support position to stop penetration
Most youth teams don’t have the quickness to deny everything. That’s where gap defense becomes essential. The goal is to force the offense to beat multiple defenders, not just the first one. In a press, this mentality keeps the ball on a string and buys time for the next line of help.
The 2-on-2 Gap Drill
This drill gives players a clear picture of how help defense works under pressure. It’s simple, repeatable, and fits perfectly into a full court press progression.
Setup:
- Two offensive players start on the baseline.
- Two defenders match up directly.
- One defender pressures the ball.
- The off-ball defender slides into the “gap,” staying between their man and the ball.
Execution:
- The ball handler dribbles from the baseline toward midcourt.
- The ball defender applies steady pressure without reaching.
- The gap defender sees both man and ball, sliding into support whenever penetration occurs.
- If the ball is passed, the gap defender closes out under control, then jumps back into the gap as the action continues.
The emphasis is simple: Be early with help. Stay connected to both players. Make ball pressure feel like a two-on-one.
This mirrors the support responsibility in every full court press. When the first defender is beaten, the next help must already be there.
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Teaching Cues for Young Defenders
Coach highlights several important reminders:
- Visual discipline: defenders must see man and ball at all times
- No gambling: jump passing lanes only when the passer gets lazy
- Correct depth: too high removes vision, too low removes pressure
- Coverage for mismatches: bigger defenders must give more cushion vs quicker guards
- Outnumber the ball: in a press, any action near the ball should feel like two defenders against one dribbler
The drill exposes mistakes quickly, which makes it perfect for teaching rotations and awareness in a press system.
Why This Drill Works in a Full Court Press System
Whether you run a man press, a run-and-jump, or a zone press, every press starts with:
- Ball pressure
- Early help
- Controlled closeouts
- Rotations that outnumber the dribbler
This drill is the simplest way to train those habits. It teaches players to close out, slide into the gap, and support their teammate before the ball crosses half court. Once they master this, you can add a third defender to simulate trapping, stunts, and run-and-jump rotations.
Bringing It All Together
The gap drill is a great way to teach the early stages of how to run a full court press in youth basketball. It builds confidence, develops communication, and shows players that great team defense starts with great support.
If you want more breakdowns like this, or if you need help installing a full court press with your team, explore everything on TeachHoops.com. With a 14-day free trial, one-on-one mentoring, and a library of proven practice tools, it’s one of the best places for coaches who want to take the next step.
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