Hi coaches,

Was reading this article "Basketball Weak Side Defense & How To Establish Good Help Positioning" (http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/defense/help-positioning.html) and in the comments section this question was asked but no apparent answer provided:

"In "Wolf Pack" style defense, how we put defense on low post and high post? still contest the pass?"

I'm also curious about how best defend post players in "Wolf Pack" or m2m in general for my 5th grader team - we have majority scrappy boys but not tall/ athletic.

Thanks!

To answer the first question, it depends on where the ball is at. If they ball is on the wing, above free throw line extended, I usually put the low post defender in a 3/4 front. The high post defender will also be in a similar 3/4 front.

For the next question (defending in the low post), if the ball is above free throw line extended, we play 3/4 front. This discourages the entry pass and if they throw a bass pass we can steal. We can also help on the dribble drive if needed. If a good pass is thrown into the post, we can step behind to get between the ball and the basket. If the shot is taken, we have decent position to box out.

If the ball is below free throw line extended, we full front. This allows us to help early on the baseline drive. The biggest problem is you have poor box out position to you have to practice reestablishing position on the baseline shot. You also have to practice keep spacing when in 3/4 front so you can step over when the ball is passed from the wing to the corner (so you avoid getting pinned on the high side of the defender and give up an easy bounce pass).

Some coaches play 100% behind the post and use their hips to keep the defender out of the low block. If you have a really big guy, that is probably a good idea. Every coach has a different way to teach post defense.

We rarely have real big guys so we teach 3/4 front above Ft line and full front below FT line.

I agree 100% with Jeff but wanted to add help positioning when defending the post. In addition to choosing how to defend the post you will want to choose how the defenders play help defense. When I ran Wolfpack with my 5th graders I had my girls treat a post player like a perimeter player for help purposes when the ball was on the other side of the court (2 or 3 passes away from wing closest to their post player). I would have them on the help line, on and up the line from the post they were guarding. Essentially treating the post like a perimeter player when in help side.

I loved having the post players ready to help on penetration. I taught to attack the ball to stop the ball as far out of the danger zone (lane) as possible. The only thing is that you will need to drill help side wing players rotating down to cover the lane as the post players help stop the drive.