Curious what the defensive presses in basketball are? In this article, I discuss what the full-court press and half-court press are and their purpose.
Time was running out and we were close to catching up.
We needed to get quick stops and score some easy points.
So the coach screamed, “Full-court press! Full-court press!”
Now, if you’re on this article, you probably don’t know what I’m talking about when I say “presses” and whatnot because you’re new to the game (in which case, you should read this article on how to improve at basketball) or you kind of know but need more clarity.
You’re here to learn what defensive presses are. And I’m going to tell you… right now.
What are Defensive Presses?
Defensive presses in basketball are when players lock up their opponents. Normally, presses are done in either full-court or half-court settings.
There are many variations to how the presses are set up, but the most common one is man-to-man.
What is Full-Court Press?
The full-court press is when you and your team defend your opponent from one end of the court down to the other.
You have to guard your man, regardless of him being a ball-handler or not, all the way down. This same rule also applies to your teammates.
Goals of the Full-Court Press
The full-court press is meant to put pressure on the opposing team (and oftentimes to trap them) as soon as they inbound the ball. It’s meant to force them to make mistakes early so that you have more time and opportunities to score.
So, if you are losing -but have a chance to catch up- the full-court press can help you cut into the lead.
However, the full-court press is hard and it will eat into your energy. Thus, you shouldn’t run it the entire game or too often.
Also, if the ball-handler is skilled, there will be the risk that he blows past you or gets past you with the escape dribble, leaving your team with one less defender.
What is Half-Court Press?
The half-court press is similar to the full-court press except you initiate defense at the halfway point.
Instead of defending your opponent from baseline to baseline, you start guarding her at the half-court line, regardless of her being the ball-handler or not.
Goals of the Half-Court Press
The main purposes of the half-court press are to speed up the offense and to trap ball-handlers, (hopefully) causing turnovers.
However, similar to the risk of the full-court press, the ball-handler may get past you. But since you’re already at the halfway point, getting back to defend isn’t as lumbering.
Additionally, these traps will leave some players open. So, there’s a risk that the opposing team will get easy buckets.
How Do Defensive Presses Differ From “Normal” Defense?
Normal defense, or defense that you normally see (or do) is man-to-man defense around and inside the perimeter.
Sometimes, this defense will be zone defense, but most of the time, it’s man-to-man.
It is the most efficient and most effective because it doesn’t use up a lot of stamina and the majority of offenses start at the perimeter (three-point line).
The presses are only used for specific situations.
Final Thoughts
Though defensive presses are rarely used, they are used. And when they are used, it’s because an important goal needs to be attained.
So, it’s important that you know what the strengths and weaknesses of them are because it can cost you the game.
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