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Posting up is a crucial aspect of basketball, where players set up on offense near the lower block, aiming to receive a pass and create scoring opportunities. While posting up can be advantageous for bigger players, it is important for all players to understand how to defend against it effectively. This involves a combination of individual skills and team coordination to prevent the offensive player from receiving the pass and disrupt their rhythm. In this article, we will explore the strategies and techniques used by defenders to counter posting up, including positioning, agility, and denying passing lanes. We will also discuss the physical nature of posting up and how defenders can use their bodies effectively within the rules of the game.
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What You'll Learn
Understand the post position and the three areas to defend
The post position in basketball is the area of the basketball court from the free-throw line to the baseline, also known as the paint or the key. This area is usually painted a solid colour to distinguish it from the rest of the court. There are three basic post areas to defend: the low post, medium post, and high post.
The low post is the area near the basket. Offensive players will often position themselves in the low post to receive a pass, as this puts them in a good scoring position. The closer a player is to the basket, the better their shot will be. When playing in the low post, there will be a lot of contact with the opponent. To defend this position, it is important to be agile and quick, rather than relying on strength. If the offensive player has their back to the basket, push them high. If they like to set up high, force them low.
The high post, or upper post, is the upper area near the free-throw line. Defenders guarding a high post player should assume an aggressive pass denial position on the ball side, keeping their back foot 12 inches behind the opponent's foot. When a high post sets an on-ball screen, the defence can use one of seven different techniques to combat it.
The medium post is the area between the low and high posts. It is important to defend this area as a team, with the defender guarding the passer exerting the utmost pressure, and the off-ball defenders providing strong back-side support.
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Learn how to defend the post as a team
Defending the post is crucial in basketball, requiring a strong team effort. Here are some strategies to improve your team's post defence:
Understanding the Post Areas: There are three basic post areas to defend: the low post, medium post, and high post. Each area presents unique challenges and requires different defensive techniques.
Aggressive Defence: When defending the high post, assume an aggressive pass denial position on the ball side. This means staying low with your hand extended out in the passing lane, disrupting potential passes. For the low post, force your opponent to adjust their setup by pushing high if they set up low, and vice versa.
Defending Before the Catch: Post defence is played before the post receives the ball. Pressure all passers to prevent the offensive post from receiving the ball. Defend with agility and quickness to disrupt their normal setup.
Denying Post Passes: Defenders must be determined to deny all post passes. When playing behind the post, push off the block and away from the basket. Use techniques like fronting, base go trap, go top, and wing go to disrupt the opponent's game.
Help from Teammates: The defender guarding the passer must exert maximum pressure, while off-ball defenders provide strong back-side support. When the opponent employs a high/low attack, communicate and adapt your defence accordingly.
Practising Post Defence: Include post defence drills in your team's practice sessions. Practice defending post plays and shots like jump shots, jump hooks, and layups. Emphasize the importance of individual defence skills, such as footwork and positioning, while also working on team coordination.
Remember, the specific defensive strategies may vary depending on the opponent, player skills, and game dynamics. Adapt your defence accordingly and work together as a team to effectively shut down the post-up game.
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Know how to use your agility and footwork to outmaneuver opponents
Agility and footwork are fundamental skills that can give players a competitive edge by improving their overall effectiveness on both ends of the basketball court. Here are some ways to improve your agility and footwork to outmaneuver opponents:
Stance and Foot Placement
Having the correct stance and foot placement is essential for maintaining balance and coordination, and it starts with your feet positioned shoulder-width apart. This setup boosts your shooting accuracy and allows you to defend effectively. You can also transition into a lower stance by bending your knees and waist to keep your balance and sweep the ball low across the ground to maintain possession.
Pivots and Spins
Pivoting is a tool for creating space and shielding the ball from defenders. Master forward and backward pivots to spot open teammates or find the perfect shooting angle. You can spin on your planted foot 360 degrees, but once you pick a pivot foot, you cannot change it.
Footwork Drills
Agility drills can improve your footwork and enhance your speed, coordination, and balance. Try ladder drills, where you shuffle, hop, skip, and step in patterns to improve your footwork. Dot drills, where you hop between dots, are another way to improve your quickness and coordination.
Direction Changes
Being able to change directions quickly is a crucial aspect of agility. Drills such as the side shuffle, zig-zag pattern, and defensive slides will help you improve your lateral movement and ability to change directions, allowing you to dodge defenders and create shooting opportunities.
Explosive Power
Develop explosive power through drills like box jumps, which train your legs for high rebounds and powerful drives to the basket. This will help you accelerate rapidly during gameplay and improve your leaping ability.
By focusing on these aspects of agility and footwork, you will be able to outmaneuver your opponents more effectively and improve your overall performance on the court.
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Avoid fouls and use your strengths to gain advantages
When posting up, you must be mindful of the rules and avoid committing fouls. For instance, do not push off your opponent's back to create space as this is an easy foul for referees to spot. Instead, use your strengths to your advantage. If you're a bigger player, use your size to your benefit by backing your defender into the low post and finishing with a jump hook. If you're a smaller player, rely on your agility and quickness to outmaneuver your opponent.
If you're a strong player, use your strength to bully in the low post, but be careful not to commit fouls by being too aggressive. Use your physicality to gain a good scoring position, but be mindful of the rules and avoid excessive contact. If you're a skilled dribbler, use your ball-handling abilities to create space and get to your preferred shooting spots.
If you have a preferred hand that you shoot with, be cautious of defenders forcing you to your non-preferred side. Develop your skills with both hands to increase your scoring options and keep defenders guessing. If you're a good shooter, use your ability to score from different spots on the court to create advantages. Be versatile and adapt to the defensive strategies employed by your opponents.
Utilize your strengths to gain advantages within the rules of the game. If you're a good defender, focus on denying passes and disrupting your opponent's rhythm. If you're a quick player, use your speed to beat your opponent to spots on the court and create opportunities for your team. Understand your strengths and weaknesses, and adapt your strategies accordingly to maximize your impact on the game.
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Embrace contact and be willing to sacrifice your body
Posting up is one of the most physical parts of basketball, so be prepared for contact and be willing to sacrifice your body. The post is the area of the basketball court from the free-throw line to the baseline, and it's where most rebounds happen. It's also where you'll find the low post, the area inside the free-throw lines, which is the ideal spot to post up.
When playing in the low post, there's going to be a lot of contact. Embrace it and relentlessly attack your opponent to score, get to the free-throw line, and get your opponent into foul trouble. The best post players love contact and are willing to put their bodies on the line for their team possession after possession. They're also willing to sacrifice their bodies on every play, acting as the last line of defence to protect the basket.
When you get to the spot where you want to receive the basketball, seal your defender with contact. This makes it harder for them to slip around you and steal the ball. If you're willing to be physical and show target hands, the team's guards will have an easier time feeding the post, resulting in more touches for you, more scoring opportunities, and a bigger impact on the game.
When playing defence, use your body to deny all post passes. Stay low with your "ear on chest" and your hand (in a stop sign position) extended out in the passing lane. Keep your back foot 12" behind your opponent's foot. Be alert to the over-the-top lob pass, and be prepared to defend against a high/low attack when the opponent has two offensive posts.
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Frequently asked questions
Posting up is when an offensive player sets up near the lower block, which is the rectangular block painted on the floor near the baseline. The player will face away from the basket and get ready to receive a pass.
To stop an opponent from posting up, you must defend the post area before the opponent receives the ball. Force the opponent to adjust and set up outside their normal operating area. If they want to set up with their back to the basket, push them high. If they want to set up high, force them low. Deny all post passes and provide strong back-side support to your teammates.
Once you receive the ball, you can pivot, back down your defender, spin, fake out, or power dribble to create scoring opportunities. Some specific moves include the drop step, the power move, the shot fake, and the pump fake.
As a defender, you can use techniques such as fronting, base go trap, go top, wing go, holding, 2-3 zone, and diamond and one combination defense to disrupt the opponent's post-up game. Stay low with your hand extended out in the passing lane to block passes.
Posting up is advantageous if you are bigger than your defender as it allows you to use your size and strength to your advantage. It also provides ample scoring opportunities. However, posting up can result in a lot of physical contact, and if you are not skilled in using both hands, your scoring options may be limited.
