Gonzaga Defense

Coach Bill Grier presents the defensive philosophy of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. In addition to explaining their principles for defending in the full court and half court, Coach Grier shares his thoughts on defending closeouts, ball screens and post play.

Quotes

• “We want to play fast and we can’t do that if we are taking the ball out of the net.”
• “Defensively, we want to dictate what the offense does.”

Winning Thought

• In these notes, Coach Bill Grier presents the defensive philosophy of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. In addition to explaining their principles for defending in the full court and half court, Coach Grier shares his thoughts on defending closeouts, ball screens and post play. 

Identify Emphasis Tags

• Defense
• Rebounding

Knowledge for Coaches

• On every closeout, the defender must get his shoulders below the shoulders of the offense and have his butt towards the rim. 
• If the ball gets past the nearest defender, help-side must rotate over to stop the ball before it gets to the paint.
• Players should be in a stance the entire possession, not just when they are on the ball.
• Always sprint to the ball. Always sprint to help.
• When contesting a shot, do not leave the floor until the offense leaves the floor.
• If playing behind while defending the post, you must be 100% sure you will get the ball if you go around for the steal. 
• Defensive rebounding and deflections are key to getting stops and playing fast.
• The most important defensive principles are guarding the ball 1 on 1 and sprinting to the ball.