The ability to run an effective trap defense and the ability to beat a trap defense are critical skills all effective basketball teams need to learn and execute.

A trapping defense is a defensive strategy used to pressure an offensive player with two defenders, double teaming the ball. It can be effective, especially when the trap occurs in the corners of the basketball court.

The offensive strategy for handling and beating a trapping defense requires sound ball handling skills, attention to court spacing, timely passing, recognizing open offensive players, and converting scoring opportunities.

ADVANTAGES OF A TRAPPING DEFENSE

Ø  Trapping defenses are employed with the intention of creating a turnover – a steal, a poor pass, a violation - and gaining additional offensive possessions.

Ø  Trapping defenses can change the tempo of the game and get the opponent to rush their offense and make poor decisions with the ball.

Ø  Trapping defenses can exploit a team’s weaknesses, like a lack of competent ball handlers or poor fundamental passing skills.

Ø  Trapping defenses can neutralize a dominant “big” by disrupting the offense and creating turnovers / scoring chances in transition before the defense is set.

Ø  When teams do not adjust quickly to a trapping defense the coach may have to burn a time out to organize.

Ø  When games are played with a shot clock, a trapping defense can slow down the offense’s effort to move the ball up court and execute its offense before a shot clock violation occurs (New Jersey high school basketball rules do not require a shot clock).

Ø  Half court trapping defenses can create defensive pressure and create turnovers by trapping the corners near mid-court and on the baseline. There is less risk than with full court pressure since the supporting defensive players have less space to cover and can recover quicker than in a full court press.

DISADVANTAGES OF A TRAPPING DEFENSE

Ø  When a team decides to trap it is taking a calculated risk. You are committing two defensive players to one offensive player. The three remaining defensive players must defend four offensive players. If the trapped player can dribble or pass out of the trap an easy scoring opportunity is available for the offense.

Ø  Most trap defenses are vulnerable in the middle of the defense. If a supporting defender does not take away this option the trap can be beaten.

Ø  Overly aggressive defenders can foul when trapping. Any opportunity to gain additional offensive possessions or change the tempo of the game is lost when a foul is called.

Ø  A full court trapping defense is the most aggressive and also the most vulnerable. The offense has much more space to work with and can spread the defense out, making it difficult to recover once the trap is beat.

TRAPPING PRESSURE ATTITUDE

Pressure basketball is not for the weak of heart - whether applying the pressure or responding to it.

If you are going to trap, do it with discipline and controlled intensity. When you commit halfway to a trap it can be beaten. Trapping takes effort and energy. You cannot quit on a play when trapping. Be disruptive and aggressive. Create enough chaos to disrupt the offense.

When playing against a trapping defense you have to play with poise and composure. You also need some skill. Know that in the backcourt, ten seconds is a longtime. Make good decisions and execute as practiced. Create passing windows and stay in balance. Match the defensive intensity with offensive discipline. Keep out of court positions where traps are most effective. Save your dribble and use it for a purpose - an escape dribble or to move to the open court. If all else fails throw the ball off a defender’s leg and start over again.

Trappers cannot be timid and fearful of tightening the trap. They must lock up the ball handler and not to allow her to split the trap with the drive or pass. Close space and impact the ball handler’s position and vision while tracing the ball seeking deflections.

DEAD BALL TRAPS

Dead ball traps are used whenever and wherever the ball handler picks up the ball, giving up her dribble option.

When two defenders are moving into position to set a live ball trap and the ball handler picks up her dribble, it is now a dead ball trap, and they immediately close in to set the trap, unconcerned about dribble escape options.

When running a trapping press and the ball handler is anywhere on the court and picks up her dribble, the two defenders immediately close in and trap her.

Dead Ball Trap Technique:

With a dead ball the defenders do not have to worry about influencing the ball to a sideline or getting beat to the middle.

Ø  As soon as the ball is picked up the defenders immediately move in to set the trap.

Ø  The two defenders work together to prevent the ball handler from splitting them, passing to the middle of the court. They move up on the ball handler, knees bent, in an athletic position, hands held high.

Ø  As the defenders get closer to the ball handler they bring their feet together, toe to toe, blocking a step through move and a pass out of the trap.

Ø  The two defenders hold the trap, hands held high initially, then mirroring the ball as the ball handler tries to maneuver.

LIVE BALL TRAPS

Live ball traps are traps that are executed where a sideline and a baseline (or the mid-court line) intersect.

If the live ball trap is set properly the ball handler will be “in a box”, with the sideline and the baseline (or mid-court line) providing two sides of the box and the on-ball defender and the trapper providing the other two sides. The offensive player is literally trapped in the corner.

Live Ball Trap Technique:

Ø  The on-ball defender influences the ball handler towards a sideline. Once the ball handler chooses a side of the court the on-ball defender positions herself to assure the ball handler stays on that side of the court. To do this she faces the sideline and the ball handler. She moves as the ball handler moves up the court.

Ø  While the on-ball defender keeps the ball handler from moving to the middle of the court a second defender moves in from above the ball handler. The second defender approaches from the top, setting an angle that leaves the ball handler without escape options. When the ball is passed or dribbled into a corner (at a baseline) or crosses mid-court the second defender moves in to set the trap with the on-ball defender. She cannot allow the ball handler to move up the sideline or, with the help of the on-ball defender, cannot allow her to escape to the middle of the court.

Ø  If the ball handler tries to move up the sideline the second defender gets in front of her, taking an angle that funnels the ball handler to the sideline where the trap can be made. An improper angle can result in a blocking foul which bails the ball handler out.

Ø  The two defenders work together to prevent the ball handler from splitting them, escaping to the middle of the court. They move up on the ball handler, knees bent, in an athletic position, hands held high.

Ø  As the defenders get closer to the ball handler they bring their feet together, toe to toe, blocking any escape route.

Ø  The two defenders hold the trap, hands held high, mirroring the ball.

TAKING AWAY SPACE

Whenever a ball handler brings the ball over her head the trappers “walk in” on her with their hands high. In this position the defenders can take away the ball handler’s vision and space for moving and can bump her with their hips and upper body. As long as they keep their hands high fouls are rarely called. Avoid walking in so far that you push the ball handler over. Stop when you make contact with your hips / shoulders and resist the urge to lower your arms and reach in with your hands.

DISCIPLINE 

Sometimes defenders are encouraged to play aggressively, looking for strips and steals. Trapping defenses are looking to create soft, weak passes, get deflections and create other turnovers - 5 second calls, 10 second calls, backcourt violations etc. Although it is somewhat counterintuitive, trapping defenders must have the self-discipline to maintain the trap without fouling. By keeping their hands high and mirroring the ball as it moves, defenders can affect the ball handlers balance and vision, making it hard to locate open teammates.

Good traps only allow the ball handler to pass over the top or pass behind her (dead ball traps in the open court). When the defense fouls the ball handler in a trap the defense essentially provides the offense with the best trap escape option - a team foul and possible free throws for the other team.

MINIMIZING THE RISKS

When two defenders are committed to trapping one offensive player, the remaining defenders are outnumbered. The other three defenders must cover four offensive players. To properly defend the remaining offensive players, they must “gap” them – space themselves between the offensive players in a position to respond to the greatest threat, and defend or intercept a pass. It can be similar to playing a three-man zone defense. In many cases, such as a man to man trapping press, the non- trapping defenders form a “helpside triangle” (see below) to assure proper defensive spacing.

Passes out of traps to the middle of the court can result in quick and easy scores for the offense. The player at the top of the helpside triangle looks for the first pass out of the trap and moves to intercept it. All three of the remaining defenders must understand and execute proper rotations to the ball, defending the basket at all costs. The offensive player farthest from the trapped player poses the least risk. The defensive help players can position themselves to take away the most immediate threats, while being in position to rotate to the ball when necessary.

If the offensive team successfully escapes from a trap all the defenders must SPRINT back into defensive position defending from the basket out to the three-point line.

HANDLING TRAPS AND PRESSURE DEFENSES

Trapping defenses can quickly change game momentum. Offensive players have to be prepared to adjust on a moment’s notice. Responding to trapping defenses includes maintaining composure, maintaining proper spacing on the court, executing the press break strategies introduced by the coach, executing escape moves to avoid traps, remaining calm when trapped, executing proper footwork techniques when trapped, solid passing skills and good decision making.

The goal of most pressing defenses is to either create turnovers or change game tempo, with the offensive team rushing and / or taking poor shots. Offensive players have to remain calm in the face of pressure. Disciplined spacing, proper passing angles and good decision making will beat most presses. Offensive players must look for easy scoring opportunities and know when to pull the ball out, organize and work for good scoring chances through the execution of the half-court offense.

TIME & SCORE

There are times when an opponent uses a trapping defense because they are losing late in the game and want to regain ball possession and score quickly. The concept of time & score comes into play here. Players are aware of the score and how much time is left on the clock. The only way a team can cut into the point deficit is to get the ball and score. The longer you have the ball the more time ticks off the clock, and the less time your opponent has to score. When you have the lead, you want to keep the lead. Make every possession count and do not allow the defense to speed up your offense and rush shots.

Most coaches do not want to slow down too much and interrupt the team’s offensive[BP1]  rhythm. Unless the coach directs otherwise, continue to run the offense and take advantage of high percentage shot opportunities. Pay attention to court spacing and be ready to support a teammate under pressure by moving to help and coming strong to any passes.

INBOUNDS PRESSURE

If the inbounds pass is defended, with the defense looking to deny or steal the inbounds pass, the offense must work to receive the ball inbounds within 5 seconds and receive it in a favorable position (preferably in the center 1/3 of the court where it is more difficult to trap). If the offense sets a screen on the defender to get open for the inbounds pass, both the cutter and the screener, in succession, must move towards the passer. When players cut away from the inbounds passer they create a poor passing angle and make it easier to deflect or intercept the pass.

A simpler strategy, requiring less energy, is the seal and release move. To execute the seal and release the offensive player walks into her defender and uses a reverse pivot to turn and seal the defender – similar to boxing out. Once the defender is sealed the offensive player puts a hand up, giving the passer a target, and steps strong to the ball to receive the pass. You can also use your arm bar to “hold off” the defender. Walk up to her, use your arm bar to control her position and movement, and point your free hand to the passer as a target. Step to the pass, pivot so your back is on the defender and receive the pass.

Against man-to-man defensive pressure the offense looks to inbounds the ball to a solid ballhandler. With straight up one on one pressure everyone clears out to the front court once the ball is inbounded, allowing the ball handler the space needed to bring the ball up court. If the defense employs man to man trapping pressure a second guard remains in the backcourt as an option for ball reversal. The second guard creates an angle for a ball reversal pass by locating 15 to 20 feet away from the ball, slightly behind the ball handler.

Against a trapping defense - man or zone - once the ball is passed in bounds, the player turns and faces up, bringing her eyes to the far rim – bringing the whole court into view. If trappers approach, she ball fakes (see Flex Fakes below), knowing that aggressive players will get their hands up on the fake. She then attacks one trapper with the dribble, looking to get to the middle of the court and make a good pass.

When setting up against a trapping zone defense the offensive players are spaced on the court to spread the defense. Passing the ball is preferred to dribbling against a trapping zone defense. Smart players move the ball up court reversing it from side to side preventing the defense from trapping. Once reversed the offensive players look to get the ball to the player in the middle of the court. One good pass back to an open wing player usually beats the press.

DIAMOND

Against basic zone presses One Voice uses a Diamond formation to space the court. The inbounds passer is at the bottom of the diamond, passing the ball inbounds. A ball handler is at each wing, foul line extended. Two “bigs” are at the midcourt circle (they may also set up, one at each sideline / mid-court line).          

On the catch the receiver faces up as noted above and checks to see if the return pass to the inbounds pass is available. If it is available the wing player passes back to the inbounds passer.

Ø  On the inbounds pass a big flashes to the top of the key, establishing the top of the diamond.

Ø  The other big runs to the corner opposite the ball.

Ø  All four players in the backcourt maintain the diamond formation spacing and move the ball up court, using short, safe passes and looking to reverse the ball from one side of the court to the other.

Ø  On each pass the players look to see if they can get the pass to the middle player at the top of the diamond.

Ø  If the ball is passed to the middle / top the receiver pivots up court.

Ø  The wings sprint down each sideline. The receiver in the middle looks to pass to one of the wings.

Ø  Players must maintain the diamond formation until the ball crosses into the front court.

If the pass back to the inbound passer is denied: On the inbounds pass a wing comes to the ball avoiding a catch in a corner.

Ø  If the wing reads that the pass back to the inbounds passer is defended, she looks to the middle of the court.

Ø  The opposite wing cuts through in front of the defender guarding the middle and drags her across to the sideline.

Ø  The big cutting down from mid-court follows behind the wing’s cut looking for the pass in the middle of the court.

Ø  The receiver passes to the big in the middle of the court. The inbounds passer moves to the opposite wing.

Ø  The big can reverse the ball to the opposite wing and then move down court.

BASKETBALL IQ

Over time players develop and improve their basketball IQ through education and game experience.  Some examples that come into play when competing against defensive trapping pressure:

Ø  The ball handler knows where her teammates are on the court and knows her passing options.

Ø  Advanced players, properly prepared, also know what the trapping defense wants to do. When they face up on the pass reception and they see an open sideline they intuitively know that this is where the defense wants them to go. Rather than dribble into a corner trap they work to get to the middle of the court.

Ø  They know the pass can move faster than the dribble and look to make the pass first.

Ø  They do not use their dribble until it is needed and, even then, they use it with a purpose.

Ø  When a defender is applying ball pressure and puts her hands on the ballhandler, the ball handler rips through hard and low, creating contact with the defender and drawing the foul.

Ø  When teams are forced to foul to stop the clock savvy players keep the ball moving ahead of the foul, executing safe passes and running time off the clock.

Ø  Players know their strengths and weaknesses. At critical times during a close game the strongest foul shooters need to have possession of the ball. If you are one of them, put yourself in a position to come hard to the ball, be strong with the ball - and make your foul shots. If you are not a sound foul shooter, position yourself away from the ball, spacing the court, and move to help only if needed. Chances are a well-coached team knows who to foul and who not to foul. Play to your team’s strengths.

TRAP ESCAPES

Hip Swivel / Crossover Dribble:

When a pass cannot be safely completed the ball handler must try to create space for a safe pass. As the trappers approach the ball handler she turns into a power dribble position (front shoulder perpendicular to the trappers, ball at the back foot) and uses a hip swivel to hop back, creating space. The ball handler quickly reads the trappers and attacks the outside shoulder of one trapper with a crossover dribble and moves into space to make a pass.

Reverse Dribble:

If the ball handler has time / space, she can also use a reverse dribble to change direction and get into space.

Flex Fake & Step back / Step Through Move:

If the ball handler has to give up her dribble, she stops with a jump stop, gets low and wide, elbows wide – keeping both feet as pivot options, and steps back, with the ball, away from the trappers. As the aggressive trappers step towards her she uses a flex fake to get the trappers to raise up and steps, low and strong, between the two trappers with the ball to make the pass. 

To execute a flex fake, hold the ball with the lower arm at 90°, elbow pointing to the side, and the upper arm is at 90° over the head holding the ball on the lower arm. From this position the player can use her eyes and slight movements to fake and get the defenders to move opening space to pass (see video - Confidence in a Trap, Brittany Caporale, on our website - search under Drills).

Stretch Pass:

Another option is the stretch pass. Again, as the trappers approach use a strong flex fake to get them to rise up, then step outside the hip of one of the trappers and use a wrist snap to pass the ball out of the trap (see video - Confidence in a Trap, Brittany Caporale, on our website - search under Drills).

Stay Low:

If the trappers execute a sound trap the offensive player must avoid bringing the ball overhead. When the ball is brought overhead the player is in a position of weakness. As noted above, once the offensive player picks up her dribble trappers are taught to “walk in” on the ball handler, hands high. In this position they can bump the player off balance with their hips and upper body. As long as they keep their hands high fouls are rarely called.

OTHER TRAPPING DEFENSES

Ball Screen Traps:
Teams use various strategies to defend ball screens (pick and roll situations). One strategy is hedging. If hedging, the pick defender steps out to push the ball handler out to alter her angle of attack and allow the on-ball defender to recover over the screen. Teams can also trap the ball screen. This most effective at the top of the key and on the wings.

To trap a ball screen, use a hard hedge to deny the downhill attack and push the ballhandler out. The on-ball defender fights over the screen and chases the ball handler. Both the hedging defender and the on-ball defender trap, mirroring the ball, to take away the dribble drive and the pass to the rolling screener. To support the trap, strong side defenders deny the closest pass and take away easy scoring opportunities.

Man to Man Trapping Full Court Press:

There are many variations of the man-to-man full court press. A simple model uses basic trap fundamentals and help defense fundamentals.

The defense pressures the inbounds pass with pressure on the passer and the potential receivers. Those defending the receivers work to influence the cuts towards the sidelines. When the pass is made to an outer third of the court, the defender pressuring the passer quickly slides over to trap the receiver in, or near, the corner. Traps can be set anywhere on the court, but will be most effective when in the corners or near the sideline.

The best defenses can, not only trap, but rotate to help and reorganize quickly when the trap is beaten. Once the trap is set in the backcourt, the remaining three players set up in a Helpside Triangle to defend the four other offensive players. The performance of the Helpside Triangle is as critical as the performance of the trappers.

The player at the top of the triangle positions herself to anticipate the pass out of the trap and move to intercept the pass. The players at the bottom of the triangle gap the remaining players.

On the flight of the pass, as the top triangle player moves to the ball, the other two players follow the Near Player Rule and rotate to the nearest offensive player. All of the defensive players, including the trappers, must sprint on the flight of the pass and reorganize as quickly as possible. A trapper can move to re-trap the ball, assisting the player who moved to the pass. If this happens the other trapper assumes the position at the top of the triangle.                                                   

The following drills support the information provided above. These and other drills can be found on the website, onevoicebasketball.com. Many of the drills include video demonstrations. Go to the website, click on Drills and then on Traps & Trapping.  Search for the drills named or open the Drills section to review all the relevant drills.

Circle Drill (video)     Line Drill (video)   Press & Trap Pratice (video)    Flex Fake (video)     Step Back Step Through     Low & Wide (video)    

Step Through & Seal & Release (video)     Avoiding Traps & Handling Them If You Can’t (video)

 [BP1]