Hedge & Recover
Defend a ball screen by hard-hedging with the big, then recovering to the roller.
What this drill teaches
An aggressive ball-screen coverage built on trust. The big jumps out to stall the ball-handler (the hedge) while the guard fights over the screen — then both sprint back to their own jobs. Two players covering three jobs only works if they talk.
In games: Gives your team a way to take the ball out of a hot guard's hands on game day — and builds the screen-defence communication habits every coverage needs.
- Big showing wide and high without fouling or grabbing
- On-ball defender going over the top, never ducking under
- Big sprinting back to the roller the moment the guard recovers
U14: use a soft hedge and expect the roller to be forgotten — that's the lesson. U16: hard hedge, live play, and swapping coverages on a called 'hedge' or 'switch'.
Equipment
1 ball, half court
Setup
Ball screen at the top: ball-handler, screener, two defenders.
Steps
- 1Screener's defender steps out hard to briefly stop the ball-handler (the hedge).
- 2On-ball defender fights over the screen.
- 3Once the on-ball defender recovers, the big sprints back to the roller.
- 4Contain the ball, then re-match up.
Coaching points
- Hedge with a wide stance — show, don't foul.
- On-ball defender must go over the top of the screen.
- Big: recover to the roller as soon as the guard is back.
Why kids love it
A more aggressive coverage that teaches communication and hard, disciplined effort.
Variations
Big only shows softly (a 'soft hedge') while learning.
Add a corner shooter so the guard recovers to the ball and the big recovers to the roller.
Shout 'hedge' or 'switch' as the screen arrives so the pair must swap coverages on the fly.