Ice the Ball Screen
Defend a side ball screen by 'icing' it — forcing the ball-handler away from the screen toward the baseline.
What this drill teaches
A team answer to side ball screens. 'Icing' means the on-ball defender jumps above the screen and steers the handler away from it, down the sideline, where the dropping big waits — two defenders herding the ball out of the middle together.
In games: Stops the wing pick-and-roll carving your defence up the middle on game day — the ball gets funnelled to the sideline and baseline, where the help is already standing.
- 'Ice!' called before the screen arrives
- On-ball defender's chest above the screen, turning the handler
- Big dropped and walling the sideline drive, never beaten middle
U14: walk the coverage with no scoring — the positioning feels unnatural at first. U16: play it live, punish any middle catch, and add a corner shooter to stunt at.
Equipment
1 ball, half court
Setup
A ball screen on the wing: ball-handler, screener, and two defenders.
Steps
- 1On-ball defender jumps above the screen onto the handler's inside shoulder, so the only path is down the sideline.
- 2The big drops to contain the ball-handler forced down the sideline.
- 3Keep the ball out of the middle.
- 4Recover to your players once the ball is picked up.
Coaching points
- On-ball: get your chest above the screen and turn the handler toward the baseline.
- Big: drop and build a wall, don't get beaten middle.
- Talk early — call 'Ice!' before the screen arrives.
Why kids love it
Icing side ball screens is a core high-school coverage — a big step up in defensive IQ.
Variations
Walk the coverage with no live scoring.
Play it live and give the offence a point for any catch in the middle of the floor.
Tell the ball-handler to reject the screen so the on-ball defender learns to stay above the ball.
Add a corner shooter so the big must contain the drive and still stunt at the kick-out.