Our defense at LSU has been nationally ranked for some time and we've lead the nation in scoring defense 2 of the last 3 years. We think one of the staples of our defense starts with not giving up easy buckets in transition. Here are a list of keys from the keys at Hoop Tactics:1. Take care of the ball offensively. Fast break basketball thrives on turnovers and bad shots.
2. Have good shot selection. Take open shots with teammates in offensive rebounding position. No off balance or rushed shots.
3. Employ sharp, accurate passing. Eliminate all unforced turnovers (bad passes and violations).
4. Go to the offensive boards. Force the opponent wings to defend (box out) against offensive rebounds instead of leaving early on fast break.
5. Maintain defensive balance. Especially on three point shots, where long rebounds can trigger a fast break.
6. It is imperative to have vision on the ball at all times. This is especially true when in defensive transition. Defenders should NEVER run back on defense with their backs to the ball.
7. Since most passers telegraph their passes, maintain vision on the ball handler's eyes.
8. Aggressively rebound (box out) and do not give the opponent any second chances.
9. Break off opponent’s turnovers and missed shots. Up tempo, fast breaking teams are very susceptible to counter attacks.
