This course will teach you the what, why, and how of the Trail Trap Pressure Defense. The Trail Trap Pressure Defense creates defensive advantage situations that can “dizzy” the offense through the threat of a trap, or the actual application of a trap.

The Basics:

1. The defense picks up the basketball full-court.
2. The defense tries to force the player dribbling the basketball sideline in order to turn it back to the middle of the floor.
3. The player dribbling can be trapped by leaving the offensive player who cleared out last.
4. Additional pressure is applied by having all five players rotate to deny the ball side wing, the middle of the floor or the reversal spot, and the deepest pass towards the basket.
5. The trap can be faked or applied.

Advantages of the Trail Trap

• Can make an impact even when there is no trap, as the constant threat of a trap happening, increases the mental demands on your opponent.
• Empowers players to have the freedom to make decisions and to see possibilities.
• Takes your opponent out of their preferred offensive patterns and rhythms by disrupting their path up the court.
• Forces your opponent to make faster decisions than they want to counter the Trail Trap rotations and recovery.
• Adaptable to only trap certain players and to be used in specific game situations.
• Can be used to take away opponent strengths by trapping certain players and not others.
• Allows your defense to be your “offense” by creating scoring opportunities, with and without advantage, after turnovers or disrupted half-court possessions.
• Disrupts an opponent’s flow and timing by making them speed up, or by causing them to reorganize once the Trail Trap is broken.
• Takes the ball out of the best point guard’s hands.
• Increases the tempo of the game.
• Forces your opponent to play out of more scramble and 1-on-1 situations.