Full Court Run and Jump Switch Options

Defensively, if there is one area that I haven't thought about too much in my past coaching experience is in the area of stunting and jump switching. I've done a lot of trapping and pressing both full court and half court but I think the idea of jump switching and hedging (fake switching). It can be incorporated into both zone and man defenses and its primary advantage is the element of surprise -- as an option call either from the bench or as an audible by your point guard.

Traditional Trap:

Here is your run of the mill full court trap, out of a M2M defense. X1 guides the dribbler towards the trap, X2 leaves his defender to trap O1. X3 splits O2 and O3 looking to intercept a lob pass,


Jump Switch:

The jump switch is a simple option you can add to change up your pressure defense. Works especially well after you've run a few traps and the offense has attempted to adjust by anticipating where the traps are coming from. As O1 dribbles toward the sideline, X2 runs at O1. Instead of the trap, X1 switches onto O2 leaving O1. The idea here is that O1 is anticipating the trap picking up the dribble to pass to O2. In doing so, X2 runs hard at O1 and gets into chest-to-chest hands-high position after O1 picks up the dribble. X1 is in hard denial looking to pickoff a bad pass. X3 and any other defender one pass away is also in hard denial,

If O1 manages to keep the dribble, X2 must continue ball pressure, but that is why it is essential for X2 to run at O1 under control. The jump switch can be re-run again.

Hedge (Fake Switch):

Another simple adjustment is to add a hedge or fake switch. The idea is for X2 to come at the dribbler like it is a trap or switch. The idea, like the switch, is to induce O1 to pick up the dribble to pass. Once X2 hedges, anticipates O1 picking up the dribble, X2 then recovers back to O2. O1 then gets chest-to-chest with high-hands making it very difficult for O1 to make a pass. All defenders one pass away are in hard denial,


If you're learning like me and want more information on run and jump techniques, you'll want to see Dean Smith's DVD on the Encyclopedia of the Scramble Defense. Coach Smith is the hall of fame former head coach of the University of North Carolina.