Coach Mac’s Scramble Defense

© 2009, Forrest McKinnis

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American Copyright

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from Coach Mac’s Playbooks and Forrest McKinnis.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEFINING THE SCRAMBLE DEFENSE PG 4

KEY TERMINONOLGY PG 5

THUMBS DOWN SERIES PG 6

THUMBS UP SERIES PG 16

KEY DRILLS FOR SCRAMBLE PG 24

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 COACH MAC’S SCRAMBLE DEFENSE
Full and Half Court Pressure Defenses

Defining Scramble Defense:

One of our guiding principals in our defensive philosophy is to
force the ‘pressure’ in the game, both offensively and again
defensively. On average, the typical offensive possession in the
men’s high school game is 35 seconds. Understanding this we
use the scramble defense to shorten the length of each
opponent’s possession, taking them out of their comfort zone.
This defense is guided by man-to-man principles, specifically
up the line on the line theories.

“SCRAMBLE MEANS HUSTLE”

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 KEY TERMINOLOGY

—TRAPPER—
The person who is trapping or in the trap.

—INTERCEPTOR—
One of two players anticipating the pass out of a trap.
High post becomes of great importance in the scramble
defense, one of the interceptors must take away the high
post. The second interceptor is responsible for taking away
the reverse pass.

—HOOP POSITION—
The defender designated to guard the basket area, this
person should be tough mentally and physically and
understand the merits of taking the charge.

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 SCRAMBE DEFENSE
“Thumbs Down”

1. Pressure the ball.

2. React with the ball.

3. Beat the ball to the pass receiver.

4. Trappers must seal ball with proper trapping position.

5. Interceptors need to anticipate pass and rotate.

6. All players must be ready to steal or defect pass especially out of trap.

7. Always trap downward passes.

8. Recover to man-to-man principles on ball reversal .

9. Trappers MUST rebound.

Thumbs down is a conservative version of the scramble. You always trap down on the first
pass and rotate back to man-to-man after on ball reversal. Very low risk is associated with
the thumbs down 1/2 court trap because you are only trapping the first pass.

We work on the idea that one of the weakest basketball skills today is passing. Passing is not
a practiced fundamental. Thumbs down is an excellent half-court pressure defense that al-
lows you to trap the opponent’s first pass immediately after they cross half-court.

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THUMBS DOWN BREAKDOWN
3 on 3

• 1 passes the ball to 2

• X1 tries to best the ball to
2

• X1 and X2 Trap

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THUMBS DOWN BREAKDOWN
3 on 3

• 2 tries to return pass to 1

• X3 rotates and steals pass
• X3 breaks for a lay up

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THUMBS DOWN BREAKDOWN
3 on 3 with 1 Man Rotation

• 2 Passes the ball to 1

• X3 does not get steal,
pressures 1.

• X1, X2, X3 are back

playing man to man.

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THUMBS DOWN BREAKDOWN
4 on 4 with 2 Man Rotation

• X1 Pressures the ball.

• X1, X3, X4 pressure the
wings and the low post.

• On entry pass from 1 to

2, X1 and X2 trap 2.
• X3 rotates, anticipating
return pass .
• X4 moves with pass.

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THUMBS DOWN BREAKDOWN
4 on 4 with 2 Man Rotation

• 2 Passes to 1
• X3 does not get steal
• X1 runs out at trap
• X4 rotates anticipating
next pass.

• 1 passes to 3
• X4 can go for steal or
pressure 3.
• X1 sees X4 moving to
cover 3; sprints down to
cover 4.
• X2 moves with pass

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THUMBS DOWN BREAKDOWN
4 on 4 with 2 Man Rotation

• X1, X2, X3 and X4 are

now back playing man
to man.
• X1 must work hard to
front 4 in the post.

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THUMBS DOWN BREAKDOWN
5 on 5

• X1 pressures the ball

• X2, X3, X4, & X5 pres-
sure the wings and the
post.

• X1 & X2 trap on pass

from 1.
• X3 rotates anticipating
return pass.
• X5 fronts low post.
• X4 rotates up and cov-
ers high post.

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THUMBS DOWN BREAKDOWN
5 on 5

• 2 passes the ball to 1.

• X3 does not get steal;
pressures 1.
• X1 runs out of the trap.
• X4 rotates for return
pass.
• 5 dives back inside.

• 1 passes to 3
• X4 can go for steal
• X5 rotates over to cover
• X1 sees X4 going out to
3 and X5 to 4.
• X2 moves with pass.

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THUMBS DOWN BREAKDOWN
5 on 5

• X5 must work to front

the post.
• X1 drops down to cover
5.
• X2, X3, X4 are now
back playing man to
man.

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 THUMBS UP

Thumbs Up Refers to trapping the dribbler. Rules as Follows;

1. Pressure the Ball

2. Surprise the dribbler, trap up

3. Anticipate and rotate

4. Seal the trap. (Hands High, Legs crossed, Mirror the Ball)

5. Steal, deflect or defend any pass out of the trap.

6. Run to where your help came from when leaving the trap.

7. Make a pass look open, then take it away.

8. Continue to trap on downward pass, not outward, or the pass is 15-20 feet away.

9. Trap the dribbler on all screens.

10. Know your job-trapper, interceptor, goal tender (coaches must identify these positions)

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 THUMBS UP

When to Use Thumbs Up

This element of the scramble defense is very aggressive. Rather than wait to let the offensive
initiate their sets, use the thumbs up to trap the dribbler as soon as the ball crosses half
court or is dribbled to a wing. Here are four situations that are especially effective in
thumbs up:

• To get the ball out of the hands of an excellent point guard.

• To attack the point guard.

• To create chaos when the offense is using a dribble entry into their offense.

• To keep a great players from catching the first pass.

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THUMBS UP BREAKDOWN
3 on 3

• X1 pressures the ball

handler to the sideline.
• X2 & X3 are “up the
line” off their man.

• X2 leaves as the ball

crosses mid-court.
• X1 and X2 trap 1
• X3 rotates up, anticipat-
ing a pass from 2.

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THUMBS UP BREAKDOWN
3 on 3

• X3 does not get the

steal, so he pressures.
• X1 runs out of trap.
• X1 and X3 trap 2
• X2 drops off 1 to be in
help position.

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THUMBS UP BREAKDOWN
4 on 4

• X1 pressures the ball

handler to the sideline.
• X2, X3, X4 are “up the
line” off their man.

• X2 leaves 2 as the ball

crosses mid-court.
• X1 & X2 trap 1.
• X4 rotates up.
• X3 rotates to the middle
as trap occurs away.

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THUMBS UP BREAKDOWN
4 on 4

• If X4 does not get the

steal, pressures 2.
• X1 runs out of trap.
• X1 and X4 trap 2
• X3 rotates to cover 4
• X2 drops off 1 to be help

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THUMBS UP BREAKDOWN
5 on 5

• X1 pressures the ball han-

dler to sideline.

• X2, X3, X4 and X5 are “up

the line” off their man.

• X2 leaves 2 as the ball

crosses mid court.

• X1 & X2 trap 1

• X4 rotates up

• X5 rotates to cover 4

• X3 rotates to the middle as

trap occurs away.

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THUMBS UP BREAKDOWN
5 on 5

• If X4 does not get steal,

pressures 2.

• X1 runs out of the trap fol-

lowing downward pass.

• X1 & X4 trap 2

• X5 fronts low post

• X3 plays the high post area

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SCRAMBLE BREAKDOWN DRILLS
Bulldog Drill

1 on 1 Bulldog Drill

• 1 takes ball out and dribbles

to sideline.

• X1 guards 1. Staying down in

the defensive stance.

• 1 zig zags all the way down

the court.

Bulldog Drill (take charge)

• Same as above to begin.

• X1 should beat 1 to spot just

before half court.

• X1 establishes position and

takes charge from 1.

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SCRAMBLE BREAKDOWN DRILLS
Herding Drill (3 dribble trap)

• 1 starts with ball in the mid-

dle of the court.

• X1 & X2 at the elbows in de-

fensive stance.

• 1 takes three explosive drib-

bles to the right.

• X2 beats 1 to spot, cutting off

sideline.

• X1 herds 1 from the back

• 1 picks up the dribble.

• X1 & X2 trap 1

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SCRAMBLE BREAKDOWN DRILLS
Herding Drill (zig zag dribble trap)

• 1 starts with ball in middle of

court.

• X1 & X2 at elbows

• 1 takes off dribbling

• X2 beats 1 to spot, cutting off

sideline.

• X1 herds 1 from back.

• 1 makes a move

• X1 beat 1 to spot

• X2 herds from the back.

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SCRAMBLE BREAKDOWN DRILLS
Herding Drill (zig zag dribble trap, chase)

• 1 starts with the ball in the

middle of court.

• X1 & X2 are at the elbows.

• 1 takes 3 hard dribbles

• X2 beats 1 to spot, cutting off

sideline.

• X1 herds from back.

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SCRAMBLE BREAKDOWN DRILLS
Herding Drill (zig zag dribble trap, chase)

• 1 makes a move.

• X1 beats 1 to spot.

• X2 herds from back

• 1 picks up dribble

• X1 & X2 trap with high hands

and legs crossed.

• 1 passes out of the trap to a

coach.

• X1 & X2 sprint out of trap

and chase coach from behind,
trying to prevent a layup.

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SCRAMBLE BREAKDOWN DRILLS
Help Deflect Recover Drill

• 1 starts with ball near half

court.

• X1 pressures 1

• 2 is on wing looking for entry

pass.

• X2 denies the easy entry pass

from 1 to 2.

• If X1 gets beat off dribble, X2

opens up to help.

• X2 closes quickly and tries to

deflect a pass to 2.

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