CUTS: KEYS TO SUCCESS

Critical to remember that:

1.  It takes two people to set a screen: the person setting the screen and the person receiving screen. If both players don’t work together the screen does not work
2. You are screening a person NOT an area

Person setting screen  

• Separate: Need to create separation from your defender so they will not be in great position to help when you set screen. Do this by sprinting to screen and potentially faking cut away from direction of screen or making contact with defender and then separating
• Angle: Critical to set screen at correct angle. Many options exist but two simple rules are: (a) on-ball set screen on the back hip of the on-ball defender (b) off-ball set screen with your back facing direction want teammate to go
• Contact: Make physical contact with person setting screen on, otherwise too easy for defender to step around. Jump stop or stride stop so do not get foul called. 
• Hold: Be strong in a low base so can hold the screen until defender has gotten past the screen (or switched)
• Score: Setting screens is a great way to get in a scoring position. After setting screen, either roll (opening to the ball), dive (turn back on dribbler for moment as run to basket) or pop for a shot 

Person receiving screen  

• Set up: Set up your defender by moving to position them where you want screen set
• Receive: Need to wait for screen to be set before using it. Fake opposite direction to get defender in catchup mode 
• Shoulder: Your shoulder needs to touch screeners' shoulder leaving no room for your defender to get through
• Explode: Sprint through the screen to create separation

• Communicate: Properly defending screens requires communication! The person guarding the screener must call it out the screen in advance including the direction screen is coming from. If a switch is occurring, you must shout it so loud the coach can hear it. 
• Dominate: Be decisive and don’t worry about contact as it is rare to get called for defending screens (can adjust if ref starts calling it)
• Collaborate: Defending screens is a team effort, not just the person being screened. Communication, hedging, disrupting, switching, trapping, etc require everyone paying attention and playing a role. Defensive breakdowns will happen and everyone must respond (e.g. emergency switch)
• Anticipate: Pay attention to what opposing team have been doing as most teams run the same basic actions most of the game (e.g. dribble handoff, on ball for best shooter). Keep arm active so can feel the screen

Primary options to defend screens

1. Go over (fight through) 
2. Go under 
3. Switch/Jump Switch
4. Disrupt (Ice or Deny)