*Instructional video pending.
In trashcan, even if the attacker is less athletic than you, getting caught out of position can result in catastrophe. There’s a million ways to play the game, but here’s a few tried and true strategies.
General Defense
Digging: a term borrowed from volleyball. Placing both hands together either above or below the rim. Defenders can both be stationary in a block or attempt to meet the shot with force and hit the ball away. Both techniques have their advantages. A stationary block has a greater chance of being successful, however it is suspect to having the ball hit the block and continue to bounce in due to it’s velocity. A forceful block is slightly less accurate and can be faked out, but if the block is successful, the shot ricochet will be headed nowhere near a scoring position and may even potentially result in a counter attack.
High Five: If the attacker goes up with the ball, follow the elbow and high five their shooting hand
Communicate: essential in any trashcan relationship
When things hit the fan, or the rest of your team is caught high out of position, it's crucial that you know how to make a stand.
1v1 Defense
In almost every case, when caught in a 1v1 situation, it is in the defender’s best interest to meet the attacker as far out from the can as possible. Having stated that, it is crucial of the defender not to be in a position with excessive field behind them. Ample field allows for a player with speed to cut out and then back into the can. A defender also wants to avoid the attacker from gaining momentum towards the can. In essence, confronting the attacker 12 yards or so from the can is generally too far for an outside shot to reliably go in and also is close enough that cutting is minimally effective. Jumping up with the attacker and attempting to high five their shooting hand will usually result in a block.
If the attacker already has momentum and proximity to the can sometimes it is best to forget about the origin of the shot and focus on its intended target. Boxing out an attacker while using both hands to dig in the can will also often result in a block. A defender should always anticipate the ball spiraling in the can before hitting the bottom. Proactively thinking about trapping the ball against the side of the can results in a faster reaction time.
2v1 Defense
Defending two attackers can be a disheartening effort, but played correctly, it can be just as difficult as 1v1 for the team on offense. The radius from the can where the defender engages the attacker with the ball becomes exponentially more important. A defender wants to face the attacker with the ball and backpedal towards the can, averaging the distance between the first defender, the second defender, and the can.The defender’s stance should be staggered, guiding the attacker away from the can or into the second defender to create confusion. The defender should also be mindful of the attacker’s dominant hand and guide the attacker in the opposite direction. Once the defender is about a step and a half away from the can, they engage the first attacker, bending slightly at the knees in anticipation to jump after a pass thrown over their head to the second attacker. The defender should force the attacker with the ball to pass. In doing so, the defender is multiplying the number of chances the attackers can fault. When allowing a shot, only one thing can go wrong; the shot misses. When forcing a pass, an increasing number of potential issues present themselves with every instance; the pass can miss, the pass can be mishandled, and the shot can miss. By both forcing and anticipating a pass, the defender greatly increases their chances of either intercepting the pass or getting a tag on the second attacker before they have time to score. Additionally, if the second attacker is airborne, the defender will have earned an extra moment to spin and place both hands over the can for a dig.
3v1 Defense
Fundamentally identical to 2v1 defense. Odds are, additional defenders are en route to help. The first defender aims to steer the attacker with the ball away from the can long enough for a second defender, running straight back to the can, to aid in stopping the onslaught.
3v2 Defense
This defense relies heavily on uniform movement among the two defenders. A man in between the attacker with the ball and the can along with a defender in line with the attack directly behind the can. The near defender deters the high shot and the far defender blocks the low. When the ball is passed, the roles switch within the defending positions.
4v4 Defense
To play man or not to play man? That is the question. Team defense strategies coming soon!
In trashcan, even if the attacker is less athletic than you, getting caught out of position can result in catastrophe. There’s a million ways to play the game, but here’s a few tried and true strategies.
General Defense
Digging: a term borrowed from volleyball. Placing both hands together either above or below the rim. Defenders can both be stationary in a block or attempt to meet the shot with force and hit the ball away. Both techniques have their advantages. A stationary block has a greater chance of being successful, however it is suspect to having the ball hit the block and continue to bounce in due to it’s velocity. A forceful block is slightly less accurate and can be faked out, but if the block is successful, the shot ricochet will be headed nowhere near a scoring position and may even potentially result in a counter attack.
High Five: If the attacker goes up with the ball, follow the elbow and high five their shooting hand
Communicate: essential in any trashcan relationship
When things hit the fan, or the rest of your team is caught high out of position, it's crucial that you know how to make a stand.
1v1 Defense
In almost every case, when caught in a 1v1 situation, it is in the defender’s best interest to meet the attacker as far out from the can as possible. Having stated that, it is crucial of the defender not to be in a position with excessive field behind them. Ample field allows for a player with speed to cut out and then back into the can. A defender also wants to avoid the attacker from gaining momentum towards the can. In essence, confronting the attacker 12 yards or so from the can is generally too far for an outside shot to reliably go in and also is close enough that cutting is minimally effective. Jumping up with the attacker and attempting to high five their shooting hand will usually result in a block.
If the attacker already has momentum and proximity to the can sometimes it is best to forget about the origin of the shot and focus on its intended target. Boxing out an attacker while using both hands to dig in the can will also often result in a block. A defender should always anticipate the ball spiraling in the can before hitting the bottom. Proactively thinking about trapping the ball against the side of the can results in a faster reaction time.
2v1 Defense
Defending two attackers can be a disheartening effort, but played correctly, it can be just as difficult as 1v1 for the team on offense. The radius from the can where the defender engages the attacker with the ball becomes exponentially more important. A defender wants to face the attacker with the ball and backpedal towards the can, averaging the distance between the first defender, the second defender, and the can.The defender’s stance should be staggered, guiding the attacker away from the can or into the second defender to create confusion. The defender should also be mindful of the attacker’s dominant hand and guide the attacker in the opposite direction. Once the defender is about a step and a half away from the can, they engage the first attacker, bending slightly at the knees in anticipation to jump after a pass thrown over their head to the second attacker. The defender should force the attacker with the ball to pass. In doing so, the defender is multiplying the number of chances the attackers can fault. When allowing a shot, only one thing can go wrong; the shot misses. When forcing a pass, an increasing number of potential issues present themselves with every instance; the pass can miss, the pass can be mishandled, and the shot can miss. By both forcing and anticipating a pass, the defender greatly increases their chances of either intercepting the pass or getting a tag on the second attacker before they have time to score. Additionally, if the second attacker is airborne, the defender will have earned an extra moment to spin and place both hands over the can for a dig.
3v1 Defense
Fundamentally identical to 2v1 defense. Odds are, additional defenders are en route to help. The first defender aims to steer the attacker with the ball away from the can long enough for a second defender, running straight back to the can, to aid in stopping the onslaught.
3v2 Defense
This defense relies heavily on uniform movement among the two defenders. A man in between the attacker with the ball and the can along with a defender in line with the attack directly behind the can. The near defender deters the high shot and the far defender blocks the low. When the ball is passed, the roles switch within the defending positions.
4v4 Defense
To play man or not to play man? That is the question. Team defense strategies coming soon!