Great close outs are VITAL to your defense.
If you’re constantly getting beat by the offense due to poor close outs, your team defense instantly becomes worse.
When the offense is at a constant advantage due to poor close outs, your team defense will suffer. The offense will get more easy looks and your defense will get more fouls which leads to key players spending less time on the floor and the offense getting more easy foul shots when they get in the bonus.
Here is another thing to think about…
On every single pass that the offense makes in a half court setting, there should be a defensive close out. Now how many times does that happen in a game? Against good offensive teams, you could have at least 5 close outs per possession. 50 possessions in a game and you have at least 250 close outs.
30 games in a year and there is at least 7,500 close outs!
Poor close outs wreck your team defense and lead to more points scored against you. And close outs occur hundreds of times per game!
That’s why some of the great defensive coaches start most defensive drills with a close out. They understand how vital it is to a team’s defense. It’d probably be wise for you to do the same.
Here is an easy to follow instructional video by a friend to the Bombers Basketball Program, Jim Huber on defensive close outs –
