Veteran Arnold Mesa watched how both teams in one of the UBA Men’s League games exhausted their respective best players even before the game is over.
This prompted him to share his own ideas on how to defend the court in the entire four quarters of the game without getting fouled out, or most importantly, hurting an opponent.
According to Mesa, there are ways to keep the referee’s whistle silent at the height of carrying out a stiff defense.
First, players both in defensive and offensive should “play with good intentions,” that is just to prevent the team from scoring points. On this, the player should possess a good sportsmanship and a good character to begin with.
Second, all the player has to do is “work with skills and knowledge to over the obstacles and battle all the adversities in the court.”
Different types of zone defense, be it 2-1-1, 1-2-2, 2-3, 1-3-1 or 3-2, are supposedly designed to minimize fouls while defending the territory. The man-to-man defense, however, is another story, especially when the time is running out. Try hard to deny any receiver the ball without touching the body.
Foul credits that are saved towards the final minutes of the last quarter can be given up as last resort to stop the clock.
“But please, give it up without resulting to injuries,” Mesa said.
And the last but not the least way to avoid committing unnecessary foul, Mesa calls, a “containment defense or magic defense” that he said is taught in college basketballs.
This can be done, he said by mastering the weaknesses and strength of each opponent. Defenders should familiarize themselves with every single member of the attacking team, who among them is lefthander or right hander.
In containment defense, the defenders can veer the right-hand dribbler to drive with left hand or push him to the trap areas, known as “coffin corners.”
