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By integrating targeted transition defense drills, teams can equip their players with the exact skills necessary to respond swiftly and strategically when confronted with a high-tempo offensive push.

Below are two transition defense drills that can improve your team’s ability to stop the fast break.

Joe Pasternack - Floyd Transition

Joe Pasternack - Floyd Transition

Joe Pasternack is in his eighth season at the helm of the UC Santa Barbara Men's Basketball team. 

In his ‘Program-Defining Drills’ clinic, Coach Pasternack illustrated what he calls the Floyd Transition defense drill, which can either be 5-on-2 all the way up to 5-on-5, and begins with the offense in the half court with eight seconds on the shot clock. 

The coach will instruct one player on offense that they won’t be getting back on defense (without letting the other players know who). 

Regardless of how the possession ends, the team who was on defense will then have eight seconds to score on the fastbreak while having a one-player advantage. 

The goal here is to ensure that the first two players get back in transition (ideally the two guards) and cover the goal and the ball first and foremost. 

Paul Kelleher - Defense (Tempo)

Paul Kelleher - Defense (Tempo)

Paul Kelleher recently stepped down as the Ireland U-18 Men National Team after 5 years running the program, securing the Bronze Medal at the 2018 "C" Division in Kosovo and the Dussman Trophy in 2019. 

Coach Kelleher’s ‘Transition Both Ways’ clinic details some important ideas to keep in mind when conducting transition defense drills, such as whether you want to emphasize numbers or spots in your transition defense strategy.

What he means by this is whether you want to prioritize your players getting back to specific spots on the court or whether the emphasis is getting specific players back. 

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