End of Game – 2 Minute Drills

Originally Published in: Lacrosse Essentials - Provided by: Human Kinetics

TIGER DRILL

A 2-minute defense when you are behind by a goal or more is called tiger. In this situation, you aggressively attempt to force a turnover. You can use several techniques depending on the situation. Fire is when you pressure the ball aggressively, attempting to force a turnover. The two adjacent men deny their men (prevent them from getting the ball). The three remaining defensive players form a triangle behind the ball and fulfill various assignments depending on the formation they are facing. The triangle could be inverted, with the two men at the base of the triangle closest to the ball. The single player at the apex of the triangle is the farthest from the ball. In a regular triangle, the single player is closest to the ball. In a tiger situation use the inverted triangle because it puts the defenders at the base in a better position to cut off the passing lanes. When you double the ball, it is called a bingo. If the double comes from the onside, the direction that the ball carrier is moving, the man doubling attempts to force the ball carrier to turn back. The defender playing the ball must come around for a back check. If the double comes from the backside, the defender playing the ball must step up and turn the ball carrier back. Communication is important, and the off-man, the player doubling the ball, makes the call. Anytime you double the ball, whether it is coming from the front or the back, it is called bingo.

Variation: Bingo From a Dead-Ball Situation

In this situation, your two short sticks play the adjacent men and deny them the ball. This allows you two long poles for the bingo and two long poles to cut off passing lanes. Doubling the ball involves a combination of a fire situation along with a bingo call. How you double and where you double depends on the offensive formation as well as the location of the ball.

The following scenarios use the tiger defense against certain offensive sets.

Variation: Tiger Below the Goal Line Extended vs. Circle

In this formation, when the offense does not have anyone on the crease, the goalie doubles the ball. The two adjacent men deny the ball to the players they are guarding. The other two defenders would help slough into the passing lanes of the offensive players farthest from the ball. The lone defender at the top of the triangle would be helping by moving to the crease and would be in the passing lane to the player farthest from the ball. Determine the doubling technique, bingo or fire, based on the direction of the ball carrier being doubled.

Variation: Tiger Below the Goal Line Extended vs. 1-3-2

When there is a creaseman, the goalie plays him, releasing that defender to double the ball. The adjacent men deny their man the ball. The two farthest defenders in the inverted triangle slough down to the crease but in the passing lanes to the second men away from the ball. The goalie should be between the creaseman and the ball when it's at X.

When the ball is on the wing, the goalie stays on the creaseman, but he must be prepared for shots on goal. If the ball carrier you are doubling gets the ball through the lane, the rotation is as follows: The onside man who was denying his man the ball continues the same technique. The offside man (X6) who was denying the ball must rotate quickly to the ball and deny the adjacent man. The offside crease defender (X5) slides to pick up the ball. The two defenders, who were doubling the ball, slough to the crease. X4, who is on the crease, becomes the point man in the triangle. The defense stays in the fire situation until they are reset and balanced. At this time, they reapply the double with X4 becoming the bingo man

The rules for recovery on successful skip-lane passes are the same for 2-1-3 and 2-3-1 sets.

Variation: Tiger Below the Goal Line Extended vs. 2-2-2

In a formation with two creasemen, such as a 2-2-2 or 1-4-1, the onside crease defender doubles the ball. The goalie helps against the onside crease against the attackmen. The onside crease defenders split the two crease-men favoring ball side. The offside crease defenders split the offside crease and the midfielder on the top side. The crease defender plays behind the creaseman but close enough to check the creaseman and yet still be able to slide out to the top-side midfielder.

Against a 2-2-2 set, if the overpass is made, the two adjacent defenders continue to deny. For example, if A2 overpasses to M2, X4 slides out to cover M2. X6 slides to cover the onside crease, and X2 slides to the crease and released X6 to double M2. Most teams do not use this formation when trying to hold the ball out because it makes it easier for the defense to deny adjacent passes and force long over-the-top passes.

Variation: Bingo Above the Goal Line Extended

When you set up a double above the GLE, the man doubling the ball is the point man in the triangle. Start out in a fire situation in which you pressure the ball and deny the adjacent offensive players. The other three defense-men form a triangle below the ball carrier. The point man in the triangle is the bingo man, and the two defenders in the base of the triangle cut off the passing lanes to the second men away from the ball.

Variation: Bingo Above the Goal Line Extended vs. Circle

When the ball is on top, the double comes from the point man in the triangle (X5). The adjacent men (X2 and X4) deny their men the ball. The two farthest defensemen (X4 and X3) deny the skip lanes.

Variation: Bingo Above the Goal Variation: Line Extended vs. 1-3-2

Against a 1-3-2, the same bingo (double team) situation applies. X5 doubles the ball, the two adjacent men deny their men the ball, X4 is in the skip lane from M1 to M3, and X3 covers the creaseman. In a tiger situation above the GLE, lead the farthest offensive player away from the ball, below GLE uncovered.

Variation: Bingo Above the Goal Line Extended vs. 2-2-2

Against a 2-2-2, apply the same defense as against a 1-2-3: X5 bingos the ball, X2 and X6 deny adjacent men, and X3 and X4 play the creasemen.

Variation: Deny Defense (500 Series)

In this situation your aim is to take away the best feeder, scorer, or playmaker. Use a number call for this series. For example, if you want to cut off your opponent's best player, number 12, call 512:500 means you will play a five-man zone against their five remaining players, and 12 is the number of the player that will be cut off. In most situations you will be able to lock off this player with a short-stick midfielder. Even if the denied player gets the ball on a dead-ball or back-line situation, you pressure him to dodge and force him into a bingo or trap situation. A trap is allowing the offensive player to carry the ball to an area where he can be easily double teamed. Traps will be discussed later in the book.

The 500 series defense forces teams to change their offense and play without their best player. They probably haven't worked on this in practice very often. You, on the other hand, can work on 6v5 defense every day. If this forms the basis of your zone defense, you will be comfortable in a five-man zone. The deny defense, or 500 series, lets you go against 5v5.