Transition Defense – Types of Breaks

Transition Defense - Types of Breaks

By: Don Zimmerman and Peter England

Originally Published in: Men's Lacrosse - Human Kinetics

The defensive transition game involves defending various types of breaks: 6v5, 5v4, 4v3, 3v2, and 2v1. The defense wants to compress the area that they have to defend by getting back into the hole (see figure 13.5). The hole is an area stretching 12 yards out from the GLE and directly in front of the goal. If defenders beat the ball back to their goal, they should go to the hole and see if they need to pick up anybody inside. Defenders should always be quicker to get into the hole and slower to come out to play the opposing team on the perimeter (quick in, slow out). A defender must get into the hole, make sure this is a secure area, and then check out to his man. The defender shouldn't be looking for his man out at the restraining line even though he might be there. Transition defense is based on "circling the wagons" around the goal. The defensive team wants to pack as many of their players in the hole as they possibly can in transition and unsettled situations; the players then check out. The defense should maintain a tight formation so that there are not a lot of passing lanes. This also maximizes the effects of slides. Defenders should have their sticks up in order to take away passing lanes. Defenders have their head on a swivel, and everybody is looking around. Everybody is talking, listening, and helping each other out. The defense is working together as a unit, and nobody needs to be heroic and try to make a big play.

6v5 Break

A 6v5 break (figure 13.6) may not be as apparent to the defense as other breaks because of all the player traffic. All defenders need to identify their matchups and communicate regarding which offensive player they are defending. If there is a 6v5 break, the defense has numbers to compensate for being one down on defense. However, if the defense is not aware of the break situation, a 2v1 opportunity can happen very quickly. The trailing defender should not yell "All even" until he is inside and checking out. At that point, the team is playing 6v6 team defense.

5v4 Break

Against this break, the defense uses a box formation (figure 13.7). Typically, the close defense sets up in a triangle, and defender 4 comes down and sets up in the box. Defender 1 or defender 4 must first stop the ball carrier and make him pass. On the first pass, the defense will rotate into the flight of the ball. The defense must make sure they have the crease covered and have the ball carrier covered because he is the most dangerous player. The adjacent defenders should be in skip lanes. The defense is leaving the farthest man from the ball open, but defenders are trying to split two attackers if they can. On each pass, the defense continues to rotate into the ball. Low defenders stay in front of the GLE because the defense doesn't go behind the goal. If an opposing attackman drives to the cage from behind the goal, a help- side defender may slide across the crease (coma slide) to play this attackman. If an off-ball player cuts inside, a defender should cover him and release him to a crease defender so that the first defender can get back into the rotation. If a defender is trailing the ball, he will go away from the flow of the ball.

4v3 Break

In this situation, the defensive formation is a tight triangle (figure 13.8). Defender 1 is out top covering the point attackman (attackman 1). Defender 2 is down low covering the right-handed shooter (attackman 2). Defender 3 is down low covering the left-handed shooter (attackman 3). Everybody will slide to the inside hub (imaginary hat) first and then out to the opponent. Sliding in this manner keeps the triangle tight and helps with the passing lane angles. Defender 1 is positioned at 12 yards out. Defender 1 slides across to pick up midfielder 4. His objective is to force midfielder 4 to give up the ball to attackman 1. If midfielder 4 doesn't pass, then defender 1 must eventually stop the ball. If midfielder 4 starts to wind up at 12 yards, the defender D1 would invite the shot and try to get a piece of his gloves. A shot at that distance is not a high-percentage shot. If midfielder 4 passes the ball to attackman 1, defender 1 will slide inside to the hub and then down to attackman 3. The slide from midfielder 4 to attackman 3 is the toughest one to execute on the defensive break. Defender 1 has to slide across the field, stop midfielder 4, drop-step, and with two steps get into the passing lane from attackman 1 to attackman 3.

When midfielder 4 passes to attackman 1, defender 2 slides inside to the hub and then out to attackman 1. Defender 2 wants to come out at a good angle and under control with his stick in port position to knock down passes and poke-check when within range. The last thing he wants is to be dodged by attackman 1.

When midfielder 4 throws the ball, defender 3 slides to the inside hub and then out to attackman 2. When defenders slide, they must slide under control so they don't get dodged. Some teams like to drag defender 3 across the crease to help out with the passing lane from attackman 1 to attackman 3, but defender 3 should not screen the goalkeeper.

3v2 Break

The defensive formation is a stack (figure 13.9). Defender 2 is positioned on the crease, and defender 1 is positioned 10 to 12 yards out. Defender 1's job is to hold and stop the ball at 12 yards out. On the first pass, defender 2 takes the ball, and defender 1 turns to the inside, gets down, and looks opposite.

2v1 Break

When defending a 2v1 near the goal FIGURE 13.9 Defending a 3v2. (figure 13.10), the defender needs to drop down into the crease and compress his area of the defense. He wants to make his two opponents continue to come inside where their area to handle the ball is tight (instead of being out top where they have too much space). The defender is trying to buy some time so that help can arrive. The defender should use a V-up body position: He opens up so he can see both the ball (attackman 1) and the other man (attackman 2). He must not stare at the ball. He's playing "cat and mouse" between attackman 1 and attackman 2. On a 2v1, the defender is not playing the man with the ball (attackman 1). He is shading toward attackman 2 and is really playing attackman 2. Although the defender is off ball and can't make contact with the ball carrier (attackman 1), his stick is in a port position, ready to knock down a pass. As the defender closes, he is staying in that port position until he can get a piece of the ball carrier's glove. Eventually, the defender has to stop the ball. As attackman 1 gets closer, the defender will have to come in and get a piece of the attacker's gloves, whether attackman 1 throws or shoots the ball. The defender will eventually have to slide to the ball, but he doesn't want to do it too early. He doesn't want to make the decision for the man with the ball. The defender should make the ball carrier decide what his best option will be: pass or shoot.

Transition defense is based on certain fundamentals, including ball possession, defending ball movement, communication, and trying to get more numbers near the goal to counteract the break situation. When your team commits a turnover, each unit has a function in trying to regain possession in a smart, efficient, and non-risky manner. Transition defense boils down to how a team and its individual players handle a 2v1 advantage for the other team. In the open field, defenders are more likely to give ground first before challenging the ball carrier. Near the goal, the defenders might not have that choice. Usually, the best policy is to compress the field so that defenders need to use minimal slides to chase the ball. This chapter examined various break situations and showed the importance of communication, patience, and working as a coordinated unit.