Pack Line Defense for Youth and High School Teams: Full Breakdown and Teaching Guide
Quick Coach Tips
Teach off-ball defenders to stay inside the “pack line” unless actively closing out.
Pressure the ball, protect the paint, and help early on drives.
Emphasize “stunt and recover” vs. shooters, “stunt and hold” vs. drivers.
On-ball defenders must angle their stance to force the ball into help.
Drill baseline rotations and flight-time closeouts to cover the system’s main weaknesses.
Full Breakdown: How the Pack Line Defense Works
What is the Pack Line Defense?
The Pack Line Defense is a man-to-man system built around one non-negotiable: protect the paint. It uses off-ball positioning and gap help to take away drives, force contested jump shots, and make opponents uncomfortable.
Unlike traditional denial-heavy defenses, the Pack Line sags off the ball to clog driving lanes. Off-ball defenders stay inside an imaginary arc called the “pack line” (about 16–17 feet from the basket), helping shrink the floor and discourage penetration.
It’s a system based on discipline, rotation, and trust.
Core Principle: Force Middle, Collapse the Paint
In the Pack Line, defenders angle their stance to force the ball handler into the middle of the floor—right into the help defense. That may go against conventional wisdom (many teams force baseline), but here's why it works:
The middle is where help is waiting.
Drives into the middle collapse the defense, triggering rotations and stunts.
Perimeter defenders are trained to dig, rotate, and recover based on scouting.
This only works if the on-ball defender applies pressure and the off-ball defenders are ready to help—never hugging their man, always in a stance, and ready to move on the flight of the ball.
Gap Help, Stunting, and the “Pack Line”
The defense gets its name from the line defenders pack inside. Everyone not guarding the ball must:
Stay inside the arc (~16–17 feet from the basket),
See both their man and the ball,
Be ready to stunt, help, and recover.
Two key techniques are taught:
Stunt and Recover: Against a good shooter. Step into the gap to freeze the ball-handler, then quickly recover with a high-hand closeout.
Stunt and Hold: Against a poor shooter. Step in and sit in the gap, making it difficult for the ball handler to drive—without worrying about a kick-out.
These reads are based on scouting and personnel. But the movement must be sharp, early, and committed—no reaching or half-rotations.
Flight Time Closeouts and Ball Pressure
Because defenders are in the gap, they must close out hard when the ball is passed to their man. The key coaching cue: “Move on the flight of the ball.”
Don't wait until the ball is caught—start your closeout the moment the pass leaves the passer’s hand. This gives you a better chance to contest or recover.
On-ball defense in the Pack Line is physical and urgent. The job is to pressure the ball and funnel it into help. No open threes. No easy blow-bys. No gaps between ball and help.
Where the Pack Line Breaks Down
Even the best team defenses have weaknesses. In the Pack Line, two areas need special attention:
Kickout Threes
Because defenders are packed in, kickouts to shooters require fast, clean closeouts.
If closeouts are slow or wild (leaving feet), opponents get rhythm threes.
Coach Tip: Drill closeouts with “choppy feet, high hand” technique. Don’t fly by—break down and contest.
Baseline Drives
When the ball is driven baseline, help is often late or absent.
Off-ball defenders must rotate from the weak side or the top to stop layups.
Coach Tip: Drill baseline help as a built-in second rotation. Emphasize “help the helper” coverage, especially from the corner.
How to Teach the Pack Line (Youth & High School Level)
Step 1: Shell Drill Foundation
Start with 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 shell drills. Emphasize positioning inside the pack line, communication, and seeing both man and ball. Rotate defenders through every position.
Step 2: Stunt & Recover Reps
Break down scenarios where players must read the ball-handler and determine whether to stunt-and-recover or stunt-and-hold. Add live offensive players to create decision-making situations.
Step 3: Closeout Drills
Teach players to anticipate passes and move on the flight of the ball. Use “advantage” situations (like 4-on-3 or skip passes) to simulate late closeouts.
Step 4: Baseline Help and Crackback Rotations
Create scenarios where the ball is driven baseline and defenders must rotate down from the top or weak side. Emphasize “help the helper” and avoid giving up dunks or dump-offs.
Step 5: Game-Like Scenarios
Run 5-on-5 and mix in different types of offensive actions: drive-and-kick, ball screens, Iverson cuts, etc. The goal: train your defense to stay packed in, rotate intelligently, and recover without fouling.
Why the Pack Line Works
Eliminates dribble penetration
Forces contested jump shots
Simplifies help responsibilities
Requires effort, stance, and rotation, not elite athleticism
For coaches at the youth and high school levels, it's a system that builds habits, teaches team defense, and works even without elite defenders, if taught with structure and discipline.
