“CLOSE-OUT

SITUATIONS”
Pascal Meurs
Belgian Basketball Clinic Event
June 2018 – Duffel, Belgium

FACTS
Number of possessions a game:
EuroMillions League Belgium D1: 70-77
Euroleague: 75-85
Each possession at very least 1 close-out situation, sometimes 5.

Different situation:
Close out to CONTAIN
Close out to CONTEST

Type of close out depends

- On WHO? (Shooter? Mismatch?)
- Spot on the court
- Time left on shotclock
- Coming from doing what?
o Help side
o Stunt
o Running in defensive transition

Drill #1 Close out FUNDAMENTALS

Yell “BALL”
Relax shoulders
Use airtime of bal lto react
Approaching steps, never land
on 2 feet
Transform into lateral quickness
Be light on the feet
1 Hand up
Explode after close-out, dont
slow down
After dribble, open up chest,
take contact on chest
Don’t open up the hips to allow
penetration
Pascal Meurs – “Close-out situations”
Belgian Basketball Clinic Event – June 2018 – Duffel, BEL
www.pascalmeurs.com
Drill #2 1on1 HC close-out drill
From lateral stance into close-
out

With or without pass from coach

With or without playing live

Drill #3 1on1 HC close-out drill

X3 starts in defense on the ball.
Ball is swung through the C on
top, where X3 sprints tob e on
time on the ball with 2. In 2
passes a defender must cover
any distance on court. Use
airtime of the ball.

Coach can control the speed of

the swing pass.

Drill #4 1on1 HC close-out from help

Skip pass by the coach, X1
defends from close-out, where
he will be always late if he
doesn’t cheat on the pass.

Drill #5 Attack on the catch Offense

Be licht on the feet, be on the
ball of the feet

Attack on the catch

Agressive with the ball, pull it

into the pocket before pushing i
tinto 1st dribble

Swiss ball in defense

Pascal Meurs – “Close-out situations”

Belgian Basketball Clinic Event – June 2018 – Duffel, BEL
www.pascalmeurs.com
Drill #6 1on1 HC close-out from stunt TO CONTAIN 7” on shotclock
C fakes to penetrate where X2
has to stunt. C passes out of
dribble to 1 and 1 plays 1on1
against X2.

1on1 defense out of stunt.

Coach counts from 7”

Drill #7 1on1 HC close-out from stunt TO CONTEST 3” on shotclock

Same drill but coach counts from
3”.

Team is in penalty

Clean close out

No foul
Verticality

Drill #8 2on2 HC rotation from help side

Coach makes skip pass to
weakside. Closest defender
closes out to first pass, second
defender matches up with the
other one. Live 2on2, limited
dribbles or passes.

Drill #9 4on3 HC
4on3 HC, communication in
defense
Use airtime of the bal lto move,
anticipate in defense

With or without dribbles and

moving in offense

With or without shotclock

Drill #10 MISMATCH / TACTICAL FOUL

Close outs in mismatches

Center on Guard, guard on

center

How to make a tactical foul?

…
Pascal Meurs – “Close-out situations”
Belgian Basketball Clinic Event – June 2018 – Duffel, BEL
www.pascalmeurs.com