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Hedge in Basketball: Basic Information Explained

What is the hedge in basketball

The hedge is a basketball defensive tactic that occurs during ball screen action in which the screener’s defender obstructs the desired dribbling route of the screen receiver in possession of the ball by typically lifting above the on-ball screen to ultimately hinder offensive productivity.

Additionally, the hedge is sometimes referred to as hedge and recover because the screener’s defender will typically recover to the screener after executing the initial hedge action.

Moreover, the hedge is also known as show because the screener’s defender will briefly show themselves to the screen receiver with the ball while limiting or preventing that screen receiver’s planned dribbling destination.


Related: “Show” – The Basketball Dictionary


Why is the hedge potentially effective

The hedge is potentially effective because it could essentially mitigate or totally diminish the effectiveness of the on-ball screen, primarily by neutralizing dribble penetration as well as the pick and roll between the screener and the screen receiver.

When should a defensive team consider implementing a hedge

Defensive post players have above average footspeed

Generally speaking, when an offensive team implements the on-ball screen, they will do so by utilizing one of their best post players as the screener. Afterwards, that same post player will typically roll to the basket, receive the ball, and score near the rim.

Furthermore, in some instances, the post player could also pop to certain areas near the perimeter, receive the ball, and shoot open jump shots if they possess that particular skill set.

Therefore, if the defensive team has one or more post players that are fast and have above average footspeed, then that same defensive team could counter those possible offensive actions with the hedge defensive tactic.

The main reason is that a fast defensive post player can quickly get above the ball screen to limit its efficacy and recover to their original assignment (or perhaps another assignment in certain situations).

Offensive team prefers to execute many ball screens

If the offensive team prefers to execute many ball screens, then the defensive hedge could disrupt the effectiveness of that offensive strategy.

From that point, the offensive team would have to figure out methods to counter the hedge if they want to continue their ball screen action or they would have to implement one or more new strategies altogether.

This could be advantageous for the defensive team because in the time or process of the offensive team determining how to counter the hedge, they could have one or more empty possessions which could consist of bad quality shot selection or possibly turnovers.

Furthermore, if the offensive team decides to execute one or more new strategies, then at that point, the defensive team has won the figurative chess match because they were able to influence the offensive team into executing a plan of action that they most likely did not want to carry out in the first place.

Offensive team has guards with speed or guards that can score off the dribble

If the offensive team possesses guards (especially point guards) with speed that can get to the basket quickly, particularly after receiving the on-ball screen, then the hedge could be utilized as a counter action.

Moreover, if the offensive team has guards (or perimeter players in general) that are able to shoot off the dribble, especially after receiving the ball screen, then the hedge defensive tactic could curtail that potential scoring opportunity.

Essentially, when the screener’s defender executes the hedge, it effectively slows down the player with the ball and mitigates, or completely neutralizes their potential dribble penetration towards the basket.

Also, if the player in possession of the ball has the ability to score off the dribble, particularly from the mid-range or beyond the three-point arc, then the hedge increases the difficulty in accomplishing that action with relative ease.

What is the difference between a hard hedge and a soft hedge

The difference between a hard hedge and a soft hedge is that during hard hedge action, the screener’s defender aggressively lifts above the screen for a second or two before recovering while at the time of soft hedge action, the screener’s defender will contain the ball immediately after the screening action for approximately a second prior to recovery.

It should also be mentioned as well that while the soft hedge could be useful in certain instances, the hard hedge is probably more effective in general because it is designed to prevent dribble penetration as well as limit scoring opportunities and/or multiple passing options for the player with the ball that receives the screen.

Hard hedge

Essentially, with the hard hedge, the screener’s defender will quickly get above the screen and implement as much defensive pressure as necessary to stop any and all dribble penetration.

Afterwards, the screener’s defender will commonly sprint to their assignment during the recovery phase.

The hard hedge could be considered if the screener’s defender has above average footspeed and general athleticism, the player that receives the screen has an adequate jump shot, especially from three-point range, and at the same time, the screener only possesses moderate or below average scoring abilities, particularly around the basket.

Also, to mitigate the effects of the long recovery by the screener’s defender, the defensive team could consider utilizing a weak side defender, generally referred to as a tag defender, who would slide over to temporarily cover the screener as the roll action happens until the screener’s defender is able to recover.

Soft hedge

Basically, with the soft hedge, the screener’s defender will stay level or parallel with the screen in an attempt to momentarily limit dribble penetration of the player in possession of the ball.

Following that, the screener’s defender would then recover to the initial assignment after the on-ball defender fights through the screen, which would typically take no longer than a second.

The soft hedge could be considered if the player that receives the on-ball screen has above average athleticism with dribble drive capabilities but only an average (or below average) jump shot, and at the same time, the screener possesses more than adequate scoring abilities, particularly around the basket.

In other words, if the screener can score around the basket and at the same time, the player that receives the on-ball screen is fast and prefers to slash to the basket, then the soft hedge could be beneficial.

The main reason for this is because if the defensive team implements the hard hedge in this instance, then the player that receives the on-ball screen would most likely be able to use their speed and quickness to dribble around the screener’s defender (or split between the screener and the screener’s defender) and following that, the screener’s defender would still have to make a long recovery to the screener.

What is an offensive counter to the hedge

The short roll is an offensive counter to the defensive hedge in which the screener will roll to an area of the court, usually near the perimeter, as opposed to rolling completely to the basket after setting the screen.

Afterwards, the short roller could receive the ball, primarily via a pocket pass, and then score themselves or pass the ball to other teammates for additional scoring opportunities.

The short roll can be an effective counter against the defensive hedge, particularly the hard hedge, because the screener’s defender is too far away from the screener during the moment of the short roll and usually won’t have enough time to recover during the hedge action.

What are the general techniques to execute the hedge

Technique #1

The first technique to execute the hedge is for the screener’s defender to see the screen before it happens, call it out to the on-ball defender, and then quickly get above the screen in the case of a standard/hard hedge or parallel with the screen in the case of a soft hedge, just before or during the moment of the potential dribble penetration.

Technique #2

The second technique to execute the hedge is for the screener’s defender to try to stay as close to the screener as possible upon moving above or parallel with the screen.

This is important to consider because if the player that receives the on-ball screen is savvy enough, then that same player could potentially take one or two dribbles, particularly away from the basket, as if to concede to the hedging action.

However, this is simply craftiness by the player in possession of the ball and if the screener’s defender hedges too high above the screen and/or is too far from the screener, then that same player could split into the gap between the screener and the screener’s defender.

Therefore, to close the potential gap and inhibit the ability to split between it, the screener’s defender should typically hedge while keeping their inside arm and leg adjacent to the outside arm and leg of the screener.

Technique #3

The third technique to execute the hedge is for the screener’s defender to slide in front of the screen receiver’s planned dribbling pathway with a proper defensive stance while remaining as close as possible to the screener as previously mentioned.

This allows the screener’s defender to implement at least a moderate amount of defensive pressure against the offensive player that receives the on-ball screen.

As a result, that same offensive player is effectively forced to slow down (or stop) their dribble penetration and/or re-route their dribbling path to another location that is generally away from the basket.

Technique #4

The fourth technique to execute the hedge is for the screener’s defender to recover to the original assignment (i.e. the screener) or another assignment (such as an off-ball switch) after executing the hedge action.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the screener’s defender should have their hands high and active during the process of the recovery.

The main reason that this is important is because when the screener rolls to the basket or pops to a perimeter area after setting the screen, the high and active hands essentially forces the player with the ball to execute a high arching lob pass over the screener’s defender in order to get the ball to the screener in the first place.

In other words, the high arching lob pass is slower than a more standard basketball pass such as a chest pass, bounce pass, or overhead pass.

When that occurs, this gives the screener’s defender more time to recover to the assignment, thereby limiting the intended effects of the roll or pop action.

What are basic diagram examples of the hedge

Example 1

Example 1

This is an example of the hedge when the ball is at the top. To demonstrate, 1 begins to dribble towards the right side of the floor via the on-ball screen set by 5.

However, during the initial moment of the on-ball screen, X5 gets above the screen with the hedge to impede the dribble pathway of 1.

At the same time, X1 goes over the top of the screen and under the hedge while 1 re-routes the dribble towards the right side wing area.

Afterwards, 5 rolls to the basket but gets briefly tagged by X2 while X5 recovers, represented by the gray arrow.

Furthermore, X4 can provide additional help defense by sliding into the lane to protect the basket, primarily because the strong side low post area is empty.

Example 2

Example 2

This is an example of the hedge when the ball is near the right slot and the screener pops to an area on the perimeter. 1 begins to dribble towards the top but the initial dribble pathway gets cut off by the hedge of X5.

As that happens, X1 goes under the screen and hedge as 1 re-routes the dribble towards the left slot area.

Next, 5 pops toward the right side wing area while X5 recovers, particularly with high hands, shown with the gray arrow.

After that, if 5 were to receive the ball from 1, then X5 should probably have enough time to recover, especially if 1 had to execute a high arching pass over X5.

What are additional ball screen defensive tactics comparable to the hedge

Drop coverage is a basketball defensive tactic in which a screener’s defender will drop below the screener, typically slightly above or underneath the free throw line area during a ball screen or pick and roll action by the offensive team.

Ice defense is a basketball defensive tactic which focuses on limiting scoring options from the side pick and roll action of the player with the ball as well as the screener who would typically roll to the basket after setting the screen.