Introduction

When most people talk about great college basketball teams, they obsess over offense.
Spacing. Shooting. Fancy actions. Analytics.

Houston?
They built a juggernaut on the other side of the ball — by making life absolutely miserable for opposing offenses.

And here’s the best part:
You don’t need five-star recruits to steal their best ideas.

In this video, we break down two simple defensive tactics Houston used — and how you can adapt them for your youth or high school team without needing 94-foot ball pressure or grown men throwing lobs.

👉 Watch the full breakdown here

Blitz Ball Handlers and Force Them Away From the Hoop

Houston doesn’t just switch screens or hedge politely.
They attack the ball screen like it’s personal.

The moment the ball handler comes off a screen, two defenders jump him — not to trap and chill, but to force him sideways and push him farther from the basket.

Key points youth coaches can take away:

• Teach your bigs and guards to “meet” the ball handler early and wide.
• The goal isn’t to steal the ball — it’s to disrupt flow and force bad decisions.
• Players must recover quickly after the blitz. Rotate, scramble, and live with imperfect outcomes if it keeps the offense off balance.

You don’t need elite length or footspeed to blitz ball screens at the youth level.
You just need players who understand one thing: make them uncomfortable.

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Hunt Tipped Passes After the Dribble Pickup

Once Houston forces a ball handler to pick up their dribble, the entire defense swarms.
Hands in the air. Bodies clogging passing lanes. Full chaos.

They aren’t playing passive denial — they’re actively hunting tips.

Why?
Because a tipped pass is often just as good as a steal. It creates broken plays, loose balls, and easy transition buckets.

Teaching your team to think this way means:

• As soon as the ball is picked up, everyone cranks up the energy.
• Hands are waving, angles are cut off, vision is crowded.
• Any tipped ball — even if it doesn’t lead to a steal — is celebrated.

At the youth level, you’ll be shocked how often one flustered pass leads to a two-point swing.

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Drills to Teach Houston’s Pressure System

If you want to bake these habits into your team, you can’t just tell them “pressure more!”
You have to create practice environments that force these behaviors.

Here are two drills straight from the breakdown:

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10-Second Pressure

One of the simplest — and most chaotic — drills you can run.

Setup:

• 3 players, 4 cones, 1 ball
• Two cones form a small “court” area for dribbling, two cones form the passing zone
• Player 1 starts with the ball, defended by Player X1

How it Works:

1. Player 1 dribbles for 5 seconds while X1 pressures the ball aggressively.
2. After 5 seconds, Player 1 picks up the dribble and must pivot and protect the ball for another 5 seconds.
3. X1 flails, tips, and harasses — trying to deflect the ball without fouling.
4. After the pivot, Player 1 must complete a pass to Player 2 about 12–15 feet away.
5. Points:
   • Successful pass = 1 point offense
   • Tipped pass = 1 point defense
   • Turnover/out of bounds = 2 points defense

Coaching Points:

• Max effort on pressure — not polite contests.
• Encourage controlled chaos.
• Celebrate tipped passes as much as steals.

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2-on-2 Houston Pick and Roll Drill

A live-action rep builder for blitzing ball screens and sprinting to recover.

Setup:

• 2 offensive players at the top (ball handler + screener)
• 2 defenders guarding tight
• Cone-marked areas for roller finish spots

How it Works:

1. Play starts with a live pick and roll.
2. Defender 1 fights over the screen.
3. Defender 2 blitzes the ball handler, forcing him high and away from the rim.
4. Screener rolls to the cone area for a pass.
5. Blitz defender must sprint back to recover once the ball is released.
6. If the pass completes cleanly, it’s live 1v1 play to finish.

Points System:

• Completed pass + score = offense wins
• Tipped pass = 1 point defense
• Turnover/steal = 2 points defense

Coaching Points:

• Sprint out of the blitz — don’t admire your work.
• Hands up, active, aggressive when recovering.
• Deflections = wins.

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Bonus: How We Create These Drills Easily

If you’re looking for a tool to draw up drills like these (without wanting to throw your laptop across the gym), we highly recommend the HoopsGeek Play Creator.

I’ve tried just about every play diagramming tool out there, and HoopsGeek blows them all out of the water.
It’s fast, intuitive, and designed for coaches who actually coach — not just draw fancy X’s and O’s.

If you use this link, you can try it free today.

Trust me — once you use it, you’ll wonder how you ever ran a practice without it.

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How You Can Use This in Your Program

You don’t need Houston’s roster to steal Houston’s mindset.

Teach your players two simple rules:

• Attack the ball.
• Attack the pass.

If you can do that, even imperfectly, you’ll turn boring games into pressure cookers.
You’ll create chaos.
You’ll create turnovers.
And you’ll create the kind of culture where defense isn’t a chore — it’s a weapon.