In basketball, many rules and techniques differ; various offensive and defensive strategies are distinct from each other and are adopted by the players during the entire game.
These are the tactics that bring more enthrallment to the game. However, no doubt, some of them become rocket-science for some spectators.
Well, one of these techniques that help players change the whole game is the hedge. While watching a basketball match, you must have heard the word hedge is used. So what does hedge mean in basketball?
To understand this tactic of basketball, you need to picture the whole scenario. I am here to help you out understanding the technique of hedge in basketball. Besides, I would be sharing some efficient ways to create a hedge consistently.
What Does Hedge Mean in Basketball?
Hedge in Basketball
A hedge is used as a defensive technique. It occurs when the defensive player is defending a player without a ball and comes in the way of his opponent (who possesses the ball) to prevent him from getting to the basket.
Besides stopping him, he blocks his way to avoid him entering the court’s painted zone. Hedge usually takes place during a screen or pick and rolls situations.
However, this is the most recommended strategy to use hedge during the game, which delivers the best consequences.
Moreover, the hedge can also be used to oppose the most efficient strategy in the game to change the whole scenario. Other than this, if this technique goes wrong, the players can be called for it and given a penalty.
Effective Ways to Create Hedge Reliably
The hedge can be created in both offensive and defensive concepts, but they work differently in the two.
Offensive Concept
On the offensive side, if the player realizes that the defensive player is hedging, he can make several counter moves.
In this way, right before taking place the hedge, he can quickly dribble around it and call out to be fouled or split the screener and hedge the defensive player to provide himself a path to the rim.
Thus, he could also cast-off the screen by seizing the defensive guard, which enables him to pass the screener easily, whose defender is on the back of the strong hedge.
Defensive Concept
Taking placing the hedge on the defensive side, the basic defender of the ball handler would get two options; either to go under the screen to meet the ball handler around the other side or to go over chasing him.
However, deciding upon any of these choices totally relies upon the power of the offender. This is because if the player is a fine shooter, then the defender should not allow the ball handler to shoot and go over.
However, if the player is not a strong shooter, the defender can easily go under to make a hedge. The defensive hedge concept is the most common and valuable for ball screeners.
In this way, both defenders who are defending the ball and the screen exchange their positions. It means that one defender protecting the ball will move to guard the screen, and another protecting the ball will move to guard the ball.
This strategy aids the defender in preventing making a straight line to the rim by the opponent. At that moment, the defensive player defending the screener would pick the ball-handler right after he performs the screen.
Tidying Pick and Rolls
Another effective way to make the hedge is tidying pick and rolls in which both defending players guarding the ball handler and the screener execute a double team of the offender off the screen rapidly.
Thus, the team has to perform this move only in his mind first because if the other team exposes you, the remaining defensive player may opt for this move before you.
Hedge and Recover
You can either create the hedge and recover, which is the most popular coverage by the defender to hedge the pick and roll. In this method, the defensive player protecting the screener takes place in the hedge by picking on the ball handler while holding back with the screener.
The player defending the ball can then move over or below the screen and return to protecting the ball handler before exiting the screen. However, it all depends upon the ball handler if he is a fine shooter or not.
How to Prevent Being Hedged?
It could be hard to say that hedge is an easy technique in both creating and preventing means. The player requires loads of tactics and strategies while hedging or being hedged. But you can also beat the hedge in some effective ways.
- Most of the time, the defender goes near the ball handler when he is going to screen. However, he should come in the middle of the way of the offender to stop him from approaching the basket to execute the hedge. Changing the direction helps the player drastically to prevent being hedged from the opponent.
- Another operative way to avoid is by understanding the defender. If the player focuses on the opposing team’s player, he would easily get to know the next move. By doing this, the player comes to know whether the team is planning to hedge or not. Therefore, if the hedge is performed, you can easily come up with a strategy to counter it.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve got to know the hedge is performed in the basketball. However, to perform a successful hedge, you need to practice a lot and adopt various techniques and strategies to master it.
Besides, I have discussed some efficient tips to beat the hedge and prevent yourself from foul. I hope the article has been helpful for you to provide adequate information about the hedge in basketball.