Guarding a player on the block through a whole possession: where the post defender stands depends on where the ball is, and he moves on every pass. Ball above the free-throw line, he plays behind or three-quarters on the high side with a hand in the lane; ball on the wing, three-quarters on the high side; ball in the corner below him, he fronts completely, because a pass over a front from the corner is a lob with help waiting at the rim. When the ball is reversed, the post crosses the lane and the defender beats him across; when the entry gets in anyway, the defender walls up with his chest and his hands straight up and the wing digs. Why the position changes: the defender is always between the post and the ball, and the ball keeps moving; a post defender who stands behind on a corner pass concedes the easiest catch in basketball. What post defense concedes: the pass back out after a walled-up catch. Where the advantage lies: a post player who catches with a defender on his high side and a dig coming has one move, and it is away from the basket. Common youth mistakes: standing behind the post at all times, reaching around on the catch, and losing the post on the reversal. Most of this post defense comes from PGC Coaching's post defense drill and Coach's Clipboard's notes on defending without fouling; give them a look if you want to go deeper.
