#4 is often called the "ROVER". He must be your smartest defensive player. It is advisable for the coach to spend extra time with #4 going over different situations that may occur.

Against a 1-4 high offensive alignment after one player, or two or three or more move the offense goes into either a 2-1-2, 1-3-1 or a 1-2-2 alignment. These are the only things they can go into that are offensive sound. So this is the only alignments we work against. It is also the only alignments you work against.

In the match-up there are no seams or gaps.

There are seven things an offensive player can do:
1) Shoot
2) Drive
3) Exchange or Screen
4) Leave
5) Loop
6) Slide
7) Flash

If your opponent runs a man type offense your match-up will look more like a zone defense.

If your opponent runs a zone type offense your match-up will look more like a man-to-man offense.

Anytime the ball goes to the corner all defenders are free throw line and below.

The match-up will keep your bigger defenders closer to the basket and keep your smaller defenders on the perimeter.

You must always challenge the shooter.
You must always block out.

You should have a zone defense that you play really well. Show this defense and then match-up.

Communication and common sense are the cornerstones of the match-up defense.