94 Feet

     I don't know a single basketball player who doesn't like to put the ball in the hoop. Everyone likes to score. People will sprint the floor if they know they'll get an open dunk or layup as a result of doing so. What I find telling about a person's game is if that same player will sprint the floor in order to stop an opposing player's attempt at a finish in transition. While the majority of basketball players love to score, the minority, I believe, truly love to defend.

     An official basketball court is 94 feet long. You can tell who loves to defend by who uses all 94 feet of the court. There's something honorable, in my opinion, about a player who uses the entire court on both sides of the ball. A player who mans up chest to chest with the offensive player before the ball is even inbounded is the player I want on my team. He is the player who will sprint the floor on both ends of the court. He is the player who will dedicate his body and his intentions to being not only a ferocious defender, but a selfless teammate as well.

     There is something beautiful about a defense-first mentality. They say defense wins championships, so why not direct every ounce of your energy to locking up on that end of the court? Well, many players choose not to because the glory doesn't lie on D. More recognition comes with "getting buckets" or "dropping dimes." Some players are smart enough to know they won't be in the newspaper for making an extra and necessary rotation on defense, or for applying ball pressure that didn't result in a steal (but might have worn down the ball handler). These same players, unfortunately, are also dumb enough to care about how best to get recognized. Others simply choose not to defend because they decide to succumb to their fatigue. They lack the necessary will power to ignore their heavy breathing. These are the selfish  players. Fortunately for the game of basketball, not every one is like this.

     When a player dedicates his efforts to do everything in his power not to let the other team score, his mind is in the right place. The best teammates are the ones who find the beauty in getting nasty on D. These are the ones who sacrifice their bodies for the good of the team, because picking up full court man to man and applying relentless ball pressure on each possession is a tiring process. To put it short, it's one heck of a workout, both physically and mentally. The toughest players don't relent, don't stop, but continue to pressure play after play. They have the strongest will power because they continuously overcome the mental facade that their body needs to rest. They believe being tired is simply a choice they do not partake in. They believe they can draw a ten (or eight) second violation all on their own, because the offensive player doesn't need the luxury of having room to breathe. The best examples of NBA talent exhibiting such a mindset are former Detroit Piston Lindsey Hunter and Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton, who is better known as "The Glove." Former Hawk Mookie Blaylock, current Houston Rocket back-up point guard Patrick Beverly, and current Boston Celtic Avery Bradley also come to mind. Because they were so dedicated to playing both ends of the court, getting low in a defensive stance was instinctual, or second nature for these guys. These five are the guys I study most when attempting to pick up defensive habits for my own game. Fortunately for me, I've had the privilege of playing with great defenders, though less well-known than these pros, in person for quite some time.


     Growing up in Rockford, Michigan, I played at a school that brainwashed us with a defensive mentality. Former Rockford High School head coach Steve Majerle and current Rockford High assistant Ryan DeKuiper instilled in me (along with many of their past and present players) an attitude that deemed defense the perfect time to get nasty and go all out. While offense should be smooth like Alicia Keys's voice, Coach Majerle would say, defense is scream-o, its heavy metal, its Metallica. I not only got to pick their brains about this mindset, but I also got to watch and learn from some of Rockford's best. I credit much of my desire to play great defense to two former Rockford point guards. Jarad Smith and my big brother, Nathan Van Pelt, are without a doubt a pair of the best on-the-ball defenders the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) have ever seen. Unfortunately for point guards in the OK-Red conference, they played on the same team. I still credit Nathan for introducing the one-handed face guard to high school basketball in Michigan, and Jarad for the most intense, active hands I've ever witnessed from a basketball player. Each of these guys did not wait for their man to get to half court before they hounded the ball, but they picked up immediately. They used all 94 feet of the court. In other words, they got nasty.

     Like Nathan and Jarad, I too have a passion for picking up opposing ball handlers before they even turn around to see the court. I've been recognized by my previous coaches as an above average defender. However, I must admit I don't think I've ever even been the best defender on my own team.

     Throughout my high school years I was fortunate to team up with two other guards very similar to myself. Though we all have much different skillsets, we were all small, quick guards. Gabe Vanderjagt, Brogan Bibler, and I, as a result of our speed, made a living running various presses designed by our coaches, Majerle and DeKuiper, who are two great basketball minds. Brogan Bibler, or "Bibby" as I call him, I also must admit, was a better defender than I. Playing alongside him was a pleasure because he had a lock-down mentality like no other. Whether he was checking former University of Michigan speedster Kelvin Grady or simply guarding the tough guards of the OK-Red, Bibby did his thing. In college he pursued football at Grand Valley University where he also played on the defensive side of the ball. But had he wanted to, Brogan could have played small college basketball because of his unyielding ability to shut down opposing team's stars. I always thought of myself as a good defender, but in hind sight, I must say Bibby was the best of the best. While we were very similar in our mindset and our ability to pressure the ball, he was a little faster, a little stronger, and a little bigger than I was. That put him over the top.

     Much like my high school coaches stressed defense, my college coaches also believed that defense was one thing that could and should always remain consistent. You can shoot lights out one night, and go cold another night. Individuals and teams alike can have off-days on the offensive end of the court. But, defense, moreover, is something that can be brought day in and day out, as my coaches would constantly preach to me and my teammates at Spring Arbor University (SAU). I was a defense-first guy in college too, but stand by my opinion that there were guys better than I. Willie Pickvet might be the best defensive player SAU has ever seen, with his length, athleticism, and ability to guard multiple positions. He, however, did not consistently pick up full court because he was a big man. He, instead, dominated the paint. There were others, however, who I feel could defend the perimeter better than myself.

     While I was able, for the most part, to apply pressure, stay in front of my man, and occasionally draw five-second violations, I only led the SAU Cougars in steals my freshman season. During my sophomore, junior, and senior campaigns, my fellow classmate and back-court mate Chris Bellamy led the team in that category. He even finished 8th in the nation this past season with 2.4 steals per contest. He was not only better than I in the passing lanes, but Bellamy guarded four different positions while I usually checked opposing point and shooting guards. Bellamy had the ability to pressure guards as well as block shots and pull down boards (as evident by the fact that he is a member of the 600 rebound club at SAU). Every SAU follower knows he can score, but Bellamy also has a better feel for the game than anyone I've ever played with, which is precisely why I deem him an underrated and better defender than myself.

     I have a great deal of appreciation for great defenders, which guides my intentions in writing this short piece. I am very passionate about defending, doing the little things, and getting "dirty", as well as playing with players who don't make boosting their offensive stats their top priority. As a result, I'd like to thank all of the guys who "got nasty" and locked up with me during my high school and collegiate years. I also owe a great deal of thanks to the guys who went before me and set that foundation. That foundation has programmed in me a defense-first mindset in which I am extremely enthusiastic about. I call that foundation the "94-feet mentality." It's my favorite part about the game of basketball.