INTERMEDIATE DEFENSIVE SET

• Most offensive systems are designed to get the ball low (through the crease position) at some point or another within an offensive-set.
  

• The defensive "shift" is a set-play for the defense, designed to double team the ball carrier when it gets passed to the strong-side crease player.
  

• In anticipation of the pass to the crease player, the middle defender on the strong-side slides toward the top-side of the crease player; the low defender pressures from underneath ("sticks up"); the strong-side high defender slides over to the adjacent outlet left open by the middle defender.
  

• The weak-side high defender sags back into the middle to cover any players that may have slipped in the middle.  The back-side crease defender also "sluffs" in the middle, potentially having to play against a north-south 2-on-1 if the opposing team is able to skip pass the ball to the weak-side.