In basketball, “hedge” refers to a defensive tactic where a defender temporarily steps out to challenge or “guard” the ball handler during a pick-and-roll situation. This is typically done by the defender who is guarding the player setting the screen (the screener).
Here’s how it works:
– When the ball handler comes off the screen set by the screener, the defender guarding the screener (known as the “hedger”) moves toward the ball handler to prevent them from easily driving to the basket or taking an uncontested shot.
– The hedging defender does not fully commit to guarding the ball handler but instead angles their body to disrupt the play, creating a temporary obstacle.
– The defender who was guarding the ball handler (now temporarily “stuck” on the screener) will then attempt to recover quickly to their own man, while the hedging defender retreats back to their original assignment.
The purpose of the hedge is to slow down or disrupt the ball handler’s offensive flow, buying time for the defender to recover and regain proper positioning. After the hedge, the defending team often relies on quick rotations to cover open players. The hedge can be “soft” (more of a temporary delay) or “hard” (where the defender aggressively challenges the ball handler).
