Tagging Up vs. Crashing Five | Offensive Rebounding Deep Dive

Dan Krikorian, Patrick Carney and Eric Fawcett discuss the next stage of the offensive rebounding conversation: strict tagging up, crashing five, and the space between them. Pat shares his early experience with a staff sending five to the glass, while Dan breaks down the details that keep aggressive rebounding connected to transition defense: approaching on the high side, staying with the tag long enough, and making the rebounder’s first dribble go east-west.

The group explores freeing a strong offensive rebounder, adjusting to mismatches and scrambled defenses, and why the third player reaching the glass may matter more than adding a fourth or fifth. Eric shares observations from Division I tracking data, and Dan explains why transition numbers need to be checked against the film. The episode closes with a look at European teams and styles on the hosts’ watch lists.

What you will learn

• How crashing five changes the message players receive about offensive rebounding.
• Why low-side approaches, soft tags and early re-switches expose transition defense.
• How a one second press can buy time for teammates to recover.
• Where floor position and shot quality may justify more rebounding freedom.
• Why actual participation matters more than the number of players assigned to crash.
• How to separate transition possessions after turnovers from those after missed shots.
• What to watch when opponents use early screens to disrupt tags after made baskets.

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