Curtis Hodgson,Working On Your Defensive Game:

1) Communication: Being a good defenseman requires that you can play in a team system and work with your teammates. Good offensive players are always moving, setting picks, and looking to get open. Most breakdowns on defense occur when defensive players have a miscommunication on the floor about what they were supposed to do. To avoid these breakdowns, defensive players must talk to each other. Practice telling your teammate when a screen is coming and what side it is coming from. Call out "screen/pick coming on the left". This allows your teammate to know what is happening behind him. Also call out to your teammate what to do...for example..."open to it" or "play through it". Practice talking to each other all the time in drills and in scrimmage situations so that it becomes second nature during a game

2) Defensive Position: Practicing being in the right position while defending will really help your defense. A good defender fights to make sure his shoulders are square to the boards while he is checking the ball on one side of the floor. If you start turning your shoulders, an offensive player can get around you to the net. Defensively, players also want to ensure that they are taking away the stick side of the offensive player. By taking away the stick side, a defensive player is able to stay in the shooting lane of an offensive player and limit their ability to shoot the ball well.

3) Footwork: Good defensemen never let their heels touch the floor. Always make sure that you are playing defense in an active 'ready' position. Being able react to what an offensive player does with fast footwork will really help you stay in a good defensive position. I am always practicing my footwork in the gym using a variety of fast feet drills.

Hopefully by focusing on these things you will notice an improvement in your defensive ability!