Football lessons also parallel a defense-first basketball team in many ways, and he's used them to get through to a team that features the starting safety, quarterback and wide receiver of the Grizzlies football team in the starting lineup.

Source: https://gazette.com/high-school-sports/from-seeing-to-believing-mesa-ridge-basketballs-buy-in-to-new-coach-created-unbeaten-season/article_34ee8472-b866-11ed-b9a9-f7eb614b66ed.html

I know none of this makes the defense-first junkies just magically overlook the frustration with not being able to come up with big stops when needed.

Source: https://www.abqjournal.com/2577338/emptying-the-notebook-are-these-lobos-the-best-unm-offense-in-mountain-west-era.html

Second-year players: Hassan Diarra provides a gritty, defense-first option at guard and Apostolous Roumoglou, from Greece, will likely be in an end-of-the-bench role similar to last season.

Source: https://www.courant.com/2023/06/01/with-newton-back-what-will-uconn-mens-basketball-roster-look-like-next-season/

The Islanders’ reputation as a defense-first team, in truth, was held up last year only because of their goaltending.

Source: https://nypost.com/2023/10/10/islanders-season-preview-ilya-sorokin-key-to-playoff-push/