Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a video series featuring Alabama Crimson Tide on SI's beat writers. Multiple times per week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as BamaCentral basketball and football writer Hunter De Siver discusses Alabama's five best defensive players.

On Nov. 2, BamaCentral asked Alabama basketball head coach Nate Oats during a press conference which of his players would take the last shot with any given game on line. He gave a handful of names, and it's something to keep an eye on this season, especially during SEC play.

But what about the opposite situation? When Alabama's on defense with 10 seconds remaining, either winning by one possession or in a tie ball game, who should be the five players locking down to prevent a loss?

The Crimson Tide has played in three regular-season and three exhibition contests thus far, and it is only going to get tougher from here. We've seen who stands out defensively and who needs some more work, and there's plenty of time for the entire team to improve on that side of the ball.

Here are my picks for Alabama's defensive lineup in a do-or-die situation.

Jaxon Richardson

If the ball-handler in the final seconds plays in the backcourt, Richardson should be the one guarding him. Oats compared him to former Alabama standout and All-NBA defender Herb Jones before the regular season tipped off.

He's shown flashes of that in his limited playing time due to injuries, with the most notable coming in the scrimmage against Auburn. He subbed in during the final minutes of The Feud and locked down Tahaad Pettiford while also shadowing Kevin Overton — the Tigers' top-2 scorers.

Amari Allen

Allen showed he can guard the 1-4 spots on the floor last season and should only grow defensively this year. He withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft for multiple reasons, one being that scouts want him to get bigger. Accomplishing this over the next couple of months while putting his renowned versatility on full display should get him in the 2027 lottery.

Tarris Bouie

Bouie has mostly shown his abilities on the offensive of the ball via his dunking and shots from deep, but he's proven himself defensively, too. Bouie's hops help him as a rebounder and shot-blocker, but his lengthy wingspan has made him a real threat to steal the ball. He swiped six steals during season opener against Furman.

Brandon Garrison

Alabama awards a hard hat every game to the player who tallies the most blue-collar points, which are numbers that don't show up on the stat sheet — deflections, dives, drawing fouls, etc. Garrison has won it all three games, including a 10-deflection night against Oakland. His consistent physicality and effort easily gives him a spot on the All-Defensive Team.

Keitenn Bristow

Bristow only played in 10 games last season before an injury sidelined him the rest of the way. He showed flashes of potential when healthy, and so far this year, those flashes have become a part of his every-game output. He's logged three blocks in all three games. This makes him a great choice to round out the All-Defensive Team and serve as the primary rim protector.