Pitt - Great Zone Play Used To Beat Syracuse's 2-3 Zone. If the wing is unable to make the pass to one of the post players, they have two options: a. Coach Hatchell shows her team’s basic offensive shell and a number of concepts that she uses to beat any type of zone defense. 1. Greg, The link in this post is no longer working. I used to struggle with not being aggressive enough, so I'm trying to really break through that barrier, because I know that I can score efficiently, and I have been told it by teammates and coaches. I coach junior high and we faced a basic 2-3 zone in our first game this past Thursday. If you're looking for an offense to use against a 2-3 zone, give this one a try. If wide open, the short corner player can take one step to the basket for a lay up. Here are 3 really simple yet effective strategies that every coach should consider. The 'middle' player has several responsibilities on offense and is heavily involved with scoring, passing, and reading the defense. Most teams play a 2-3 zone versus us and the 2 defenders on top rarely get higher than the free throw line. Coach we use the same 4 principles regardless of running offense against man to man or zone defensesa.) Greg - That's a good strategy that has worked well for us too. The 'warrior' is required to patrol the baseline between the short corners. Keep up the great comments and thanks Breakthrough Basketball. O1 passes to O2 (diagram A) and this causes the zone to shift. So it seems that keys to bust a zone are shots from the top (or the short corner) and quick passes around the perimeter, kind of like the frozen rope concept in baseball where a person can be thrown out from the outfield by hitting the cutoff man...in this analogy, the cutoff man is in the corner...I hope I didn't confuse you too much and I hope this helps. BH. This is because I am more inclined to place my 1 and 2 beyond the arc since they and their backups are excellent three point shooters. The man is as important as the ball. All great stategies for attacking zones. Thanks. i'll try strg#1... i think we loose the mismatch on this spot(d#1 d#2 vs a#4)... but... who knows..Matewing, The Internet's #1 Website for Basketball Camps, Resources and Learning Products. The purpose of a matchup is to get you confused, indecisive, and out of sync. I think a guard in that situation may be able to create some more, but his lake of size will make it difficult for him to get consistent scoring chances against a 2-3 zone. Thanks for all the great information. You're right about outside jumpers busting the zone. And that's to create a triangle on the wing. For strategy #1, I have found that to be the easiest to implement. But you’ll also find that they are easy to adapt and use against various zones. She''s a great passer AND can put the ball on the floor and dribble effectively, so our offense has worked really well almost always. Great tips.. Video showing how to attack a 2-3 zone defense with side ball screens If you are coaching young players, consider this simple 2-3 zone offense - easy to understand and teach. My 6th grade team used to struggle against zone defenses. Although we are are working daily on ball handling, i need a offense that centers areound the post players. Jan 12, 2017 - How to beat a 2-3 zone defense. I think strategy #1 is excellent as long as you currently have a "clumsier" player at the high post, i would still prefer to have a big guy at the high post so long as he is a decent passer and ball handler. However, like all zone defenses it does have weaknesses. One of the problems I have come across is that kids don't understand the concept of driving to pass against a zone. "Zone-23" Rules - this zone offense uses a 1-3-1 offensive set. If catching in the middle, a simple progression is to look for:- shot (if open)- drive (if can get lay up)- pass oppositeThat's the order of what to look for. Where is the block? We have incorporated into our practice O time each week. A coach that wants you to shoot 15-20X a game? ‘Wisconsin’ vs. 1-3-1 zone. This is the reason why the players on the wing start closer to the corner. Youth Coaches: Even though, you CAN win more games, AVOID playing any type of zone A Match-up Zone can cause problems for offenses finding ways to score. This especially It's very common for teams to put their big man at the free throw line in the middle of the zone offense. Could you send me the pdf if you have it.Thanks. Instead, he urges you to put your best But if you put one of your best ball handlers in the high post area, So there will be lots of rebound opportunities and you actually have a chance at being great at rebounding and defense. © Copyright 2021 Breakthrough Basketball, LLC. 2-3 (2-1-2) Zone Basketball Defense Summary This zone is similar to the 2-3 zone that Jim Boeheim uses at Syracuse. If the 3's are not there layups or free throws will work fine. Terri -That's a tough one. Just a thought. This forces X4 to shift . Looks for ball reversals and post ups if you have some posts. Any advice on this? ), and it has proven to be appropriate and effective at just about every level from youth basketball to the Division I college game. These are our offensive rules with one additional one. This comprehensive eBook has 75 set plays to attack zone defenses such as the 2-3, the 1-2-2, the 1-3-1, junk defenses, and even man-to-man defenses. #3 and number 2 really go together in that the way to attack a zone is to attack from the weak side and force the zone to stretch and rotate and then passing in the the 'little tears' in the zone. zone. Despite their limited movement, the warrior must have a high IQ as they're heavily involved in passing and the spacing of the offense. That's what I would focus on. Not to mention, wording things so players understand can certainly help. My players panicked a bit and our Motion Offense just fell apart. The 'Trilogy' 1-3-1 offense will allow your team to get the basketball into the gaps of the opposition's defense to create scoring opportunities close to the hoop. Against a 2-3 zone (diagram C), O4 screens the middle low defender. we are 4 & 0 this season, just beat one of our toughest rivals, I''ve used alot of your ideas from your website! It looks like a 2-3 zone defense initially, and at other times has the appearance of a 1-3-1 zone. I've had success attacking the gaps of even-front zones (e.g. whether it's one of my big men or my 2 guard. She''s injured, though, and we don''t have another big who is as good a dribbler or passer, so teams have been able to stimy us a bit more with an off-front zone. They get lots of touches and just create. What more can you ask? If you can just get one guy to improve and hit a few outside shots, it will change everything. How to Beat a 2-3 Zone - 17 Strategies. How does she get the ball back out to them from inside the swarm? This is similar to the small man in the middle. First, if your point guard can shoot the 3-pointer, he/she should get some open shots against this zone, since the middle defender is playing off the point. ), Strategy #1 - Put Your Best Ballhandler in the Middle (Even if They're 4 Foot Nothing). I show you my favorite 2-3 zone offense and use North Carolina as an example of how to run it. We also tell them to fake the shot and pass. open for a. This strategy illustrates why preventing dribble penetration is important in playing an effective zone defense. If you have good 3 shooters the zone will go away soon and it will be back to your winning offense. I also realize that we will have to pass alot. Beating the Zone - 75 Set Plays to Score Against Zone Defense, http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/pr/motionoffense.html, http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/forum/. It's also important that the 1 learn to freeze the guards with a dribble. It can be done in a in very little time and is easy to grasp. Using a runner is one of the most common ways that teams attack a 2-3 defense. if they don't, then the zone just sits back and waits...i know this won't be a groundbreaking comment. First read Zone Offense. This defense can be easily disguised as man to man. This is can be a very effective zone defense, because it still covers the 3-point arc as well as the inside game. We run a great motion offense against man defense and are good pressure defenders,but teams have been playing a lot zone and traps against us so your advise will really help us. The offense continues like this, with the post players move side-to-side in the gaps of the zone defense, until an opportunity to get the ball inside and attack opens up. If I tell the kids to fill the gaps, they'll stand stationary in a gap with the defense free to play center field and intercept a pass. Simple 1-3-1 Offense to Dominate a 2-3 Zone Defense If you're coaching a youth basketball team, playing against a 2-3 zone can be incredibly difficult. If anyone finds the secret to your issue, I hope they tell me. I play in highschool. Really cleared things up for me. I think the tips are very helpful for a volunteer coach like me. This isn't only one way to beat a 2-3 zone but as seen yesterday, this can be highly effective if coaches have the right personnel. We find the middle guy diving to the middle works a lot of the time. Then the … As a coach it is important to make sure that your team does not fall into these traps. b. In "54", it's all the same, except on the opposite side with the pass going into the left corner, O5 setting the inside screen and O4 cutting to the ball-side low post for the pass and lay-up. I will use it more because many of the teams that we play against love using the 122 zone. The bad thing is that she is surrounded and there is barely a lane to pass the ball out of. Do you have any tips for creating shots for yourself against a zone? corner. This opens up the short corner like you would not believe. The ball handler can then often pass to an open teammate for a shot. not saying it won't work though, as this year i've put my best driving guard at the high post at times against a smaller team (so he can finish easier), just some random thoughts... thanks to everyone for all their ideas and comments! It didn't hurt that he could jump out of the gym and could finish over the bigger post players as well. Press Defense Philosophy and Tips: #FastModelChat Recap - May 1, 2019. Instead of putting a guard at the high post, we work real hard at teaching all our forwards to pivot, then pass quickly to the block or short corner, or shoot. This isn't only one way to beat a 2-3 zone but as seen yesterday, this can be highly effective if coaches have the right personnel. The 2-3 zone defense is planned out to double team the opposing point guard as soon as his feet pass half court. The offense is run out of a 1-2-2 set. thanks! You might want to 2 out 3 in alignment. The defense will take the shape of the offensive set. It includes 2-3 zone plays, 3-2 zone plays, 1-3-1 zone plays, baseline out of bounds plays, and multi-purpose zone plays. The second guard takes the first pass using bump help from the forwards and then the point guard falls back into their position. Beating the Zone - 75 Set Plays to Score Against Zone Defense In this eBook, you will find 75 zone plays that you can use against any zone defense. I can score much better against a man to man than against zone because I just need to beat my man. We started using option #2 with our 6th grade team vs the zone in the last 2 weeks. This can be coached at the 5/6 grade level to beat up on a zone D (3/4 grade a bit early for them to grasp unless a "travel" type team). Thanks again. Your welcome Ryan...nice to know that I was able to help you via this site. Initial 1-2-2 set. This will allow you to split the middle defender with your two post players which is a very advantageous position for the offensive team to be in. the one problem i can forsee with that, is if your bigs are not too skilled away from the basket. They will not be able Beating the Zone - 75 Set Plays to Score Against Zone Defense. My mistake is that we haven't done any post drills with defense present.One thing worth noting about Zone Defense - especially for younger players (I'm coaching 5th and 6th - co-ed), they tend not to move from their spots so if you're a team that likes to drive it to the basket, that becomes a problem. get a lane touch either by pass or dribble penetrationd.) Breakdown: Kermit Davis Morphing 1-3-1 Zone Defense - September 11, 2018. Unfortunately our kids are two young to shoot from the wing if 5 has to kick it out to 2 (we shouldn't allow zone in our league). Here are 17 strategies on how to beat a 2-3 zone defense that you can use to dominate one every single time your team plays against it. i personally prefer someone who can shoot the free throw line shot and who is comfortable with driving playing the high post. one thing i found really helpful is just telling my kids to shoot the open shot. The key is to catch the ball without being cowed by converging defenders who lean into you. all teams use 2-3 zone defense and every game is low scoring its so annoying because no one can score. i have found that i have to actually tell my kids to shoot the ball, which i find odd. Simply tell your players to find spots where's there no defense (go where they ain't at). You'll want to experiment with alignments and rules. 3 is probably wide open anyway though. How to Play 21 in Basketball (Instructions and Videos), Allen Iverson Crossover (Break Ankles in 3 Easy Steps), Blocker-Mover Offense – Complete Coaching Guide, 1-4 Press Break to Score on Any Full-Court Defense, Simple 1-3-1 Offense to Dominate a 2-3 Zone Defense, How to Create a Youth Basketball Practice Plan, Parents: Please Stop Ruining Youth Sports, Zone Defense is Terrible for Youth Basketball, 21 Life Lessons Kids Learn Through Youth Sports, How to Win Every Youth Basketball Game (8 Terrible Tactics), 1-3-1 Zone Defense – Complete Coaching Guide. 1) It creates a mathematical advantage vs. the zone structure itself. He is above average height for a Filipino youth. The 'wings' are in charge of getting the basketball inside and also attacking the paint with dribble penetration from the perimeter when the time is right. Instead, the middle three players are in a straight line half-way between the free-throw line and the low block. We attack zones with a general zone offense like "Zone-23" below. Good ball movement and pass fakes really helps in the gap attack offense. Pass the basketball back out to (1) who can dribble across and reverse the ball. Thank you for the information. While helping the "rover" receive the ball with a chance to score. Teams can use a 1-2-2 in full-court or half-court situations. 2-3 (2-1-2) Zone Basketball Defense Summary This zone is similar to the 2-3 zone that Jim Boeheim uses at Syracuse. Our league allows zone for the first time and we struggled the first two games, but we won our 3rd game big after learning the basic principles outlined in http://www.basketballalberta.ca/clientuploads/ZoneAttack_MacKay_Mike.pdf. No matter what your offensive philosophy, it is crucial to have a few set plays in your back pocket during games. We have a big who has usually played in the high post for us against a one-front zone while everyone else, bigs included spreads the floor in four corners. Therefore, hitting the high post player with a pass is impossible because 3 players are essentially on him already. Very effective in attacking a 3-2 zone. I cannot afford for the ball to be kept in any one persons hands too long, because none of them can handle any pressure, they have all learned to set screens, and I feel like maybe we are going to have to create scoring opportunities with screens and feed the ball to post players. What I started teaching the kids is to use take the open/outside shot early in the game. It's doesn't matter if they're 5'2". My rule is that we must make the zone change shape twice before we will get a good shot, but patience doesn't always come easy to juniors... We have used a rover with 4 shooters on the perimeter. Strategy #2 is excellent and sometimes just forcing a team to defend that short corner entry is enough to open up the middle of the lane and get them to over rotate and get easier looks, you gotta make 'em defend the "backside". Also, by pushing the ball it will force the opponent to get back on defense rather than going to the offensive boards. Your only hope is to work the ball around until you can get a seal in the post area near the basket or short corner. We got down 9 early, but won 36-33 because the short corner was open the whole 2nd half. Just started coaching my son's team and i'm learning more then I did in the past 15 years of playing rec ball. 2-3) with an odd-front offense and odd-front zones (e.g. 2: Attack from Behind the Zone . Complete Guide to the 1-3-1 Defense - August 1, 2016. but through the few years i've been coaching, i found it just really depends on your personnel. The key is to force the defense to guard what is front of them (with ball reversals, cutting, and screening actions) and then attack from behind the if done properly can teach man or zone on D. If the coach is good on the other team a zone can be beat without a lot of effort. Zone Concepts - Learn How to Beat a 2-3 Zone. Yea if you don't have kids that can shoot there's not much you can do at the high school level. Now, I’m not suggesting I have found an answer to crack the vaunted Syracuse zone because that zone is the best 2-3 zone in the world, coached by the best coach to ever coach the 2-3 zone, executed by players the basketball gods created to be the best at defending in the 2-3 zone. I love all the strategies and have used some of them but I think pushing the ball up the floor as fast as possible before they can set up on D has worked very well. But the defense using these methods will open up other opportunities that the offensive team can take advantage of. I think 3 excellent ideas that will definately help a coach who is struggling against a zone. 1 passes to 2. I am new to coaching and have tag teamed with another parent to coach our sons fifth grade team. I understand everything else but the block confuses me. But if you don't have a player that can make decisions and use the footwork and dribble to create players, then it doesn't work at all. You'll find that on almost every ball reversal the player in the short corner will be open. The goal of a 2-3 defense is to keep everything outside, make the offense stagnant, and force contested 3 pointers. Keep things simple, put your kids in the gaps of the zone. If they double down, the short corner can kick it out for a wide open three pointer. Share on Facebook Tweet This Share on Linkedin Share via Email Print. Especially last year even though we run a couple of your plays - Pitt, flat, and double. https://www.basketballforcoaches.com/how-to-beat-a-2-3-zone Big players usually aren't as good at catching and handling a ball in traffic. Also the short baseline guy remains behind the defense. Don't tell your team, but they'll never be great at offense unless you have some kids that can shoot. We scored more without dribbling in the drill games than we did with dribbling. Once the ball is there, this is a very tough place to guard because at the moment none of the defenders are looking at the short corner player (because well and you don't attack as well with that kind of kid. 2-3 Zone: Forward Play - October 8, 2018. Most teams play a 2-3 zone versus us and the 2 defenders on top rarely get higher than the free throw line. What I try to do is put my big guy on the block, give him the ball and then look to pass out to the weakside elbow area. Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter to receive new drills, plays, scoring tips and coaching strategies, This will require them to dribble to either side to create the angle for a pass. *Passing the ball to the interior of the zone can have similar effects as dribble penetration: as the defense collapses, a quick kick-out to the perimeter can result in either an open shot or continued quick passing, as the defense is now imbalanced.DISADVANTAGES:*Zones tend to be weak on the perimeter, so they are not very effective against teams with good outside shooters. Quick passing against a zone often leads to open three-point shots, and zone defenses are less effective against teams with good three-point shooters. You better be damn good at rebounding and defense. We got easy shots and layups. have to be complicated. 2) If every player moves to a specific spot with each pass, it creates a mathematical advantage vs. an individual player within that zone structure. I always attack zones from the side for 2 reasons. Rule #4 (which may be part of your rule #3)- after you make a pass cut through the zone and go to an open spot. Next Up In Syracuse Men's Basketball. It really helped me a lot. We have the 4 player moving the baseline hiding behind the defense. Simply subscribe to our monthly newsletter and receive: 72 Basketball Drills & Coaching Tips - 136 page eBook, 21 Basketball Tips & Tricks for Players - 20 page eBook, 32 Winning Basketball Plays - 96 page eBook, Over 200,000 players, coaches and parents subscribed. The player in the middle can dive to the basket and receive the pass from short corner (this seems to be Basketball instruction (coaching!) make at least 3 passesc.) It doesn't matter what kind of zone it is, zone defenses are easily stretched beyond their limits when each player moves on each pass which consistently creates 2 on 1's and 3 on 2's. See the 1-2-2 zone attack. Great Outside Shooting – The biggest disadvantage of a 2-3 zone defense is that it can struggle against great outside shooting teams. All of these differences make a difference in choosing an offensive attack to beat the zone. He won State & the Drake Relays (high school division) in the high jump. We take more shots doing this, and our plays work much better because the defense must respect the outside shooter. Offense is all about spacing and movement, no matter what you choose.I would just run a motion offense and create rules that fits your team. The 'Trilogy' 1-3-1 offense is a basic continuity you can use against any 2-3 zone defense. It does work provided the boys move the ball quickly and look for the low guy coming across. From a clinic presentation by Pete Gillen Match up is a zone with man to man principles. Do you currently employ all three of these strategies? Strategy No. If the zone isn't coming past the free throw line, I feel for you. Recognizing the defense. We'll talk about that soon. allow the defense a chance to make a mistake However as far as the x's and o's you have given some good stuff here Coach....We love the short corner...Thanks. The main reason for this is that the 3-2 zone hard denies the wings from the top of the key and forces the opposition to initiate offense with a skip pass to the corner or to play through the mid-range. I never quite realized how much goes on during a game. 2 passes to 5 and cuts to the basket. these will help big time. I heard a college coach say this about attacking zones... "it's not rocket science... put em where they aint!". I think he got 6'11. What was really huge was the drills where they aren't allowed to dribble. The only strategy we haven't used is #1, but I'll give it a try....Thanks, Breakthrough Basketball :). *When a shot is attempted, it is often harder for players in a zone to find counterparts to box out for the rebound, which sometimes results in an offensive player getting an easy offensive rebound. Don't forget the "fling" pass under the F section. If a guard can dribble into the gaps in the zone, multiple defenders must converge on the ball. The perimeter players should move to help keep the defenders guessing. The defense will shift as the ball moves, but if the offense can move the ball faster than the defense can react, open shots can result. Watch the basic shifts of the baseline players. Despite a 6'5" 8th grader playing in the middle for the other team (my player is probably 5'10", 5'11"), he was able to beat this taller, slower player nearly every time, scoring 22 points, all but 4 on drives to the basket. It makes sense. I wouldn''t if we still had our number one big, but this seems to make sense, since we don''t have a mobile, good-passing big right now. But you still need to get the ball inside, especially late in the game, or when your shooters are not hitting. They literally collapse around her. This creates the triangle options the offensive is looking to take advantage of. I tell my team to consistently attack from the elbows with cutters to the middle, and we often end up with an open lane or open 3 point shots. http://www.basketballalberta.ca/clientuploads/ZoneAttack_MacKay_Mike.pdf. The good thing is that her team mates are open. They will mainly patrol the high area of the key but will be asked to occasionally step out and screen for the players on the wings. In this article, we’re going to focus on the 2-3 Zone Defense and its strengths and weaknesses, who might use this zone, and go into more detail of positions and rotations. Great guy. Look for short corner and middle action. Middle Tennessee State – 1-3-1 Zone - March 17, 2017. This is awesome. The diagrams below show three more options to get O2 the ball. *Dribble penetration is very effective in breaking down a zone. i agree with Geezzoo on this. You need the horses so it works affectedly. Just remember when strategizing, no mater what defense or where you want to attack (high or low) you form a triangle with your players. Best basketball book I have ever read by far is Dick DeVenzio's "Stuff Good Players Should Know .