Defence - 3-2 Tubby Smith

Defence
3-2 Tubby Smith

Tubby Smith

3-2 point-drop zone. X3 is the point, he is a leader, able to get everyone in position, and the best overall defender, able to defend 1 on 1 at the top, and big enough to contest and block shots, rebound, and front the low post. Play inside out, starting at the elbows, keep the ball out of the middle. Point guard X1 is on the defensive left elbow, most teams are right-handed, he can pressure the ball, and X2 is rebounding on the other side. Defenders have their hands up (not out), elbows bent, thumbs in their ears. The first thing to do is talk.

Pick up the ball at least one full step above the arc, pressure the ballhandler's inside shoulder, fan to the sideline, out of the middle, keep him on one side. There is a box behind the on-ball defender, near the lane, protecting the basket. Always pressure the ball (one on the ball, don't let him take a picture), and contest every shot - close out, high jump, box out.

Transition defence is pretty much the same as man to man, they want someone to guard the ball immediately, defenders are interchangeable, get three defenders ballside, worry about the backside when everyone gets back.

With the ball on the wing, point X3 is on the elbow, takes away a skip pass. X5 plays outside low-post 4, staying away from him (make him find you), butt to the baseline, guarding 4 with his inside hand. X4 is on the midline, butt to the baseline.

If 3 dribbles across the top, X3 comes up (there is no attacker behind him), X2 slides back.

X2 would stay with 3 if he dribbles to the corner, and if he dribbles out.

Bill Kuchar - 3-2 stunting zone into a box-and-one - one defender does not get worn out defending a high-scoring shooter, X2 plays the shooter man-to-man in his zone area (the other defenders form a box), X1 takes the shooter in his area [and X3 takes the shooter in his area].

On a pass to the corner, X5 can't go out until the ball is in the air, X3 anticipates having to move down, he comes down on top and fronts the low post. If 4 seals him, X5 will release and go under, don't fight over top, X3 is coming down the high side. X5 closes out baseline side, giving X3 time to get down.

With the ball in the corner, X5 forces middle, X3 fronts the low post.

The wings try to take any skip pass, and have to be in position to get there. Here on a skip pass out of the corner, X1 takes the ball, and X3 changes spots with X1, they may have to make a switch to slow down ball reversal.

Here X1 sinks in anticipation of a skip pass then closes out. If X4 were to go out on 2, 5 would be open inside, X3 can't get there in time.

X1 takes the ball if 1 dribbles to the wing, X4 fires out on a pass to 2, X3 comes down to front the low post.

X1 stays with 2 if he dribbles out.

If 2 passes to cutter 4 coming under to the corner, X4 takes the ball, X3 comes down in front of the low post, X1 goes to the elbow.

If 2 passes out of the corner, X3 has to bump out, X1 takes the ball.

Trap when the ball goes below a wing defender. It's a great time to trap the post attacker, he's not a good passer. Here X2 follows the pass, X1 comes up.

X2 just closes back out on a pass to 3.

If there is a flash to the high post when X3 is covering the ball, the low defender on that side comes up too, there is nobody behind him, he has to find somebody to guard, it becomes a 1-3-1. X2 sinks back to see 3 and guard him on a backcut. X3 would pinch or trap on a pass to the high post.

If the attacking team plays with two low posts and a baseline runner, X3 stays low and inside. If no one is at the top it becomes almost a 2-3.

3-2 extended

The 3-2 can be extended, play it just like in the halfcourt. X3 picks up the ball about 3/4 court and pressures the ballhandler on the inside shoulder. The wings play inside-out, anticipating a pass down the sideline. It's not a trap unless the ball is dribbled into the frontcourt near a sideline.

They zone all out of bounds, even with man to man you're pretty much playing a zone anyway.

This page was made with Basketball playbook from Jes-Soft