Zone Attack 1-4 Against the Zone (Steve Smith, FIBA Assist, issue 3) point guard sets up in a seam and starts the offence fairly high on the floor 2 an 3 start one step above the foul line, facing so they can see the defence with their peripheral vision 4 and 5 are at the corners of the foul line, facing each other, screening the defensive guard or sealing him out to get a pass on catching the ball, high posts should inside pivot to face the basket, low posts should catch, chin, look over the high-side shoulder when one post gets the ball, the other cuts to the opposite block when the ball is passed from the wing to the top, the high post downscreens for the low post when the ball is reversed by skip pass, the posts criss-cross, the high post cutting first against an odd-front zone, the point guard plays on the blind side option on a pass from the top to a wing is a screen away or exchange with the other wing Zone Offence ( Ergin Ataman, FIBA Assist, issue 2) when one post catches the ball, the other basket cuts we teach our players some offensive situations that even if not pre-arranged can be very effective, e.g., a pick and roll at the elbow, back screens between perimeter players, or between inside and perimeter players against a 3-2 zone Zone Offence (Moussa Tourι, FIBA Assist, issue 4) when the ball is received in the high post, there is no effective defence cut after making a pass practice passing, primarily the skip pass How to Attack the Zone Defence (Bodizar Maljkovic, FIBA Assist, issue 13) most US college coaches demand that the ball be passed inside at least twice before a shot many successful teams put 3 or 4 players near the basket behind the defence then pop out for a pass Europe needs to use more pass fakes offensive rebound positioning should begin when the shooter lifts the ball to his chin - if you wait for the shot, its too late. zone offence one - leave the perimeter open with no high post, forcing the defence to play man to man decoy play - 1 passes to 2 and cuts to the ballside corner, 5 backscreens the top of the zone for a skip pass from 2 to 3, a mismatch when the bottom defender comes out, 3 can also look for 5 zone offence two - four perimeter players and a low post, on a skip pass from one corner to the other, they automatically double screen the other side zone offence three - overload one side leaving their best player on the weakside, starting from a 1-4 set Attacking the Box and One (Lou Carnesecca, Basketball Highway) prepare your players - your scorer must move without the ball without a lot of open space but will receive multiple screens, and open up other players when double teamed basic zone attack principles split the defence - position players in the seams, get two defender guarding one offensive player attack from the rear - place one player on the baseline behind the defence to break into an open area and become a post think one play ahead step in and toward the direction of your pass - closer to the basket on the return pass get the ball inside - post play is essential, cardinal rule is attack from the rear and the blind side. offensive rebounding run a regular zone attack, but then call set plays if the scorer goes too long without good looks point guard splits the top two defenders on the dribble set plays - scorer is a post, scorer is a wing Attacking the Unorthodox Zone (Dragan Sakota, FIBA Assist, issue 6) Box and 1 best attack is for an attacker to dribble penetrate the gap between the two defensive guards, opening room for a pass to a wing the scorer should always set up outside or near the baseline to give space to teammates if it is the point guard, switch positions with another player Attacking the Box and 1 (coachesclipboard.net) dont have to do anything fancy, just set good screens for your star player or he can set screens for teammates, seal and roll put the star player in either corner running the baseline, use your 2-3 zone attack screen for him as he runs the baseline to the ballside Triangle and Two (Lee Rose) one option is to relocate the two players with man coverage on the blocks when the ball is on a wing, there should be teammates at the top and in the ballside corner use a two-guard front (not including the two scorers) Triangle and Two (Alan Lambert) usually the hot shooter and point guard are guarded most common approach - unguarded players are ballside post, ballside corner, and ballhandler high or unguarded players - best shooter runs the baseline using screens from the other two, the guarded players screen for each other on the perimeter or guarded players run the sidelines, unguarded players play an inverted triangle Attacking Junk Defences (Alan Lambert) does not address guarded post player(s), only perimeter if in doubt about the type of defence, run your man attack to check your junk offence should have at least three options use zone principles in attack, e.g., ball movement, gapping an unguarded player with the ball should look to shoot or penetrate a gap the other unguarded players cut to an open zone or screen in the zone guarded players need spacing to open up holes in the zone, when screening, screen a zone defender if your point guard is guarded, let an unguarded player bring the ball up. x-junk attack uses same formation as x-gap, with the two guarded players as screeners for two interior players Spanish Womens National Team Offensive Sets (coachesclipboard.ca) in international basketball most zone offences have a great deal of player movement also extremely prevalent is movement of post players from inside to outside and back, and their ability to hit 3-point shots 4 and 5 start very high (outside the arc) Coach Pat Anderson (online-basketball-drills.com) the weak spots of a zone are usually at the free-throw line, the Russian spot (8 feet from the basket on each side along the baseline), and the baseline three-point line dribbling should be used only to improve a passing angle, or create an easy shot all players should know how to pass 4 and 5 need to be able to cut to open areas around the key, catch the ball, square up, and look to dump the ball to the other big the big guys should also be able to shoot from 10-12 feet 1, 2, and 3 need to be able to make open 3's to keep the defence honest dumping the ball into the high post and Russian spot will usually cause the defence to collapse, and a well-timed kick-out and reversal will usually lead to a wide-open shot Vic Pruden the point guard needs to make at least one of the players in the zone defend him before passing by pinning a top defender, a bottom defender will have to move out to guard the pass receiver on the wing
Patrick Hunt, Keys to Beating a Zone Defence (Thats a Foul, March/April 2004) fast break, and develop a secondary early zone attack from transition without having to re-set attack the glass with at least three offensive rebounders score early - focus on high-percentage shots the first 3-4 possessions, positive results give your team confidence and discourage your opponent pass with patience and purpose, most teams can play good defence for a few passes but then the integrity of the zone deteriorates put key players in positions that emphasize their strengths attack from the back, the best zone offences constantly run players baseline, flash into the post from behind, and look for lob passes 5 principles to beating a zone defence are gap the zone, places posts behind it, flash from behind, dribble against it, and screen it. ball reversal - the should cross the split line before being passed back to a player take the ball away from your best shooter then bring it back dribble one way, pass it the other use pass fakes to shift the zone posts behind the zone - level with the backboard, short corner, long corner if one post gets the ball the other goes to the basket gap dribble between two defenders then pass when one commits to the dribbler freeze dribble directly at one defender, pass once he commits dribble entry to the wing, who shallow cuts to the top screening the back of the zone skip pass wing to wing, the bottom attacker screens the bottom or middle defender screen the top and bottom defenders, the point guard flares for a skip pass, or dribbles off the top screen if he has the ball the bottom attacker screens the middle or top defender, the point guard dribble enters the wing, the wing attacker works the sideline (dives to the corner)
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