Zone offence - 1-3-1 basics

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Zone offence
1-3-1 basics

See Zone offences - Geno Auriemma, Dave Odom 1-3-1, Schepp.

The Swiss army knife of zone offence. The best shooters should be on the wings. 5 goes short corner to short corner, 4 has the high post, 1 and 4 should not be in a tandem.

Geno Auriemma - if 1 shallow cuts 2 or 3, 4 will be open on a pass out top.

Jack Bennett - if 1 drives into a gap, 4 could step out for possible reversal and spacing.

On a pass to the wing, make a return pass to 1 if a top defender plays the ball (shown), but also look into the high post.

With the ball on the wing, it is more effective for 4 to play at the ballside elbow than the middle of the foul line, e.g. to create space for 1 to penetrate from the top, and to post against X2 recovering on the pass to 1 (seal X2 outside).

Variation - 1-2-3-4 hot-potato passing, 4 is stationary, 5 moves block-to-block.

Canada Basketball - 4 looks to seal one of the top defenders creating a seam, and should not start in the middle of the floor as it takes away the drive line for 1.

Coach Daniel - 5 is about one dribble from the basket. 1-2-3 are free to move anywhere along the perimeter so long as they keep good spacing. Go inside to score, or inside-out to get good looks at 3s.

Shot Science - posts don't track the ball against zone, let if get ahead of them, then flash middle. 4 holds at the elbow on the return pass to 1 until the ball is swung to the opposite wing.

Variation - put 5 in the high post, 4 runs the baseline (corner to corner if a shooter), see 5star high-low, Clock, Duke runner.

4 can cut to the high post on a wing-entry pass (John Belein 4-flash).

If a bottom defender comes out on the ball, look to pass to 5 (if she is ballside) or drive baseline (if 5 is weakside), or pass fake to 5 and hit 4.

4 and 5 are partners (buddies), when one gets the ball the other goes to the basket, so 4 dives on the pass to 5.

Against an aggressive zone defence, look to move the ball, 1 and 5 get ballside to provide support (shown).

Mads Olesen - 1 must always be available for a pass to relieve pressure.

Kermit Davis - use a 1-3-1 set against a trapping 1-3-1.

Ken Atkins - use a 1-3-1 set if the defence is trapping a two-guard set.

Kirby Schepp - put your best player in the high post or the short corner. On a pass to 5, he looks for his buddy then opposite where he got it - on a 5-3 (or 5-1) pass, 4 goes short corner, 5 becomes the high post.

See Zone offence - Kermit Davis vs (trapping) 1-3-1, Press breaks - Halfcourt Atkins.

On a high-post entry, if 4 turns to face the basket, 5 cuts to the basket, 2 and 3 slide down, optionally 1 gets in vision weakside (shown), especially if the wing defender slides down with 3.

4's looks are shoot, high-low pass, fan opposite.

The high post can help reverse the ball without squaring up, see Geno Auriemma.

1 can space away against a passive zone, reverse the ball through 4 or by skip pass.

See Zone offences - High-low basics, Geno Auriemma, also Grinnell.

Bennett - against a good zone defence you must incorporate some player movement. The wings can exchange sides (yo-yo cut), 1 can pass and cut ballside or weakside, and there should be movement by the bigs, e.g., t-game, x-cut, or screen for each other (interchange). If the high post sees there is no one out top (e.g., 1 passes and cuts), he can step out, help reverse the ball, then cut.

Coach Daniel - on the pass to 2, 1 can cut and 3 fills, or 1 and 3 exchange, or 3 flarescreens for 1.

See Zone offences - Bill Self basic and motion, Pitt 3-out 2-in, T-game.

Options

a) Four high (wing)

4 can screen for 2, then 1 spaces away.

Ettore Messina - if the on-ball defender goes under, he risks an outside shot, or 4 can pop out for a pass, which is why many coaches have a shooter set the screen.

See Zone set plays - Florida ballscreens 3s, Zone offences - Kermit Davis four high, Geno Auriemma.

b) Pin screen (arm chop)

Syracuse - a good play is to screen X2, 1 drives (5 comes under).

4 can also screen X2 for a skip pass to 3.

Coach Daniel - the high post screens in the flow of the offence to the outside of a guard defender, have an attacker in the corner (here 3) or the defensive forward can come up.

Bennett - you're trying to screen their slides.

Chris Oliver - to create a 2-on-1 advantage, use a wing ballscreen or a top pin screen on the weakside top defender, see YouTube videos - How to Create 2-on-1 vs a Zone Defence, Pin and Pop.

See Zone set plays - Izzo arm chop, Defence - Syracuse 2-3, Zone offence - Syracuse vs 2-3.

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