2-3 Zone Defense (11)

SCOUTING ADJUSTMENTS AND BREAKDOWN DRILLS FOR 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE You’ll be using the famous Syracuse 2-3 zone defense to shut down the opposition. In this drill, players will learn the following: How to defend against specific offensive actions which are employed with the purpose of destroying or beating the 2-3 zone defense. How to build each critical aspect of your zone defense through breakdown drills for each position. They will also learn how to use the 2-3 zone defense to extend into a full-court man-to-man press. Your players will learn everything they need to know to create a unique zone defense. This will be achieved by a detailed explanation of the responsibilities of the players for each position, breakdown drills, in-game adjustments, as well as many others. 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE AND ROTATION SCOUTING ADJUSTMENTS AND BREAKDOWN DRILLS FOR 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE You’ll be using the famous Syracuse 2-3 zone defense to shut down the opposition. In this drill, players will learn the following: How to defend against specific offensive actions which are employed with the purpose of destroying or beating the 2-3 zone defense. How to build each critical aspect of your zone defense through breakdown drills for each position. They will also learn how to use the 2-3 zone defense to extend into a full-court man-to-man press. Your players will learn everything they need to know to create a unique zone defense. This will be achieved by a detailed explanation of the responsibilities of the players for each position, breakdown drills, in-game adjustments, as well as many others. 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE AND ROTATION The detailed explanation that will be given for each player position will teach players to defend effectively regardless of their position, whether as guards, centers, or forwards. When the ball is at the wing, the drills will help them slide to stop the shot without opening up driving lanes. Players will also learn to take away the high post pass and also cover return passes to the top. Using the 54 trap, your players can put pressure on your opponents and use help-side defenders to counter high post drive. 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE VS COMMON OFFENSE SETS The 2-3 zone defense can be adjusted to deal with constant changes the opposition makes to penetrate and attack the defense. Your players will be able to adapt effectively against several offensive strategies created to break down the defense. Some of these changes you can make defensively includes: When you’re playing against high post players with different skill levels, change your tactics. When the ball gets to the high post, use your center to press up or sag. Making sure that the ball is not in the middle by using your guards to disrupt double high post flashes. Rotate your players to cover the opposition's shooters when there are quick ball reversals. Use your center to create a wall that can effectively defend against high ball screens. Other strategies that can be adopted to defend against the opposition include strategies for defending the low post, covering perimeter shooters by rotating your center, stopping ball screens, stunting to prevent dribble penetration and strategies for defending against opponents that employ the use of four perimeter players on the offense. 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE POSITION DRILLS There are five position-specific drills that can teach each of the zone defense the fundamentals. These effective drills help your players to form a live wall which prevents or shuts down drives into the paint.

Jim Boeheim’s (Updated) Guide to Running the Stifling 2-3 Zone Defense Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University basketball, and the 2-3 Zone have been synonymous for years. In this video, Coach Boeheim unmasks the secrets to his 2-3 zone that has stifled opponents for years. Boeheim has won one national championship (2003) and has taken his Syracuse teams to five Final Fours. He was the 2010 Naismith Coach of the Year and his defenses have been one of the biggest reasons for his success. In this video, Coach Boeheim shares his philosophy on playing zone defense and why he chose to run the zone exclusively. Boeheim lays out everything you need to know to cover every spot on the floor. Included as well are ideas on using zone defense in out-of-bounds situations, how best to rebound when playing zone, and how Boeheim uses the zone to beat even the trickiest of offensive strategies. Slides, Bumping, and Other Tactics Coach Boeheim starts by explaining the responsibilities for each defender and how the defense works when the ball is moved from the top, wing, corner, and high post. You will see how defensive slides allow the defense to cover every scoring option. Boeheim also shows you how to trap on the baseline and rotate against the skip pass, something offenses use to try and catch zone defenses out of position. Boeheim also shares how to extend the zone and take away 3-point attempts, something that is paramount in playing zone defenses today. Boeheim continues with some more challenging aspects of the zone defense including stopping dribble penetration without losing track of shooters. The dribble drive is one tactic teams use to beat Boeheim’s zone. You will see how to counter it. Coach also shows you how to beat inside and outside screens, another strategy used to prevent guards from covering the perimeter. Defending overload situations is discussed as well as using double teams to discourage teams from even attempting to overload. Practicing the Zone After breaking down the entire zone defense, Boeheim offers you ideas for multiple drills that can be used to teach and install the zone defense. He goes through his process of how a practice is constructed to teach the zone effectively. In addition, you will learn two strategies for playing zone defense against an in-bound play. The final segment deals with how to optimize rebounding when playing zone so that opponents cannot get multiple shots. The 81-minute video from one of college basketball’s true all-time greats is the video to own if you are looking to play zone defense..

2-3 Zone Defense: Taking Away 3-Pointers & Creating Turnovers Joe Gallo coached Merrimack College to an NCAA record for most wins by a program in its first year after reclassifying to Division I. Merrimack went 20-11 in 2019-20 and 14-4 in the Northeast Conference which was good enough for first place. What has been part of Gallo’s success as a head coach is a defense that routinely was in the top-5 in the nation in turnover percentage and steals. In this video, Gallo goes into the coverages and positions of his zone defense and how to defend different offensive alignments. He begins with a look at his philosophy. Philosophy & Mindset Gallo’s defensive philosophy is to use a zone defense and prevent easy shots. Players are taught to develop a mindset of allowing no 3-pointers, no easy layups, and only giving up contested 2-point shots. Offensive players can never simply catch and shoot. Coach Gallo’s zone defense has five main rules: Move on the flight of the ball. Hands never drop below your waist. Stay down (no ball fakes, no shot fakes). Don’t get screened. Nobody shoots from where they catch the ball. Using Zone Defense Going through each position, Coach Gallo reviews the different slides, closeouts, and responsibilities. He explains the angles players should take when closing out, how to move and what actions to anticipate. For the zone to work, all five players must be in the correct position at all times. Coach Gallo talks about the different ways the zone defense can be beaten. He reviews what to do when the ball goes into the short corner, the middle, and when dribble penetration occurs. He also shares drills and breakdowns that work against stopping each of these stresses on the zone defense. If you are a coach looking for a stifling zone defense, this is it. Coach Gallo does a great job of breaking down each piece of the zone puzzle in an easy and understandable way. This is must-have for your defensive library. Read our 2-3 Zone Defense Guide

Creating a Dominant 2-3 Zone Defense If you lack the athletic talent to match up man-to-man with opponents, former Cascade HS (IA) head coach Alan Marshall has your answer. Coach Marshall’s knowledge and understanding of the 2-3 zone may be outmatched. He used a suffocating 2-3 zone to earn 738 career victories, third-most in the state of Iowa. Between 2006 and 2016, Coach Marshall’s teams led the state in defensive scoring average. Using whiteboard explanations and on-court demonstration, Marshall introduces you to his 2-3 zone. Learn the fundamental movements of the defense as well as the intricacies and drills needed to make this defense truly special. 2-3 Zone Slides Marshall explains the movements, positions, and responsibilities of each player within the 2-3 zone. Players learn the correct slides and Marshall explains the why and the where behind each one. He covers a number of critical components of the defense including: Slides on a skip pass When the ball drops into the post Weak side flashes Passes into the short corner Double team options Forcing baseline And more! Coach Marshall also gets into how to cover offenses that try and spread the defense out. He also addresses how to rebound when shots are taken from various locations. You will also see how to adapt the 2-3 to different out of bounds situations. Breakdown Drills for the 2-3 Zone Defense In order to implement the 2-3 zone defense, you need to drill it. Coach Marshall shows you 10 different drills that help to develop the technique and internal instincts needed to become great defenders in the zone. Eight vs. Five Drill: Defenders must play against eight offensive players. Defenders must move and find the correct spots. If done correctly, the offense should not be able to get a shot off. Mass Fundamentals Drill: This works on stance and movement building strength and muscle memory which help players play defense for an entire game. The Deflection Drill: Teaches players how to disrupt passes, fly around the court, and intercept the ball. The Guard Overload Drill: This helps your best defenders learn to anticipate the next pass and take away opponents’ next moves. The High Post to Short Corner Drill: Trains centers and forwards to react with the right slides when the ball gets into crucial areas. Coach Marshall does a great job of teaching the 2-3 zone. You will learn how to neutralize dribble penetration, limit fouls, and force opponents into shots they do not want in this must-have video. Rent this 2-3 Zone Defense DVD today. Read our 2-3 Zone Defense Guide

The Buzz Defense: A Half-Court Pressure Defense Mike Divilbiss, athletic director and head basketball coach at Lakeland HS (ID), has made a career out of playing high-pressure, trapping defense. “The Buzz,” as he calls it, is unique in its style of play and Divilbiss details how to implement the defense in this video. Divilbiss has 30 years of coaching experience at the college level and has had his fair share of successful teams because of The Buzz. Basics and Alignment To begin, Coach Divilbiss shows each player where he is to be aligned. He starts with the post players and then identifies where the best rebounder, best anticipator, and best trappers should line up. Each player has a home base which allows them to understand and read where the traps are going to occur. Players are taught how to get into passing lanes and force opponents to go exactly where you want them. The best part of his segment is when Coach Divilbiss slows down the defense and then walks through each player’s responsibility as well as the location of each player’s home base. Requirements There are three things that Coach Divilbiss states his teams must do in order to play the Buzz defense effectively. Play hard every single possession Avoid mistakes Prevent straight line passes Divilbiss provides examples of each rule so you can see how the defense should react and look versus an offensive attack. If players can sprint, closeout, and defend their home base on the flight of the ball, the Buzz defense will shut down even the most effective offense. Playing the Buzz defense, coaches will likely use more of their roster since players must fly around the court and apply pressure at all times. This speeds up games and requires more than just a starting five. It’s fun for athletes to play. If you’re looking to install the Buzz, Coach Divilbiss does a great job of showing you how to implement it in this video.

2-3 Zone Adjustments & Variations In over four decades of coaching, Alan Marshall has probably forgotten more about the 2-3 zone defense than most coaches remember. The former head coach at Cascade HS in Iowa, Marshall won 738 career games, third-most in Iowa state history. His 2016 team was the Iowa class 2A runner-up and he has won the state’s Coach of the Year award three times. His teams are known for their defense. In seven of 11 seasons between 2006 and 2016, Marshall’s teams led the entire state in defensive scoring average. In this 2-3 Zone Adjustments video, Coach Marshall shares his knowledge of the 2-3 zone to help you prepare for the most common methods of attack. In addition, Marshall offers up adjustments to the zone and how you can extend it into full court pressure. Defending Common Situations Using a combination of whiteboard lecture and on-court demonstration, Coach Marshall helps you prepare for the various attacks that your 2-3 zone will see over the course of a season. Marshall will discuss high post flashes, point guard penetration, skip passes, and more. For each attack, Coach Marshall teaches you how to adjust the defense to stop your opponent from scoring. Full Court Pressure The beauty of Marshall’s defense is it can be stretched to the full court. This can help take time off the shot clock and pressure offenses into turnovers. You will see how you can vary the full court pressure to confuse opponents using the 2-2-1, 1-3-1, or man-to-man full court presses. Marshall includes how you can add double teams to your half-court 2-3 zone. These traps are a great way to surprise an opponent into forcing a turnover. Shut Down the Opponent’s Best Player There are instances when a defense needs to take away an opponent’s star player. Coach Marshall shows you how to do so with a chaser. The defense can take away shooters, post players, and others. You will learn how to shift from a diamond alignment to a box to keep the offense guessing. This type of defense is great late in a season or for use against a team you have already played. Coach Marshall’s 102-minute video is full of special situations your defense will encounter. Whether you are a 2-3 team or not, Coach Marshall can help you craft a defense that can excel in any situation. Rent this 2-3 Zone adjustments DVD today. Read our 2-3 Zone Defense Guide here.

2-3 FLIP-FLOP ZONE DEFENSE The 2-3 done defense is a defensive technique that provides the following lessons to players to improve their defensive role in the team. The 2-3 zone defense teaches players what they need to do to keep the ball out of paint and increase the ball pressure. Learning the 2-3 zone defense will provide players with the needed skills to be able to take away the vulnerable high posts of their opponents. With the 2-3 zone defense, your players will be able to shut down all dribble penetration. You will also learn how to disrupt ball screens aggressively, disrupt your opponent’s offense, post feeds, and weak side flashes. The flip-flop rotation which allows players to interchange and recover several spots on the floor is actually key to the 2-3 zone defense. This type of defense involves the guard responsibilities as well as rotations, the forward’s rotation and responsibilities, and the live 5-on-5. THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE GUARD The two guards (one high and the other at the high post) are responsible for starting the 2-3 zone defense. When both players adopt the flip-flop philosophy, they can eliminate perimeter penetration effectively. This defense teaches players how to rotate so that they can apply ball pressure & deny the high post at every point with player movement, ball movement, changing alignments along the perimeter. Run and jump principle can help to disrupt ball screens as well as a blow-by to properly eliminate dribble penetrations. The purpose of the rotation is for the two guards to keep the pressure on the ball and allow the defense to protect the paint. In cases where guards need to double team a player, you can also teach your players to defend low posts. THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FORWARD Using the flip-flop principle for the 2-3 zone defense, your players will be able to cover the wing, the corner, the low post, and the short comer which is the most dangerous spot for a zone. You can teach your players to double the defense whenever the low post player possesses the ball in the paint. With this technique, the backline defenders will be able to cooperate together to prevent the post from ever gaining possession of the ball and at the same time, extending their coverage by putting pressure on the ball at the wing, and at the corner locations. This defense also teaches how players can guard flashes and help with post-defense at the ball side by using the weak side defenders.  These rotations provide your team with the needed structure to effectively crowd the paint and put star post players on a lockdown. This defensive technique or drill covers several details of the defense such as where a defender lines up when he discovers that the ball is on the wing. It also covers all possible situations that the zone defense faces. Indeed, the 2-3 zone defense is a drill that effectively prevents the ball from touching the paint while giving your players room to turn up the pressure at the same time.

The Buzz Defense: Breakdown Defense Drills & Special Situations With over 30 years of college coaching experience, Mike Divilbiss presents the Buzz Defense, a fast-paced trapping zone defense that completely disrupts an opponent’s offensive attack. In the video, Coach Divilbiss teaches the breakdown drills you can use to teach players how to move, react, and rebound out of the Buzz defense. You will also see how to prepare the Buzz defense for a number of special situations that often arise during a game. Breakdown Drills Coach Divilbiss explains a number of drills and starts with one that teaches guards to move from on-ball defense to another “home base” on the floor. Defenders sprint from one pass to the next while trying to get deflections and disrupt the offense’s movement. Players also work on trapping, defending one- or two-guard fronts, and taking away passing lanes. The Inside Drill teaches the bottom three players in the Buzz how to move and rotate should the ball get past the two trapping guards. Players develop an uncanny ability to anticipate the next pass while also learning what to do when the ball is skipped, goes to the corner, or enters the high post. One of the keys in playing a zone defense is making sure your athletes are trained in how to rebound. Coach Divilbiss reviews where players must rotate to and the spots on the floor they need to cover when a shot goes up. If not trained properly, rebounding can become difficult in the zone defense. Special Situations Defense Drills Divilbiss has watched over the years as opponents attempt to break down the Buzz. As a result, he has come up with plenty of adjustments. He reviews the most common things teams do to beat the Buzz. He also reviews defending out of bounds situations, adjusting to a 1-4 high set, best times to trap, and how to cover in defensive transition. Coach Divilbiss owes his success to the Buzz defense and gives you the drills needed to ensure it operates at its best. Empower your players to play great defense and watch the wins pile up this season! Rent this breakdown defense drills DVD today. 

Muffet McGraw: Notre Dame’s 2-3 Zone Defense The 2018 NCAA women’s national champions won the title for a number of reasons, but one big one was defense. In this video, Notre Dame women’s head coach Muffet McGraw shares with you her defensive philosophy as well as some of the secrets from her defensive playbook that helped the Fighting Irish capture last year’s national championship. McGraw was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 and is a three-time winner of the Naismith College Coach of the Year award. Her Notre Dame teams continually go deep in the women’s national tournament year after year and much of the Fighting Irish’s success can be attributed to McGraw’s defense. 2-3 Zone Defense Philosophy McGraw prefers the ability to play both man and zone defense. Her system at Notre Dame incorporates the use of both. She prefers the 2-3 zone defense to any other and shares her reasons why in the video. Using whiteboard diagrams and some breakdown drills, McGraw details the responsibilities for each player in the 2-3 zone. You will also see how players are supposed to rotate in a number of different situations. McGraw takes you through six defensive drills that work on various scenarios that arise in games. One drill covers bumping to prevent a quick shot from the wing. Another works on preventing lob passes and covering skip passes on the weak side. Coach McGraw also shows you two methods for defending the high post on an entry pass as well as ways to trap the low post and short corner. 2-3 Zone Defense Practice Drills McGraw has four essential drills that are part of her daily practices. Each drill can be modified with progressive variations throughout the season. These drills help players focus on the ability to close out on the ball to prevent dribble penetration to the middle of the floor. The Open Driver Drill is an important one as it teaches players how to rotate to help their teammates on dribble penetration. McGraw also shows you how Notre Dame defends passing lanes with their denial defense. You will also see the “Jump to the Ball” Drill which teaches players to position themselves in their team defense. This 89-minute video is full of unique strategy and secrets that helped the Notre Dame women win the 2018 national championship. It can help you be successful in your program too! Rent this 2-3 Zone Defense video today.

Building a Champion and the 2-3 Zone National championship winning coach John Calipari and three of his top assistants take you inside the program for a look at what it takes to build a champion. Learn the Kentucky Wildcat philosophy and listen as Coach Calipari covers things like staff responsibilities, scouting, practice design, motivating players, zone defense, and more. With three Naismith Coach of the Year awards under his belt, Calipari knows a thing or two about building a championship program. Creating a Championship Staff A great staff helps make a head coach more efficient and, ultimately, more successful. Kentucky assistant coach John Robic, who has spent many years with Coach Calipari, shares his ideas on hiring the right staff, coaching responsibilities on game day, and working with players. Coach Robic’s expertise lies in scouting opponents. He shows you how an elite program like Kentucky prepares for upcoming opponents. You will see how the coaching staff shares information with player and how much to share. Coach Barry Rohrssen then goes into the role of an assistant coach and how, as an assistant, you must be organized and prepared for each day whether it is practice or a game. He also shares ideas on player motivation, setting goals, and paying attention to the little details in your program. 2-3 Zone Defense Tony Barbee, another Calipari assistant, draws on his experience as a head coach at UTEP and Auburn to teach you strategies for maximizing the 2-3 zone defense. Coach Barbee shows you the most frequently used offensive strategies to attack the 2-3 and how Kentucky adjusts to defend each one. You will see how to match up when the ball goes to the high post and trap when the ball is in the short corners. Coach Barbee also shares how Kentucky rebounds from the 2-3 zone. Q&A with Coach Calipari The video is highlighted by a special Q&A session with Coach Calipari. He talks about his coaching philosophy and how he is able to take some of the nation’s best players, soon to be NBA lottery picks, and get them to put the team first. Coach Calipari also talks about changing your program’s culture to one that is player-focused. You will also see how Kentucky uses efficiency statistics to motivate players to develop roles on the team. If you are searching for ideas about changing your program, the University of Kentucky program is one to emulate. Coach Calipari and his staff offer you a treasure trove of championship building information in this presentation.

Learn how to use two types of zone defenses, and attack them with great success. Your players should be taught the duties of each spot in the defense zone. This will help them to function as a unit. Learn how to manage the 1-3-1 zone so that opposing teams don't score Watch Coach Jones breakdown multiple sets that can be used against zone defenses of 2-3-1 and 1-3-1. James Jones, Yale's head basketball coach, has made Yale a formidable Ivy League powerhouse. They have been consistently at the top of the standings despite being ranked outside the top 300 since Jones took the job. This is due to their 2- and 3-2-1 zone defenses. Jones demonstrates how both defenses can be used to stop your opponent's offense in this presentation on the court. 2-3 Zone Basics Jones begins by teaching his 2-3 zone. This zone is different than the traditional 2-3 zone. From the top of the court, the guards are responsible for protecting the basketball until it is passed to a wing. They have their heels on or near the 3-point line, and can touch the ball as close as they can. Guards are instructed to stop 3-pointers from the top and penetration. The two forwards remain one step from the lane line, and the free throw line is extended. Both forwards must be angled so that their backs face the corners. They will be asked to remove wing 3-pointers. The center must also be a talker and be able take out middle penetration. The coach also handles bumps in the zone. The forward covers the ball on a pass to a wing player from the point until the guard on the other side requires him to bump off to the block or corner depending on the position of offensive players. 1-3-1 Basics Jones' 1-3-1 zone approach is for teams with length who want to play a different style. Coach Jones uses an inside-out approach to explaining the responsibilities and building the zone. To force the ball to one side, the longest and most athletic player is at the top. The "warrior", the most difficult player on the floor is located in the back. Coach Jones demonstrates a drill that teaches the wings how they can play in the zone. He has two players at each side and four along the baseline. This drill teaches the tandem nature of wing play. The "Spine Drill", which teaches the players how to defend, is used for the three players in middle. The "Melting drill" is used to teach defense techniques such as fake and fade. Plays Against Zones Coach Jones will cover the 2-3-1 and 1-3-1 zones defenses from a defensive perspective. He also demonstrates how to exploit these defenses. Jones teaches both the "Open" and continuity actions from a 2-1-2 play. This offense creates overload actions which create confusion for defenses in the 2-3 zone. Overall, Coach Jones does a great job of explaining the responsibilities to everyone in his zone defenses and how to teach them. 57 minutes. 2020.