I recently reviewed a very practical DVD on implementing a 2-3 zone defense. It is Al Marshall's 2-3 Zone. Following are my notes as I studied. I have also included a link to a PDF of the notes. This has been a very practical defense for us to utilize depending on the situation or the type of team we are playing.
Al Marshall’s 2-3 Zone “The Defense Your
Opponents Will Hate”
Notes and implementation ideas.
Why consider playing a 2-3 zone?
2. Allows a coach to play less athletic players
3. Rushes the opponent
4. In HS most teams have average passers.
5. Fewer offenses can run against this defense.
6. Very adaptable to the personnel
3 Goals
- 1. No second shots
- 2. No layups
- 3. No fouls
3 Principles
1.
High Active Hands
a.
Keep ball from going inside and makes it hard to
rotate the ball
2.
Stay in your stance
a.
Weak side so not vulnerable to pin screens. Be prepared to close out. Crucial that back
side guys are in a stance with “heads on a swivel”.
3.
Move on the flight of the ball
a.
Meet when they actually get the pass.
Who should use it?
- · Al uses it at the JV and Varsity level only.
- · Not at lower levels because they want younger kids to work on footwork and principles even though the zone would probably be more effective at that level.
Basic Slides of the Al Marshall 2-3 Zone
·
Basic Setup
o
Two guards at elbows near the 3 point line– close
enough to defend the high post.
§
Guards
initially take away pass to middle until opponent goes to the high
post. Then they have to move in.
o
Two Forwards at “volleyball line”, a little
higher than some 2-3 zones.
o
Center is a little deeper than the forwards.
·
Slides
o
Vs 1-3-1 Offense
§
Initial pass to wing, forward is going to “Close
out – Then retreat immediately with his back to the baseline”.
§
Allow guard to get to wing.
·
Guard doesn’t have to get right in front. He should close out to high shoulder. This
forces baseline into trap.
·
Opposite guard is going to gap the high post and
guard .
·
Center is going to gap the high post and the
short corner.
·
Opposite forward is dropped into the lane with
his “butt to the baseline”.
·
Forward should be able to defend the pass to the
short corner.
·
If wing drives baseline side, the forward steps
up and forms a natural trap with the guard on that side.
§
On reversal the opposite guard closes out and
prevents direct drive to the basket.
“Flare him to the elbows” . Help will come from either the guard or the
opposite forward.
§
Ball is reversed to opposite wing.
·
Forward closes out with proper fundamentals.
·
Must take the shot away
·
Off- take away the post or short corner
·
(it is possible to alter this depending on the
opponents personnel).
§
Center is not really concerned with the High
Post guy.
§
On reversal the now opposite forward is dropped
to block.
§
If ball comes into Side Post area. Want to front from the baseline side.
·
Guard can help
·
This allows the wing drive to come into a post
player stepping out.
·
Forms a natural double team.
§
Skip pass is handled the same way as a reverse
through the middle guard.
·
Opposite Forward will close out. And take the
shot away.
·
Screen and Skip pass – handling
o
Opposite
forward is going to go OVER THE TOP
o
Center is going baseline side of post player.
·
High Post to Short Corner pass,
o
Center must go low to stop shortcorner cut to
basket.
o
Forward is going high hands to block
o
Oppsiste forward gets into lane
o
Guards swarm the ball OR center comes up and forwards drop.
·
Short corner from wing pass
o
Try to stop this happening with normal slides.
o
High Post offensive player dives to rim.
o
Forward and Center trap
o
Opposite guard drops quickly.
§
Guard fronts post player dropping from high
post.
o
Ball side guard needs to get to the middle and
he is guarding the wing and top of key.
§
Guards may have to switch spots to handle this
situation.
·
TEACH THE WHOLE FIRST (ALL OF THE ABOVE)
o
Shell drill, offense going at about ½ speed.
o
Get defense working on slides.
Individual and Team Drills
·
Drill #1: Defensive stance
o
1 minute in stance (kids get a feel for what it
feels like)
o
Talk to players about what will happen in
practice
·
Drill #2: Step Slide
o
1 minute with push-step with hands up.
o
Make sure hands stay up when they move.
o
Two steps in each direction.
·
Drill #3: Deflection Drill
o
3 players on the outside and 1 in the middle.
o
45 seconds at a time. Each person goes.
o
Keep the passers closer. Adjust as they get better.
o
Defense must be in a stance and keeps his hands
up.
o
About 12 feet apart.
o
Anticipate
·
Drill #4: Pressure Drill
o
2 players 1 ball.
o
Offensive player can not dribble
o
“Get into bubble”
o
Defensive player should be very active with
hands.
o
Trying to stand him up.
o
20 to 30 seconds. Then rotate.
o
Next
§
Dribble “right” – two dribbles and then pick it
up.
§
Dribble “right” – two dribbles and then pick it
up.
§
Defense must pressure on both ends of the
dribble.
·
Drill #5:
1 on 1 full court
o
Maybe every 3rd night
o
1 on 1 conclusion – 3 times
o
Sprint to recover
·
Drill #6: 1 on 1 closeout
o
Coach at ½ court
o
1 on 1 then offense passes to coach and then
touches ½ court, defense touches baseline and he closes out and tries to
contest shots.
·
Drill #7:
Closeout drill
o
Focus on defender staying in stance
o
Guard and forward on defense on weak side.
o
Offense wing to wing pass.
o
Work on show and recover
o
“ON and OFF”
o
Drill add: Skip pass to the corner
§
Forward stays on top
§
Guard gets to middle.
·
Drill #8 – Guard Overload
o
1 -3 offense
o
Working on moving guards and high post.
o
High hands
·
Drill #9 – Forward overload
o
Coach at top with a wing player, corner player
and post player.
o
On pass to wing, he has to show and back to
post.
o
On pass to corner, he closes out
o
Begin outside of post player
o
Cheat inside first then get out.
·
Drill #10 – Short Corner to High Post
o
Let it go to shortcorner
o
Opposite guard dives
o
Center and forward trap
o
Wing player and short corner and high post
o
Only pass is to short corner
·
Drill #11 – High post to the short corner
o
Ball begins on wing.
o
Forward starts up to work on his rotations.
o
Ball to high post (high post throws a bounce
pass every time).
·
Drill #12 – Triangle Drill
o
Post player, corner and wing. Wing player has ball
o
On pass to corner
§
Center gets under, forward closes out and guard
drops.
·
NOW THE WHOLE
o
Few minutes with scrimmage
DVD 2
·
Common Offensive sets
o
4 out and 1 in.
§
Make sure the center is playing the low side of
post player.
§
Ball goes into the post, then opposite guard
goes into double the ball.
o
1 -3 – 1 with a high and low
§
Center is still playing on the low side.
§
Guards need to handle high post OR defend with
Center and forwards drop.
o
Skip pass with a screen on the baseline
§
Pass from wing to corner
§
Weak forward comes over the top and Center must
guard post center on bottom.
§
Guard the ball side when skipped with forward
getting to shooter and then ball side guard drops to help with post.
o
Short Corner
§
Setup is 1-2-2 with opposite post going high
§
Pinch with guards OR have center guard high
post.
·
Special plays vs 2-3 zone
o
Backscreen and Lob
§
1-2-2 set.
§
Pass to wing and post player on ball side low,
sets a back screen for opposite wing.
§
Defense:
Opposite forward can step in the path or burrow backwards against
screener.
·
Pressure the passer
·
Watch the guard because he usually backs up
because they are passing.
o
Screen drive and dish
§
Ball screen and pin in screen by forward.
§
Guard should go under the screen unless he is a
shooter.
§
Forward defender needs to stay high
·
How to Make Adjustments
o
Athletic Guards
§
Have guards pick up higher and really moved
everyone up a little.
§
Alternate setup is to line the players up in
tandem
·
This allows for more pressure on ball.
·
On first pass it becomes regular
o
2 -2 -1 Press
§
“44” with denial and it will naturally flow into
a Marshall’s defense
o
1-1-2-1
§
Best ball defender play M2M
§
On throw to wing then it begins in normal
o
Outstanding player = 1-3 with a chaser
§
Forwards need to be higher.
§
Center gets the high post
o
Trap the Elite player
§
Attack the Elite Player
§
Where ever he is, they trap.
o
Shade Poor Shooter
§
Simple recognition – closeout effort
§
This allows you to pick who shoots.
§
Weak point guard shooter,
·
Center handles the high post; guards put effort
to getting to wings.
o
Great Post Player
§
Opposite guard is going to dig with the strong
side as well.
o
Alternate Coverage for Short Corner
§
If a team keeps coming
·
On pass to short corner
·
Center goes to short corner and forward drops
down
·
Hold kids accountable, demand and sell this
defense.
·
Questions and Answers with Al Marshall
o
What else do you emphasize?
§
Good shots and limit turnovers so they do not
get good transition hoops.
§
Try not to foul.
§
Turn teams into perimeter jump shooters.
o
Do you spend a lot of time on offense?
§
Yes, probably more time than on defense because
it is harder to teach.
o
How do you get players to buy-in to the 2-3?
§
Show examples of success.
o
How do you decide what drills to do?
§
Use drills directly applicable to what we do on
the court.
o
How important are the three points of emphasis
and three goals for your teams?
§
They work together to produce the outcome.
§
These things turn teams into a jump shooting
team.
§
Keeps the ball fanned out on the perimeter.
o
“Defense is important to me so if they would
like to play, then defense better be important to them!” – Al Marshall
·
Closing
o
Make adjustments that make sense for you.
