Zone
defenses are usually designed to keep the ball out of certain areas,
especially areas close to the basket. Even more common are zones designed
to match up with players in certain areas and still attempt to keep
the ball out of the basket area.
Rules
Get
the ball to the baseline, as it is vital to flatten out the zone
on the baseline. You need not always get a shot from the side of
the floor where you enter the offense the first time. Patience and
ball reversal versus a zone usually provide a higher percentage
shot.
Always
look to make passes into the high post or low post areas. This penetrates
the zone and provides opportunities for ball reversal through the
post area. Passes to the high post area put tremendous pressure
on the wing men of the zone.
Dribble
drive the seams (gaps) in a zone. An important coaching point here
is to teach players to dribble penetrate as a passer. Do NOT allow
them to jump up and leave their feet while making passes. It should
be noted that the use of the dribble in Motion Offense versus the
zone is emphasized to a greater extent than it is versus man-man
defense.
Always
keep a player behind the zone away from the ball. This allows two
possibilities: 1.) the quick over-the-zone pass for an open shot
or ball reversal, and 2.) the possibility of breaking a man to the
ball from behind the zone. Keeping a player behind the zone makes
the defenders constantly turn their heads to locate players. Sometimes,
zone defenders lose sight of the man and make a defensive mistake.
Players
should always go to open spots on the floor and square up to the
basket if they receive the pass.
Pass
to any open teammate. This sounds silly, but movement of the ball
is critical versus zones along with player movement and dribble
penatration.
