2-3 (2-1-2) ZONE DEFENSE

With the recent success of teams like Syracuse and Baylor in their use of the 2-3 zone defense, coaches and teams are interested in finding out more about this scheme that has produced national champions and stifled offenses at various levels of the game.  Here is a look at this defense that has caused many an offensive coach, such as myself, many sleepless nights.

Advantages of the 2-3 (2-1-2) Zone Defense

The zone has several advantages that should be taken into consideration when a coach wishes to utilize the 2-3 zone.  They include, but are not limited to:

1. The defense allows you to protect your center.  Because the two guards and the two forwards are responsible for covering the perimeter, the center is essentially protected on the inside.  He will be allowed to cover the low post area and can cause problems for penetration into the post area whether it is on the dribble or by the use of the pass.

2. Versatility the defense.  This defense has the ability to be used as a straight zone, a point zone or as a match-up zone as illustrated in my piece on match-up zone defenses.  With the 2-3 zone defense, there are several applications that can be used to give your team a multiple defense.

3. Ability to dictate where your players will defend.  If you have defensive players you do not want guarding near your basket, the 1-2-2 zone allows you to hide them from playing post defense.  All you have to do is put your players where you feel they are best suited to play defense instead of having to determine a defensive match-up for each player.

4. The zone is an attractive defense to start the fast break.  Because of the alignment of a point and two wings at the top of the zone, the formation of the defense is a great way to get players into their lanes and attack the basket with a three-man fast break and both posts trailing.

Disadvantages of the 2-3 (2-1-2) Zone Defense

However, there are also some disadvantages that need to be considered before deciding to use the 2-3 zone defense.  They include, but are not limited to:

1. Inability to cover the point and the wings.  Because of the positioning of the guards, forwards and center in the zone, the areas at the top of the three-point arc and the area just below the free-throw line extended are vulnerable.  We also have some vulnerability in the short corners if we go to a 2-3 look.  However, we can cover the low blocks with a 2-1-2 look in lieu of a 2-3 look.

2. Like all zones, the offense can dictate the match-ups.  The offense can create mismatches by putting relatively weak defensive players against relatively strong offensive players.  Also, the offense can dictate where particular personnel can be set up against the defense.  When this happens, the zone really cannot adjust and the defense is caught in a bind.

3. Like all zones, your players must either be quick or long with a preference for both.  Slow and short teams typically do not play great zone defense because they are not able to cover ground quickly.  Zones are advantageous for long and quick teams because they can shrink the size of the gaps in the zone better than shorter and slower players.  Because of this, teams with length and quickness prosper more in running a zone defense than those that are not.

4. Zone defenses are relatively passive in nature.  Because the zone is designed to be packed inside the three-point arc, the defense is not looking to actively steal perimeter passes.  While some passes might be intercepted, the zone is not a great way to force turnovers.  Instead, the zone is designed to control the action from inside the three-point line and force several long shots.

Setting Up the Defense

The first two players placed in the zone are X1 and X2, the guards.  X1 and X2 will cover the area inside the top half of the three-point arc and will guard the basketball when it is at the top of the zone.

The back row of the 2-3 zone are X3, X4 and X5.  X3 and X4 are the forwards while X5 is the center.  X3 and X4 will have the responsibility of covering the corner when the ball is on their side and the area from the basket to the low post on their side when they are help side.  X5 will be required to dead front any ball-side post player when the ball is below the free-throw line extended.  

Diagram 1 shows the defense as diagrammed and Diagram 2 shows the defense when the ball is brought across half court.  We will not go into the defensive adjustments until the ball is entered to or below the wing area.

Diagram 1

Diagram 2

Slides of the 2-3 (2-1-2) Zone

We start the defense with our normal alignment as was illustrated in Diagrams 1 and 2.  If the ball is passed from the point to the wing, we want X1 to cover the receiver if this is the first pass.  We will shift the rest of the players in the zone accordingly (Diagram 3).  If the ball is passed from the point to the wing and this was not the first pass, we will have the forward cover the receiver of the pass until a guard is able to replace him with what we call a bump.

Diagram 4 illustrates what we want when the ball is passed from the wing to the corner.  The real movement is not with X1 and X3 as is shown in the illustration, but with the backside three players.  We will have the backside guard cover the ball side high post, the center fronting in the low post and the backside forward covering the basket area.

Diagram 3

Diagram 4

In Diagram 5, we see the skip pass from the corner to the point.  When this happens, we want the help-side guard to point the ball and the help-side forward to be ready to guard either the wing or the corner depending on where the ball is passed.  In the illustration, X5 will set up in front of the basket, X1 will set up at the nearest elbow and X3 assumes is original starting position.

In Diagram 6, we see the skip pass from the point to the corner.  Whenever this happens, we want the forward on that side to point the ball and the center to dead front the ball-side low post.  In the illustration, X2 covers the wing area while X1 covers the high post.  X3 has the responsibility for the basket.

In Diagram 7, we see a wing-to-wing skip pass.  The help-side guard becomes the ball-side guard and points the basketball.  The ball-side guard who was guarding the basketball now has responsibilities for the high post area.  X5 goes from block to block while X3 and X4, the forwards trade responsibilities from before the skip pass was made.

If the ball is entered into the high post area, we will have X5 cover the ball if the receiver is at the middle of the free throw line (Diagram 8).  If this takes place, we want to contest the basketball and get ready to defend the ball on the perimeter with our other zone defenders.

The 2-3 (2-1-2) Point Zone

On of the variations of our 2-3 zone defense is the point zone.  Even though we run this defense with a 1-3-1 look from the ball, we can start the defense with a even-guard front alignment.

Diagram 9:  One of the alignments we use for our point zone defense is the 2-1-2 alignment.  We place X1 and X2 on the elbows, X3 and X4 just off the low blocks and X5 in the middle.

Diagram 10: If the offense shows us an even-guard front, either X1 or X2 will point the ball.  X4 is X1's partner and X3 is X2's partner.  If X1 points, X4 is near the basket while X2 and X3 play the wing positions.  X5 will be halfway between the ball and the basket.

Typically, the offense will attack an even-guard front defense with an odd-guard front zone offense (Diagram 11).  When this happens, we make the adjustment by shifting into a 1-3-1 alignment with X1 starting as the point man in the point zone.  X2 and X3 play the wing positions and X4 moves under the basket.  X5 will then move to a spot halfway between the ball and the basket (Diagram 12).

Diagram 11

Diagram 12

Teaching the 2-3 (2-1-2) Zone Defense

When we teach any zone defense, we will always do it with all five defensive players.  The first part is to teach the defense against ball movement and a gap offense.  With the 2-3 zone, we situate our five offensive players at the point, both wings, and the corners.  It is important that we not start with skip passes initially so that our players can understand the basics of the zone defense.

Next, we teach the zone slides on skip passes.  We teach the passes to the corner from the point and from the corner to the point.  Then, we will teach the skip passes from wing to wing as well as from wing to corner and corner to wing.  Finally, we will teach the responsibilities as to how to defend the pass to the high post area against the zone.

Once we have taken these steps, we will scrimmage using the zone defense.  During the scrimmage as well as during the time in which we are teaching the zone defense, we will make corrections as needed and adjustments to the zone as we go.

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