Site Search
Q & A Forum
Experienced coaches are ready to answer your basketball questions! Visit our forum
Zone Defense Concepts and Tips
Reasons to Play Zone - Advantages of a Zone Defense
- Good zones can limit the numbers of fouls you commit. This means you can keep your better players on the floor for a longer period of time. Zone makes it easier to protect players in foul trouble.
- They can allow you to play less athletic players. Promotes aggressiveness in a confined area.
- Flexible - works with quick athletic players and slower less athletic players.
- Generally protects the basket better and a well played zone causes opponents to rush shots (causes impatience by the offense).
- Passing is a lost art. The zone requires good passing and few players possess the passing skills needed to effectively beat a zone.
- There are fewer offenses against the zone, therefore it takes less time for you to prepare defensively.
- Certain players don't have to work as hard in the zone, making fatigue less of an issue.
Disadvantages of a Zone Defense
- Some zone defenses can be more susceptible to the 3-point shot.
- Players are limited in their athletic development and foot coordination in the zone (there is less movement, particularly for players in the back of the zone). You can argue that man to man defense is better for the development of players.
- The offense can take advantages of mis-matches by putting their best player in the "zone area" of the opponents' weakest defender.
- Rebounding from a zone can be more difficult than in man to man defense. It's more difficult to figure out which person to block out when in a zone defense. For help with this see zone rebounding.
- Knowing responsibilities and who should guard the ball can be confusing as the ball is reversed, causing the ball to be uncovered at times. There is always some interpretation up to the players. Where in a man to man, you (in theory) always know who is supposed to be guarding the ball.
Zones and Youth Basketball
Everyone here at Breakthrough Basketball believes that youth players should NOT play zone defense. There are numerous reasons to teach players man to man defense first, but one of the biggest reasons to play man is so your players develop more foot speed and coordination. Playing in a zone defense will LIMIT your players' development. You might win more games by playing zone, but from a development standpoint do the right thing and play man to man defense with your youth team.
What defense should you teach youth players (zone, man, press)?
Van Gundy - Outlawing Youth Zone Defenses
For The Frustrated Coaches That Turn to Zone Defense
What Is The Right Age To Focus On Wins and Losses and Start Playing Zone?
Types of Zone Defenses
2-3 Zone Defense
3-2 and 1-2-2 Zone Defense
1-3-1 Zone Defense
1-1-3 Zone Defense
Match Up Zone Defense
Amoeba Zone Defense
Zone Defense Tips
Rebounding Out of the Zone
Tips to Run an Effective Zone Defense
Using Slow Footed Players in the Zone
Helpful Zone Defense DVDs and Resources
| If you'd like to dig deeper and get more information about developing an effective zone defense, we highly recommend Al Marshall's Zone Defense. In our opinion, he runs one of the best zone defenses in the country and it gives you the most thorough explanation of zone defense we have seen. |
|
||