Many people regard Bob Knight as one of the best basketball coaches ever. One of his coaching philosophies was attacking zone defenses with dribble penetration.

This runs contrary to what many coaches teach. However, it can be extremely effective.

The The 2-2-1 Press: A Versatile Pressing System With Rob Beucler is a zone defense, albeit one that extends full court.

While many coaches will encourage their teams to attack it by passing, some coaches (especially those with gifted guards) will encourage their players to attack with the dribble.

Coach Beucler covers that scenario and how his teams have consistently turned their opponents dribble attacks into traps and turnovers.

The Golden Area For 2-2-1 Traps

The 2-2-1 is a trapping defense. There are a couple areas where traps can occur. The most effective and most desirable is just across half court on the sideline. 

This is a great spot to trap for 2 main reasons:

• The offense cannot go backwards - because you set the trap just across half court, the offense can’t go backwards without committing a backcourt violation.
• You box the ball handler in on all 4 sides - the trappers (x1 & x2) take away passes up the floor and back to the middle. The mid court line takes away a pass backwards. The sideline takes away any options to the outside. The sideline and half court basically provide 2 extra defenders!

The Goal Of Dribble Attacks

It’s clear that a team does not want to dribble the ball into that trap area. What they will try to do is beat your defense to the middle of the floor.

If that happens, you are in trouble. Defenders must sprint back and try to slow down the offense.

How To Use Dribble Attacks Against The Offense

In Coach Beucler’s system, you teach players how to combat the dribble attack. They are taught to keep the player to the outside, maintaining the ability to trap across half court.

If a dribbler attempts to attack the middle of the floor, the second line player (x2), jumps to the middle to disallow middle penetration.

This forces the ball handler back to the outside.

What happens next is pretty exciting and unique within the 2-2-1.

X2 turns and sprints and gets in front of 1 just across half court. X1 sprints and closes the trap from behind.

What do you end up with? A trail trap, which isn’t common to the 2-2-1, but can be devastating to a ball handler who doesn’t see the trailing player closing the trap.

In the end, you have the offense right where you want them - trapped on the sideline at half court!

A Press With Solutions For Every Problem

As coaches, we get consumed with “what if’s.” It seems there’s always some possible issue we could face that our scheme isn’t ready for.

That’s the beauty of The 2-2-1 Press: A Versatile Pressing System With Rob Beucler. Coach Beucler takes you through a litany of options so that no matter the offense tries, you’ll be ready.

The result will be turnovers and frustration for them, and easy baskets and confidence for your team!

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