If your team struggles to score against a 2-3 or 1-3-1 zone, you’re not alone. Poor spacing, stagnant ball movement, and rushed shots are common symptoms of a zone offense that’s out of sync.

As a coach, there’s not much that’s more frustrating than watching your team passively pass the ball around against a zone. Usually, those possessions end in a turnover or contested jump shot.

If you’ve seen your team struggle against zone, we’ve got you covered. This article will cover 7 practical, easy-to-teach tips that you can use to help your team create better shots, improve spacing, and get more points on the board—regardless of what zone defense they’re facing.

These aren’t set plays—they’re universal teaching points and habits that apply no matter what alignment the defense throws at you. You’ll get actionable ideas that you can build into your offense starting today.

These concepts come from Don Kelbick’s Continuity Zone Offense And Concepts To Beat Any Zone Defense. Coach Kelbick has over 35 years of coaching experience and has worked with players of all ages, including NBA players and Olympians. Coach Kelbick will tell you not just the what but the why behind zone offense.

Check out on the court examples of each principle in the video below:

7 Zone Offense Concepts Every Coach Should Teach

1. Position players in gaps in the zone

   Zones are intended to confuse the offense. Flip the script by places your players in the gaps of the zone.

   When you align your players with the zone, it’s easy for defenders to know coverage responsibilities.

   

   In the pic above, it’s easy for the defense to know who they are responsible for.

   If, instead, you position players in between the zone defenders, coverage responsibilities become unclear. Sometimes the defense will get it right. But sometimes they won’t. Sometimes no one will cover the ball. Sometimes 2 players cover the ball.

   

   In this example, x2 & x3 have to communicate as to who will cover 3.

   Telling players to form equilateral triangles is a cue that can help them know where to position themselves. By attempting to be equal distance from both defenders, they increase the chance of a defensive miscue.

2. Be out of the defense’s vision

   Most zones ball watch. This means all 5 defenders are generally looking at the ball throughout the possession.

   They get away with this if the offensive players behind them don’t move to new areas.

   Teach your players to relocate to new areas out of the defense’s vision.

   

   By staying out of their vision, they don’t allow the defender to see the ball and them. 

   By relocating, it will take the defender longer to find them, increasing the chances of an open shot.

   FREE BONUS PDF
   7 Sets To Punish A 2-3 Zone

   Enter your email below to get your FREE copy of 7 Sets To Punish A 2-3 Zone

   Age Level

   Youth Middle School High School College Other

   Category

   I'm a Coach I'm a Coach & Parent of Player I'm a Parent I'm a Player I'm a Trainer Other

   Please do not change the values in the following 4 fields, they are just to stop spam bots. Leave them blank if they are currently blank.
   

3. Play inside out

   There are good jump shots and bad jump shots against a zone. As a general rule, bad jumpers are ones where your team “trims the hedges” (where they pass the ball back and forth beyond the arc before attempting a shot).

   Good jumpers are ones where the ball goes inside first. When the ball goes inside, the zone collapses. As we already said, defenders turn and watch the ball.

   Those factors allow your shooters to catch the ball with time and space to shoot.

   And, there’s one other bonus to inside out jumpers - your players shoulders are square the entire time. Catching and shooting off a perimeter pass requires the shooter to turn their shoulders to catch the ball and then re-square to the target. Inside out jumpers allow your shooters to remain squared the whole time, upping their shooting percentage.

4. Know the zone’s rotations

   When you practice your zone offense, do you spend time teaching the basic rotations of the zone you are playing against? If not, you need to start.

   Why? Because when players understand how the zone moves, they instinctively know where to look next. They don’t have to wait and see what the zone will do. Because they know what’s coming, they can be decisive and keep the zone in rotation.

   Spend a few minutes of your prep showing how they cover common situations (high post, skip passes, ball screens, etc.). I promise you’ll like the ROI!

5. Look opposite of the pass

   This is one of Coach Kelbick’s core offensive principles. It’s just as important against a zone as it is against man. 

   

   Zones load up to the ball side. 4 of the 5 defenders above are on the midline or ball side when 3 passes to 1.

   

   If 1 were to pass back to 3, the defense would be in good position to prevent a shot. However, by swinging the ball opposite to 2, a closeout is created.

   Additionally, x4 has to decide whether to take away 2’s shot, which could leave 4 open in the short corner.

6. Use the post

   One of the primary reasons teams play zone is to prevent the ball from going inside. Too many teams allow zone defenses to get away with that. Don’t be one of them.

   Use the high post, short corner, and low post as hubs for your offense.

   

   In this example, 3 should be able to enter the ball to 5 in the post. From there, 5 can look to score. If help comes, 5 can kick out for an inside out shot.

7. Reverse the ball

   Coach Kelbick’s golden rule against zones is to put them in rotation early and then keep them there.

   The best way to do that is by reversing the ball. When the ball changes sides of the floor, players’ responsibilities change. Keeping the ball moving fast is a way to apply pressure to the defense and create openings to exploit.

The Answer To Every Zone Question

Yes, your zone attack will vary somewhat depending on the zone you are facing.

However, the principles above work against every zone. By teaching them to your players, you will give them the confidence and competence to generate great looks against any defense.

To learn more about a zone offense for every defense, check out Continuity Zone Offense And Concepts To Beat Any Zone Defense.

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First

Leave a Comment Name : Email (not published) : Sixteen plus zero is equal to?  (Prevents Spam) Answer :  Load New Question Comments : Leave this Blank :