What’s the first thing you do when an opponent goes to a zone? I would be willing to bet that many of you get your best shooters in the game. That’s what I’ve done over the last 20 years.

Popular wisdom suggests this is a good strategy. And the numbers back it up. Last year, every team in men’s college basketball that played more zone than man ranked below average in opponent 3 point volume (meaning they gave up more 3’s than the average team). . . except one.

Who was that? Merrimack College. 

Despite being one of the smallest teams in the country — their tallest player last season was just 6’7” — Merrimack finished 25th nationally in defensive efficiency, all while playing zone 88% of the time. Even more impressive? They allowed fewer 3-point attempts than almost any team in America.

Here’s why this matters to you. Mike Tartara, creator of The Lockdown 2-3 Zone Defense, has taken the principles of Merrimack’s zone and adapted them to the high school level.

The results have been tremendous - an increase in the winning percentage from 53% to 74%, holding teams to 28% 3-point shooting, and keeping opponents under 45 points per game… while breaking school records in steals with 250+ in a season

Here’s how they’re doing it — and what you can learn from their unique approach.

But First, A Confession Of How Coach Tartara’s Zone Blew Up My “Zone Busting” Plan

In the 2023-2024 season, my team played Coach Tartara’s. I knew they would play all 2-3 zone. I felt good about our zone package. We had some go-to zone plays and concepts that consistently produced good looks.

Not only that, but we also had a couple of excellent shooters.

Well, we lost. We only scored 45 points, which was our second lowest total of the season.

I wish I could attribute it to bad shooting. However, that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that our elite shooters couldn’t get their shots off.

We had them positioned in the gaps of the zone. We ran our stuff. It didn’t matter.

Coach Tartara’s zone took away our open looks. Every possession felt like a battle just to find a semi-open shot. His zone defense was better than our zone offense.

Here are a couple of ways they made our life miserable and made open 3’s impossible to find:

How to Play Zone Without Getting Burned by 3s

1. They Redefine the 2-3 Zone’s Shape

Most coaches picture a 2-3 zone with the forwards packed near the blocks, protecting the paint.

Coach Tarata & Merrimack flip that idea on its head.

Instead of sitting low, their forwards play high — nearly at the 3-point line. The result? Their defense often looks more like a 4-1 alignment than a 2-3.

This positioning allows them to:

• Take away catch-and-shoot opportunities on the wing and in the corner. This is one of the 5 core rules of the zone - no one shoots where they catch it.
• Disrupt passing angles before they even develop.
• Shrink space for shooters while still protecting the rim through intelligent rotations.

2. Hands High. Always.

One of Coach Tartara’s five defensive rules is simple but powerful:

“Hands never drop below your waist.”

This rule alone eliminates dozens of potential 3-point looks per game.

High, active hands force lob passes instead of line drives — giving defenders extra recovery time. And even if the ball does reach the high post or short corner, those delayed passes let their forwards and guards rotate and contest without giving up open looks.

3. “High and Wide” Coverage: Taking Away the Corners

Merrimack’s defensive mantra is “high and wide.”

When the guard bumps back the forward on the wing pass, the forward drops to the corner. Most zones have their forwards drop to the short corner. That allows the wing to corner pass, leading to 3’s.

By dropping back to the corner, The Lockdown 2-3 takes away that pass. Coach Tartara is okay with the short corner pass, as he employs another strategy to force turnovers when the ball reaches that area.

Conclusion

If you’re hesitant to play zone because you fear giving up 3s, take a page from Merrimack’s & Coach Tartara’s playbook:

Raise your forwards’ positioning — play “high and wide.”

Perfect the bump rotation so every shot is contested.

Keep hands high to force lob passes, not lasers.

Drill movement on the flight of the ball.

Merrimack has proven you don’t need size or elite athletes to play great defense — just discipline, effort, and a plan. It’s the same one Coach Tartara has used to make his Cuyahoga Heights program one of the best small school programs in Ohio.

His zone doesn’t just work… it rewrites the narrative on what a zone can be. Learn more about what the Lockdown 2-3 Zone Defense can do for you!

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First

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