Oversized 1-1-3 help

Ok, so pretty much at a loss on this one, and slightly embarrassed.

I've been running a 4-1 free motion offense where the three major movements are pass and basket cut, pass and screen away, and a high post action cutting off the high post.

This offense has been good for me for a couple of years and I have had success running it against 1-3-1, 2-3, and 1-1-3 zones.

This year, the 1-1-3 and 1-3-1 have stuck us a bit. In our last game we were shut out for the second half.
Now the situation was that we are an 8th grade team playing on middle school courts (narrower, shorter). We didn't help ourselves by NOT cutting and by STANDING STILL, staring off passes, and all the wonderful things that middle school players do when they get uncertain. I was spitting my bit by the end of the game.

But the size of the players makes their coverages very easy for a small court, and ball movement VERY difficult, as they can cover areas and step out from basket to three point coverage quicker.

Is there something in attacking a 1-1-3 that I am missing, or do I have a good read on it, and is it just a tough situation when the players don't move and don't make the zone play basket cuts? (They SHOULD have, but froze.)

I'm looking for answers, not really wanting to change what I do nor am I really convinced that what I'm running is ineffective. Just how do you combat that when there is size and a smaller court?

Thanks everyone!

Brian Sass

That can be real tough to deal with. If you don't have players that can pass, shoot, drive, and make plays... you are pretty much screwed. We just put players in gaps and let them play. We sometimes try to drive and the wing defender to get good passing angles and direct passes, so we avoid the high and slow pass the 1-3-1 wants us to pass. I also have a few plays that work ok. But all the fundamentals you mentioned are the only thing I have found to work against those zones. Working against tall teams in a tight space can be tough.