Offense against a zone defense

[UcMiami]

We did a little thread a while back about zone defense that included some of the offensive strategies to use against a zone. I thought I would revisits this after watching a bunch of games this season.

It amazes me how many teams seem to have no clue how to attack a zone defense. The theories of how to do this have been around for as long as teams have been playing zone, and there are books and videos available from every reputable coach out there. And yet I see college teams continually fail miserably to have any type of organized attack when they are confronted by a zone defense:

1. They dribble and pass man to man around outside the arc, occasionally trying to set screens as if they were playing against a man defense. (Eventually jacking a semi-contested three.)

2. They look to pass into the post from the three point arc without having put any 'stress' on the zone. (Turnover central)

3. They try to dribble penetrate (Failure and frequent steals)

They almost never:
1. Skip pass across the zone
2. Flash players to the free throw line or the short corner
3. Overload a single zone with good spacing (at different edges of the zone)

It is as if the coaches have never read any theory, or have never bothered to teach and practice zone offense with their players. All of the above put stresses on almost any zone and once a zone is stressed, interior passes from inside the arc, mid-range jumpers, and in-flow open threes are all available. If a zone isn't stressed it is pretty good at defending all part of the court - a great exterior shooting team or a really strong offensive rebounding team may have some success, but that is hard to sustain for a whole game against a good zone defense.

Uconn does not always get it right - they jack up a few too many open threes at the start of games against zones for example - but it doesn't take long for the players to adjust and remember what works (with or without a few choice words from the coaches.) The biggest improvement in Gabby's game during the course of this year to me is her improved understanding of and performance in zone offense. (And it was a period of a few games after her torrid start when she was not performing well against zones that saw her moved out of the starting line-up.)

 

[Nuyoika]

We did a little thread a while back about zone defense that included some of the offensive strategies to use against a zone. I thought I would revisits this after watching a bunch of games this season.

It amazes me how many teams seem to have no clue how to attack a zone defense. The theories of how to do this have been around for as long as teams have been playing zone, and there are books and videos available from every reputable coach out there. And yet I see college teams continually fail miserably to have any type of organized attack when they are confronted by a zone defense:

1. They dribble and pass man to man around outside the arc, occasionally trying to set screens as if they were playing against a man defense. (Eventually jacking a semi-contested three.)

2. They look to pass into the post from the three point arc without having put any 'stress' on the zone. (Turnover central)

3. They try to dribble penetrate (Failure and frequent steals)

They almost never:
1. Skip pass across the zone
2. Flash players to the free throw line or the short corner
3. Overload a single zone with good spacing (at different edges of the zone)

It is as if the coaches have never read any theory, or have never bothered to teach and practice zone offense with their players. All of the above put stresses on almost any zone and once a zone is stressed, interior passes from inside the arc, mid-range jumpers, and in-flow open threes are all available. If a zone isn't stressed it is pretty good at defending all part of the court - a great exterior shooting team or a really strong offensive rebounding team may have some success, but that is hard to sustain for a whole game against a good zone defense.

Uconn does not always get it right - they jack up a few too many open threes at the start of games against zones for example - but it doesn't take long for the players to adjust and remember what works (with or without a few choice words from the coaches.) The biggest improvement in Gabby's game during the course of this year to me is her improved understanding of and performance in zone offense. (And it was a period of a few games after her torrid start when she was not performing well against zones that saw her moved out of the starting line-up.)

I love this. You are not only dead on but are saying everything I scream at the screen when watching non-UConn games. Some of it comes down to basketball IQ though (the catching on part anyway). When Lou figures out how to exploit the zone in ways other than shooting the 3 my goodness will she be amazing. I would love to see them utilize her @ the 4 a bit while Tuck is out to toughen her up some and to also take advantage of her length. She could play high low easily with Stewie in @ the 5, she definitely has the passing ability. Also she would get a good number of shots from around the foul line in that position which she has proven she can consistently make.

 

[Boreifs]

Gabbie is much more confident with her high post jump shot now, which makes all the difference. I would add just one more point; one almost never sees a point guard try to penetrate the 2-3 zone at the top of the key, which puts impossible pressure on the back three players. Somebody is always open for a shot, particularly if both defensive guards move to stop the ball.

 

[TheGOAT23]

I've seen where Lou has exploited the zone in a few games. She put the ball on the deck and used her mid range jumper - a thing of beauty. She needs to be consistent with it night in and night out. In those games where she did use the mid range, her stats were pretty good. Lou needs to realize that she's more than a 3pt threat. One day it will click.

 

[UcMiami]

Gabbie is much more confident with her high post jump shot now, which makes all the difference. I would add just one more point; one almost never sees a point guard try to penetrate the 2-3 zone at the top of the key, which puts impossible pressure on the back three players. Somebody is always open for a shot, particularly if both defensive guards move to stop the ball.

Love the confidence she is showing in that shot right now. But she is also showing up in the short corner, and has especially improved her cuts into creases in the zone as they develop.

 

[JordyG]

I love this. You are not only dead on but are saying everything I scream at the screen when watching non-UConn games. Some of it comes down to basketball IQ though (the catching on part anyway). When Lou figures out how to exploit the zone in ways other than shooting the 3 my goodness will she be amazing. I would love to see them utilize her @ the 4 a bit while Tuck is out to toughen her up some and to also take advantage of her length. She could play high low easily with Stewie in @ the 5, she definitely has the passing ability. Also she would get a good number of shots from around the foul line in that position which she has proven she can consistently make.

I too have been screaming, now hoarsely, these same very things at the screen. You guys have it all in the right. There is no conference worse at this than the SEC. The double post is particularly susceptible to the 2-3 IF the job of the post players is to merely stand around never flashing to the high post, never moving to corner. It seems as a conference the coaches are committed to teaching archaic, wrongheaded or inappropriate offensive schemes.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Heck, if players would just learn that great passing skills are > great dribbling skills, offensive execution would be better. If Tennessee knew how to pass, maybe Te'a Cooper wouldn't have dribbled out the clock against Kentucky.

 

[UcMiami]

Just think about this - Geno always praised the big east for the variety of the teams in the league - dealing with the different offenses and defenses of the conference teams meant that you got exposure to and learned how to deal with run and gun offenses, deliberate offenses, physical teams, perimeter oriented, low post, defenses like rutgers and west virginia - and importantly zone and man to man. I don't watch a lot of the teams in the SEC, but they all seem to run pretty similar stuff - KY is pretty unique I guess in terms of defense (energetic at least) but predominantly man, and predominantly pretty uninspired offensive concepts. Pat wasn't a great innovator, and I wonder if most teams tried to emulate her.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Just think about this - Geno always praised the big east for the variety of the teams in the league - dealing with the different offenses and defenses of the conference teams meant that you got exposure to and learned how to deal with run and gun offenses, deliberate offenses, physical teams, perimeter oriented, low post, defenses like rutgers and west virginia - and importantly zone and man to man. I don't watch a lot of the teams in the SEC, but they all seem to run pretty similar stuff - KY is pretty unique I guess in terms of defense (energetic at least) but predominantly man, and predominantly pretty uninspired offensive concepts. Pat wasn't a great innovator, and I wonder if most teams tried to emulate her.

The SEC was long like that in football, too - 3 yards and a cloud of dust on offense and stout defenses. Steve Spurrier changed that in the 90's with the fun and gun and won big. I'd like to see more up tempo offense; it would make games more exciting.