Zone offensevs zone3 phasesRuns 4.9 s
High-Low vs 2-3
The middle of a 2-3 is the hole every coach tells his team to keep the ball out of, so put it there. The wing entry turns the top two defenders, a flasher catches at the free-throw line, and the short-corner man dives in behind the back line for the high-low.
Open in the appRun it, tilt it, put a defense on it, change it. Free to start. No account, nothing to install.
Phase by phase
1Phase 1
Wing entry first — the zone has to turn its top two defenders toward the ball.
- 1 passes to 3
- 4 cuts to the right elbow
- 1 cuts to the left slot
2Phase 2
Flash into the middle and catch facing the rim; 3 drops to the corner to hold the bottom.
- 3 passes to 4
- 5 cuts to the right block
- 3 cuts to the right corner
3Phase 3
High-low over the top of the back line before the middle defender can drop back.
- 4 passes to 5
- 5 shoots
Teaching points
- Make the wing entry first. The zone has to turn its top two defenders before the middle opens.
- Flash to the free-throw line only once the entry has been made, and catch facing the rim.
- 3 drops to the corner on the flash so the bottom defender has somebody to hold.
- The high-post catch is a pivot and a look, not a dribble.
- The low man dives behind the back line while everybody is watching the ball above them.
Every zone coach in the gym tells his team to keep the ball out of the middle. That is the instruction, which means the middle is the place to put it.
The entry goes to the wing first, because a 2-3 will not turn until the ball is below the free-throw line extended. Once the top two defenders have turned, a flasher catches at the free-throw line facing the basket, and the back line now has a decision it cannot make.
The read
The player at the free-throw line is looking at three things in order.
The high-low pass to the man diving behind the back line is first. If the middle defender comes up to meet the catch, that lane is open immediately. If he stays home, the corner is undefended, because the bottom defender on that side has been pulled out.
Catch it facing the rim. A high-post player with his back to the basket has given the zone its shape back.
Teaching it
Spacing above and below the ball is what makes the flash safe. Somebody has to be in the corner and somebody has to be above the ball, or the zone simply collapses on the catch.
Teach the flasher to arrive after the entry, not with it. Flash early and the middle is still guarded.
The pass over the top has to be thrown before the middle defender can drop back, so it goes on the catch. A player who holds it for one count has lost the window.
Counters
- If the middle defender steps up to the flash, the pass over the top to the block is immediate.
- If the bottom defender ignores the corner and stays inside, the corner three is the shot.
- If the zone traps the high post, the weak-side slot is open for the pass out.
zone-offensehigh-lowhigh-postshort-cornerflashlayup