Junior Coaching Basics

The '2-3' Zone Defense

The '2-3' zone is widely used defense in junior level basketball. It can be very difficult to score against, especially if the offense has no strong outside shooters.

Two players (usually guards) position themselves near the top of the key, while three players (typically the forwards and the center) spread out at the bottom of the keyway. Show Me

The benefits being:

1. Driving to the basket is difficult with bigger players already in position to defend any lay-up attempts.
2. Rebounders are in a perfect position to crash the defensive boards.
3. Forces teams to take more outside shots, a benefit if they're poor at shooting.

However, there are some down sides:

1. Any team that can pass quickly and shoot well can really damage the 2-3 zone.
2. The 2-3 zone is often not allowed in younger age groups.

Some important facets of the 2-3 zone should be noted:

1. Forwards must not get trapped behind the post player.
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2. Players cutting through the key must be marked. The zone defense becomes more like a man-to-man defense when players enter the keyway. Too often, in a zone, players are too static and don't actively deny passes into the keyway.
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3. The center must cover the base line when the forwards move out to the wing.
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4. The forwards must talk! They are critical in communicating to the center and guards what's happening behind them.