Do you know how you would attack a zone defense? If a team is prepared to meet a zone, it should be able to get good shots by excellent passing and moving the ball. If an attack is to be successful, your percentage of shots must be good against any type of defense.

The attempt to score inside must be made against the zone at least one third of the time. Failure to get the inside shot will favor the zone and lessen your chance to penetrate the defense.

<b>Let's look at the purposes of the zone defense:</b>

1. To frustrate the driving and screening game of the offense.

2. To increase the rebounding opportunities for the defense.

3. To create an opportunity for fast break.

4. To force the offensive team to shoot a high-risk percentage long shot.

5. To keep the players on defense, especially key players, from committing unnecessary fouls.

6. To develop a focus on playing the ball.

<b>What are the simplest ways to beat a zone?</b>

1. Good ball handling.

2. Strong outside shooting.

<b>What Is the Best Attack for the Zone?</b>

Most zone defenses cannot be attacked with the same method used against a man-for-man defense. In attacking a zone, keep the following objectives in mind:

1. Move the ball well inside and out.

2. Aim at overloading and employ cutters through the defense.

3. Place men in open spots to force the defense to change to man-to-man type of defense.

4. The best way to beat the zone defense is to bring the ball quickly down the floor and attack the zone before it can be set up strongly.
 

<b>Attacking the 3-2 Zone</b>

Players in the offensive attack must be placed according to the open spots in the zone. There are two variations of attack against the 3-2 zone. These attacks are the 2-1-2 attack and the 1-3-1 attack. The center man in each of these attacks may be moved slightly to force the defense to protect the middle at all costs.

In the 2-1-2 attack, either of the attacking front men can go to the side to pull the defensive wing man out with him. As the pass is made from the front man to the corner man, the inside back defensive man must move out to cover him. At this point the center man playing in front of the free throw line, moves to the side of the ball. This move forces the zone to drop back to fill the middle.
 

In the 1-3-1 attack, the baseline man moves as a floater to the side of the ball. He must not go too far toward the corner. This maneuver would make the shot attempt too long. The high post man playing at the free throw line also moves to the side of the ball. Thus an overload situation is created and a double triangle
is formed with the four men on the side of the ball. The opposite  wing man will need to come out toward the mid-court line to protect position for defensive possibilities.

If the wing man shoots, he should never follow his own shot as the overload favors his side. The congestion will not allow the wing man shooting to get on the boards effectively. The front man who is the key feeder of the attack should be mobile, moving to either side of the defense for good angle passing opportunities.

The floater along the baseline and the high post man should possess good rebounding and close shooting abilities. The two wing men should be fast and be able to shoot from outside. The front man in the attack must be smart, able to diagnose movements of the defense, and be the best shooter and passer on the squad.