White player 1 starts with the ball and proceeds to pass the ball up the line to the next player and so on.
Blue Players 1 and 2 are defenders and can start once the 1st pass has been played. They have to run to protect the basket and stop the white players from scoring.
On reaching player 4 the white players 3 and 4 move forward with the ball and try to score.
After playing the point out the white players 3 and 4 then become defenders and blue 3 and 4 join the queue of attackers on the other side of the court.
Don't allow the defensive rebounders to run until 1st pass has been played.
To make it harder you could make the defensive rebounders face their own basket before then turning to run up the court.
Stress that the defenders should try to box out the attackers with body contact.
The ball screen produces almost half of all professional offensive possessions, yet most teams still teach it as a memorised play. The modern approach trains the read - giving players a framework to decide based on what the defence does, not what the coach called.
The closeout is the most repeated defensive action in modern basketball. With fouls per game climbing in the 2025-26 season, coaches must teach defenders to contest the three without surrendering the drive or putting shooters on the line.
The 2-3 zone defence remains one of the most effective defensive systems in basketball when coached and executed properly. This guide covers the fundamentals of running a 2-3 zone, including player roles, rotations, and when to deploy it for maximum impact.