One player has a ball and another player starts in the middle of a cross-shaped set of cones. On the command, Red Player 1 moves to touch one of the cones before returning back to the middle to receive a pass from White 1.
The player then has to touch a different cone before returning back to the middle to receive a pass. Once the middle player has touched all four cones then the player switch over.
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.
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