Red 1 shoots a free throw. Players O1, O2 and O3 rebound the ball, fill the lanes. Red 1 plays defence. 2 cones at the halfway line. The wing players must go around the cones. After finishing fast break the shooter becomes defender and 3 players goes against 1 to the opposite basket.
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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