In each corner of the court are groups of players with two players at the half way line circle. On the signal players 1 & 2 start dribbling before passing to players 3 & 4 respectively.
Players 1 & 2 passes to players 5 & 6 and goes towards the elbow of the free throw line and receive the pass from players 5 & 6 and immediately pass to the players 7 and 8. Players 1 & 2 and goes to replace players 5 & 6
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.