The player starts with the ball on the wing. He will dribble down the get lower than the cones, which act as a screeen, then make a change of direction towards the cones. when he goes off the screen a help defenter, who is defending the screen should come out forcing the attacking player to change direction towards the basket for a shot.
After the player goes past the screen they should make a change and explode quickly towards the basket. They should make the change quick and under control. the attacker should be looking up to be able to see where the deffender is and when he comes out to make the change.
When they are getting towards the cone they need to stop under control and be ballanced for their shot.
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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