The 2-1-2 or the 2-3 may be the most common zone used by many junior teams. It gives protection close to the basket and strong rebounding positions. It can be vulnerable against teams that penetrate the gaps in the defence with smart dribbling and good mid-range shooting skills.
Diagram 1 This shows the positions of the defenders and the area of responsibilities. These areas should only be used as a guide as the unpredictable movement of the offence may require defenders to move beyond the area shown, particularly when the offence has more than one player in a designated area.
Diagram 2 This shows the position of defenders when the ball is on the wing
Diagram 3 This shows the position of defenders when the ball is near the baseline.
The object of the zone defence is to apply pressure to the player with the ball while other players position themselves to discourage a pass or dribble inside the defence.
