Any zone press, including a half-court zone press, is "applied to cause turnovers, change the tempo, and to simply create chaos for the offense," according to the HoopsU.com website. The half-court zone press is a tremendous weapon to use against teams with shaky ball handlers. However, a smart, poised and skilled team can attack the half-court press and find holes in the defense that can break it down and create quick scoring opportunities.
Step 1
Move the ball up the court quickly. Send two people along the sidelines nearest you as soon as you obtain possession of the ball. Try to hit one with a pass before the opponent can establish the zone press. Beating the defense renders the zone press useless and can lead to quick scores.
Step 2
Read the defense. This is where good coaches and intelligent players have the edge. There are many half-court zone presses, and the pressure a good zone trap places on your team can be immense. Figure out what type of half-court zone press your opponents are using.
Step 3
Exploit the vulnerabilities in the zone press. For example, a 3-1-1 zone press is vulnerable to passes up the sideline, according to The Coaches Clipboard website. Long passes to the deep corners of the court often beat a 2-2-1 press.
Step 4
Keep your head up. You can't read the defense if you can't see it. Your point guard must keep his head up, see the floor, be patient and get rid of the ball just before a trap from two opponents gets to him.
Step 5
Attack after you beat the trap and stay aggressive. Get the ball to open teammates for easy shots or layups as they slash to the hoop. If you can beat a half-zone press a few times for easy scores, your opponents might drop the press.
Tips and Warnings
- Don't try to dribble through a half-court zone press. If your point guard is small, have a taller player who is a good passer stay in the back court with him. Have the point guard pass sideways to his teammate before the trap arrives and let the taller teammate initiate attacking the press.
- A team can slap a half-court zone press on you in an instant, and if you are unprepared, it can lead to quick turnovers and completely change the momentum of the game.
Member Comments