Defense10U+
2-3 zone defense
The 2-3 zone defense puts two guards up top and three players across the lane.
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Basketball plays and defenses
Animated diagrams for youth and high school teams. Each page walks through the play step by step, explains every player's job, and includes a drill to teach it. Open any of them in the free play maker to change it for your team, or find skill work in the basketball drills library.
Defenses · Presses
Basketball defenses
Zone and man-to-man defenses with the rotations drawn out.
Defense10U+
3-2 zone defense
The 3-2 zone defense puts three players across the top and two near the basket.
Open in the play makerDefense8U+
Man to man defense
In man to man defense, each player guards one opponent, but four of the five are also helping.
Open in the play makerDefense12U+
1-3-1 zone defense
The 1-3-1 zone defense puts one defender at the top, three across the free throw line, and one along the baseline.
Open in the play makerDefense12U+
Box and 1 defense
A box and 1 defense (sometimes searched as "box in one") puts four players in a small box-shaped zone and assigns one player to guard the other team's best scorer everywhere they go.
Open in the play makerDefense10U+
1-2-2 zone defense
The 1-2-2 zone defense puts one defender at the top, two on the wings, and two on the blocks.
Open in the play makerDefense10U+
Pack line defense
The pack line defense is a man-to-man defense built around help.
Open in the play makerDefense12U+
Triangle and 2 defense
The triangle and 2 defense is a combination defense.
Open in the play makerPress10U+
Full court press (2-2-1 press)
A full court press guards the other team the length of the floor, starting on the inbound pass.
Open in the play makerPress12U+
1-2-1-1 full court press
The 1-2-1-1 full court press, often called the diamond press, puts one defender on the inbounder, two on the wings, one in the middle near half court, and one safety deep.
Open in the play makerOffense · Zone offense
Basketball offense
Motion offense, ball screens, and ways to beat a zone.
Offense10U+
Pick and roll
The pick and roll is a two-player action.
Open in the play makerOffense9U+
Screens in basketball
Screens in basketball are the simplest way to get a teammate open.
Open in the play makerOffense7U+
Give and go
The give and go is the simplest play in basketball.
Open in the play makerOffense7U+
5 out motion offense
The 5 out motion offense puts all five players outside the 3-point line and runs on a few simple rules: pass, cut to the basket, and fill the open spot.
Open in the play makerOffense9U+
4 out 1 in motion offense
The 4 out 1 in motion offense spreads four players around the 3-point line and keeps one player inside as a post.
Open in the play makerOffense12U+
Princeton offense
The Princeton offense is a patient, read-based offense built on passing, spacing, and backdoor cuts.
Open in the play makerOffense13U+
Triangle offense
The triangle offense sets three players in a triangle on one side of the floor (a post, a wing, and a corner) with two players on the other side.
Open in the play makerOffense11U+
Flex offense
The flex offense is a continuity offense built on two screens: a baseline flex screen for a cutter, then a down screen for the player who set it.
Open in the play makerOffense11U+
Dribble drive offense
The dribble drive offense spreads the floor so players can drive to the rim, and when help comes, kick the ball out to an open shooter.
Open in the play makerOffense10U+
Horns offense
The horns offense starts from a simple alignment: the point guard at the top, two bigs at the elbows, and two wings in the corners.
Open in the play makerZone offense10U+
2-3 zone offense
A 2-3 zone offense is built to find the open spots in a 2-3 zone.
Open in the play makerZone offense10U+
1-3-1 zone offense
A 1-3-1 zone offense attacks the spots a 1-3-1 zone has trouble covering: the gaps next to the point defender, the corners, and the baseline behind the middle defender.
Open in the play makerPress breaks · Inbound plays
Press breaks and inbound plays
Get the ball in and up the floor against pressure.
Press break9U+
Press break
A press break is a set way to get the ball inbounds and up the floor when the other team presses.
Open in the play makerInbounds9U+
Box inbound play
A box inbound play lines up four players in a box around the lane when you take the ball out on the baseline under your own basket.
Open in the play makerInbounds9U+
Sideline out of bounds play
A sideline out of bounds play gets the ball in safely when you take it out on the side of the court in your frontcourt.
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