York House Basketball Playbook 1-1-3 Half Court and 1-1-2-1 Full Court Defenses Initial Alignment X1 - Usually our quickest guard. • Job is to force the ball handler to pick one side of the floor. X2 - Our smartest guard (Usually our point guard). • Job is to deny the ball from getting into the key. *X1 and X2 are interchangeable and will switch positions within one possession. X3/X4 - Our longest and most athletic players (Usually our 3 and 4) X5 - Our biggest player • Job is to protect the hoop. Areas of importance: A - Point B/C - Wing areas D/E - Corners F - High post G - Low post On the pass to the wing: X4 - quickly hedges, then drops to front the low post. X2 - covers the wing. X1 - drops down and denies the high post area. We want to do what we can to keep the ball on this side of the floor, so X2 should be forcing baseline, but shouldn’t give up middle penetration. York House Playbook - 1-1-3 Zone Defense - 1
On the pass from wing to the corner: X4 - Breaks down on the corner X5 - Fights under the post X2 - Sags middle to take away topside post entry pass. X1 - edges out towards the strong side wing X3 - sags towards the baseline watching the passers eyes.
On the skip pass or quick reversal: X3 - has to slow the ball at the top, then drop to the wing area. X2 or X1 - covers the point area • if their point guard isnʼt a 3pt threat, then we flatten out and deny penetration. • The other one recovers back to the middle (behind the other) reestablishing the stacked position in which they began. On the high post entry: X1 - retreats to the pass side junction area. X5 - aggressively jams the high post with hands high (blocking passing lanes). X3/X4 - drop to the blocks X2 - doubles the high post (most likely from the opposite side of X1).
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On the kick out from the high post: X1 or X2 - breaks down on the ball. X5 - drops to the strong side low post area X3 - (strong side wing) plays halfway between the post on the corner.
Wing Trap: On the wing entry: X2/X4 - trap the ball aggressively X5 - should front the post or play halfway between the post and the corner. X1 - drops to the interceptor spot between the high post and the point. X3 - Our safety, needs to read the passers eyes and protect the hoop.
Trapping Positioning: On a quick reversal pass, X1 needs to make it tough for the point to pass the ball and X3 needs to delay any breakdowns on the pass to the wing. • this allows everyone else to recover.
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Full Court Positioning and Responsibility: X1 (Ball) • On the ball as soon as it comes inbounds • Responsible for forcing the ball up the sideline. X2 (Front) • Denying any middle penetration (either dribble or pass). • If the ball is quickly reversed, will take over the ballʼs responsibilities on the other side. X3/X4 (Wings) • Deny the quick passes up the wings • When the ball is dribbled towards the sideline, theyʼre responsible for trapping. X5 (Safety) • Helps on deep passes. • On wing traps, rotates and looks to steal the “up” pass. • Protects the hoop.
Ideal Trapping Spots 1 - Just over half court • This is the ideal trapping spot because of the ability to use the timeline as an additional defender. 2 - Just before half court • Canʼt use the timeline, but this forces the offense to reverse the ball out of trouble, which takes time. 3 - Offensive wing position • Often catches teams by surprise because, once they get the ball into the offensive quarter court, they believe that they have broken pressure.
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On the quick pass to the wing (or skip pass): X2 - stops the ball. X1 - takes X2’s position in the middle, denying middle penetration. X4 - denies the “up” pass X3/X5 - shift towards the ball side of the floor.
On the skip pass: X1/X2 - Switch X3 - Sprints to the “up” pass X4/X5 - Shift to the new ball side.
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Middle Dribble Penetration: X2 and X1 - set a trap to contain the ball as quickly as possible. X3 - delays to deter any passes to a middle cutter or sealing offensive player. X5 - Sprints towards the opposite sideline, looking to tip (or steal) any passes to the opposite side. X4 - drops to the middle
On the sideline dribble X2 - forces the ball up the sideline, then traps with X4. X4 - plays “cat and mouse” with the ball handler: She pretends that she’s staying with the wing outlet, then sprints to trap at half court. On the trap: X5 - cuts off the “up” pass to the wing outlet. X1 - retreats to the level of the ball and looks to intercept any release pass. X3 - rotates to a safety position deep.
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If the trap happens before half court and they reverse the ball: X2/X4 - Break the trap and sprint back to the center lane (X2 shallow and X4 deeper). X1 - Sags, but faces the middle receiver, then looks to trap the pass to the opposite wing. X3 - fakes towards the deep wing outlet, then (on the reversal) aggressively traps with X1. X5 - sprints from sideline to sideline.
If the wing dribbler makes the “up” pass: X4 - follows the pass and traps with X5. X2 - Breaks the trap and recovers to the center lane, level to or behind the ball. X3 - Rotates towards the strong side line (becomes the new safety). X1 - Rotates straight back to the hoop.
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Junk Defense - 1-3 and 1 (Box and 1) Initial Alignment X1 - defends the high post area X3/X4 - defend the wing area • They front the low post if there is one on their side. X5 - Safety. • Protects the hoop • plays behind the low post once the ball has been entered to a wing X2 - Face guards their best player If the star perimeter player receives the ball: X2 - Forces her to put the ball on the ground. Depending on which way she drives: • We can either trap her from in front • We can send the trap from behind How we play this depends on her supporting cast and the star players ability to pass the ball. On the star post player: We’ll keep a smaller, quicker defender on her (their job is to aggressively front the post), but we’ll also shadow her with our safety. On the pass to the wing, we will put extreme pressure on the ball, not allowing their wings to see the post.
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Denying Hi/Lo Offensive Movement: On the pass to the wing: X1 - drops to the high post area looking to deter any pass to a cutting post. We are alright with them reversing the ball, but we really want the offensive wing to put the ball on the ground.
On the Post to Post Screen: Depending on which defender is screened, the other one has to aggressively deny the star post from establishing position or getting open long enough for the help to recover. We also have to put pressure on the potential wing passer.
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