Defense zones are a type of defense, used in team sports, which is an alternative to man-to-man defense; instead of each player keeping the appropriate players on the other team, each defender is given an area (zone) to cover.
Zone defense can be used in many sports where defenders keep players on other teams. Defense zones and zone principles are commonly used in basketball, American soccer, football associations, ice hockey, lacrosse, Australian football rules, netball and most importantly.
Video Zone defense
Basket
The names given for the zone defense begin with the number of players on the front of the zone (farthest away from goal) followed by the number of players in the back zone. For example, in 2-3 zones two defenders protect the area above the zone (near the top of the key) while three human rights defenders protect the area near the baseline.
Match-up zone is a man-to-man and hybrid defense zone where players apply man-to-man defense wherever opposing players enter their area. John Chaney, former head coach of Temple University, is the most famous supporter of this defense. The hybrid defense also includes Box-and-one, where four defenders are in zone 2-2 and one defender keeps certain players in offense. This variant is triangle-and-two, where three defenders are in zone 2-1 and two defenders keep two special offensive players.
Zone defense is common in international competitions, colleges and youth. At the National Basketball Association, zone defense is banned until the 2001-2002 season, and most teams do not use it as a major defense strategy. The NBA has a three-second defensive offense rule, which makes it more difficult for teams to play zones, because such defenses usually position players in the middle of a key to stop penetration. Dallas Mavericks under coach Rick Carlisle is an example of the NBA team that regularly uses zone defense.
Border zone defense history
Frank Lindley, Newton, KS high school basketball coach from 1914 to 1945, included the first to use zone defense and other innovations in the game and wrote many books on basketball. He finished his career with a 594-118 record and led Railroaders to ten state titles and seven second places finished. Jim Boeheim, coach of the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team, is famous for using the 2-3 zone which is one of the best in the NCAA. His zone, which usually features athletic, annoying, and aggressive defenders, has been a prototype for use on other teams including the United States men's national basketball team, where he has spent time as an assistant coach.
Benefits
Some reasons to use zone defense are:
- The opposing team has players or players who are too fast (in the case of guards) or too large (in the case of a front or center) to make man-to-man defense effective.
- Many zones compact the defenders on the track but allow the attack team to take long-range shots. If the opponent is a bad long-range shooter, the zone can be very effective.
- Unless it involves a trap, zone defense usually does not involve aggressive pressure on the ball handler and allows the offensive team to easily pass the ball around. This may allow the offense to use more time before the shot is attempted, an advantage for teams that want to slow down the tempo of the game.
- Bad defensive players can often be "hidden" in zones because teammates can more easily help if they are beaten.
- Zones can help players who are threatened fouling by taking pressure off them.
- Playing zones is less tiring and thus can help teams suffering from fatigue.
- To prevent scores easily when the ball is tied under the basket.
- Against teams with inexperienced guards, trapping zones can disrupt violations and force changes.
Losses
Playing zones contains several risks.
- The zone tends to be weak around it, so it's not very effective against a team with a good shooter.
- Zones have loopholes (areas that are not well protected by human rights defenders) that can be exploited by a well-qualified team or have a guard capable of penetrating the zone.
- If the team is behind in the game, playing the zone can be a bad strategy because the zone usually allows the offense to take more time from the hour on each possession, which limits the time left for the losing team to reduce the advantage. It also reduces the possibility of stealing the ball from the attackers and trying to counterattack quickly in the open field. This is not always true; there is a pressure zone defense that can often lead to a faster shot by the opponent or generate turnover.
- When a shot is attempted, it is often more difficult for a player in the zone to find an opponent to come out of the box for a rebound, which sometimes produces offensive players who get an easy offensive attack. â ⬠<â ⬠<
- The zone defense requires a commitment to plan and practice zones, both from coaches and players. While most players are already familiar with the defense of play zones, they sometimes are not experts in zone shades, such as distance, which requires intimacy and experience. When man-to-man teams move into zone defense, it is sometimes seen as a gimmick that is easily exploited by a disciplined team.
Attacking zone defense
While strategies to counter defense zones vary and often depend on the strengths and weaknesses of both offensive and defensive teams, there are some general principles that are usually used by offensive teams when facing zones.
- Many popular zones (such as 2-3, 3-2 and 1-2-2) have a gap in the middle of the track. Getting the ball in this area can be very effective because the defense is often forced to "collapse" on the ball handler, freeing other players for open shots. To capitalize on this gap, many teams assigned front players to operate in the "high heading" area near the free throw line to capture and distribute the ball. Attackers in the high post area can also set the screen on players at the top of the zone to allow for penetration by the guard.
- Rapid graduation is an important element attacking every zone. The defense will shift as the ball moves, but if the offense can move the ball faster than the defense can react, open fires may occur. A quick pass against the zone often leads to a three-point opening, and a less effective zone defense against the team with a good three-point shooter.
- The dribble break is very effective at breaking the zone. If a guard can dribble into a gap in the zone, some defenders have to gather on the ball. The ball handler can then often pass through to an open teammate to be shot. This strategy illustrates why preventing dribble penetration is important in playing an effective zone defense.
- Passing the ball into the interior of the zone can have the same effect as dribble penetration: when the defense collapses, a quick kick to the perimeter can produce an open shot or fast forward pass, as the defense is now unbalanced.
- The Short Corner: Attacking the "Short Corner", or baseline area behind the defense off the track, against zone 2-3 puts defenses in rotation and opens the middle post.
- Filter the back of the zone: this will unlock the weakside shooter from the pass pass or ball rotation.
Maps Zone defense
American football
Defense zones in American football refer to the type of "pass coverage". See American soccer defense strategy and zone blocking.
Australian football rules
Zone defense tactics, borrowed from basketball, were introduced to Australian football in the late 1980s by Robert Walls and revolutionized the game. It was used most effectively by Essendon Football Club coach, Kevin Sheedy.
This tactic is used from fullback kicks after goals are created. The sides are opposite to players who kick the spot of their forward players, including full forward and center forward, in a zone spaced flat behind the 50-meter arc. This makes it easier for them to block the major players and force the kick to be more precise, which essentially increases the margin for errors that can lead to shifts and other shots on goal. As a result, the best way to break the zone is to full-back to bomb it in length (over 50 meters), often requiring a low torpedo torque, or to play short chipping games from defense and then to switch play when opposing players break the zone. The latter has negated the effectiveness of tactics since the 1990s.
Another kick-in technique is huddle , which is often used before the zone, which involves all players from opposition teams to players kicking together and then breaking different directions. The kicker usually aims whichever of the designated target (usually the ruckman) walks in.
Ice Hockey
In ice hockey, the player maintains the zone in the neutral zone and locks the left wing.
Netball
Netball is a sport that is similar to basketball with similar strategies and tactics used, though with seven players per team. Zone defense is one of the main defense strategies used by the team, along with one-on-one defense. Common variants include central-court blocks, box-and-two zones, diamond-and-two zones, out-box zones and circle-divergence zones.
Ultimate
Ultimate allows for a number of zone defense tactics, usually used in poor conditions (such as wind, rain or snow), to prevent long operands and slow down the progress of opposition movements.
See also
- Box-and-one defenses
- One-on-one defense
- Zonal alerts
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia