flexing with a zone
 

I'm just looking for thoughts today. Last night we had opening night of boy's basketball around here. One of the teams played a zone defense, and the other team ran a play often where they set a double screen on one side and sent a cutter to the opposite for a shot from the wing. My question is on how you all flex with that. Personally I stay with the screeners as that is where the most rebounding action will happen, but I can also see making a case for flexing and helping with the possible drive on the 1 on 1 isolation. Just curious. Let me know if my description isn't complete enough. I'm pretty sure most of you see the play I'm trying to describe.

must have been a duplicate of game I had. Same offense. I tried flexing but felt there was too much going on in the area of the screeners on double screen. In addition - when player cut opposite to corner or short corner - he was usually in a situation where only one defender was in a postion to guard him.

Partners having same opinion when they were in lead. During a TO partners and I decided that L would stay with screeners, C would move down from top of key to FT line area and cover shooter. There was not much else going on over there anyway. T would then take normal primary.

This worked much better we thought. I don't think it would be wrong if someone wanted to flex - but this seemed to work best for our crew and kept the game clean.

Stay with the screener(s) official on weak side should be able to handle alone.

That's good advice (almost) no matter what offense is being run.

In the "normal" front court situation, C should be at the FT line extended, and adjust 1 or 2 steps to either side as needed for angles. The "top of the key" is as high as C should ever be (in the "normal" situation).

I agree. In high school and college women's I work from the FT line down. When I work the very few college men's games on my schedule, I work a little higher C as the bigger players change the angles slightly. Thanks for the flexing thoughts as well. I like staying with the screener, but I thought the question might get some good conversation going.

I agree with you in your positioning. I tend to work a little lower than many. It depends where people are of course, but in HS especially they tend not to space as well and I find better angles lower. Of course this means you have to run a little more - but I like the angles and don't mind the running and am able to keep up or ahead yet.

I also agree - especially with partners who tend not to flex. I just see the plays better from there and can better officiate post play from a lower angle...

Here's another thing I try to focus on - is there really a need to rotate to help cover a 1 on 1? Wouldn't that have two officials on the same side as two players, while leaving the old T/new C to watch the other eight? I would think you would now rotate on more than just "where the ball is". Trust your partner to cover that isolation drive. If other post players come across to help screen the drive, sure, then follow them across and be ready to pick up the ball.

I do not rotate (I do not use the term flex in these cases) as much with a zone defense. For one the offense is trying to move the zone to find holes. The ball often gets skipped back and forth (I see this more with Boy's basketball for some reason) to find those holes and places to drive or post up. You do not need to move to officiate a one-on-one match-up either when your partner has it covered. Unless the ball comes down into the post or the potential for the ball coming to the low block, I would not rotate as quickly. Also a match-up zone is a little different because it is like a man-to-man defense with zone principles.

Peace

I agree completely.

(I've had a lot of these kinds of posts today. :confused: )

That's how I do it as well. As I said before, I was just fishing for other thoughts to see if maybe there was a better way to approach these plays. I do, however, prefer the terminology of a match up zone having MANTOMANPRINCIPLES! All due respect to Bill R. :D

I have been playing too much video game basketball with Bill Rafferty as one of the commentators.

Peace