Effective Zone Offense Set Plays

with Anthony Carlyle,
Yazoo City High School (MS) Head Boys Basketball Coach & Athletic Director;
5x State Champion (4 at Velma Jackson HS, 1 at Columbus HS)

Zone defenses are traditionally used to slow down high scoring motion offenses that fare well against man-to-man. In this video, five-time Mississippi high school state champion coach Anthony Carlyle provides several zone sets he has used throughout his coaching career in order to create false action and multiple scoring options against any zone defense.

Philosophy

Coach Carlyle believes that you must work on your weaknesses in order to become a complete basketball team. He explains that at one point, his teams struggled to play against zone defenses so he chose to put his players to work. Carlyle's players learned how use man-to-man principles while running their sets so they could beat any zone defense.

Set Plays

When it comes to sets against a zone, any time there's false action or misdirection, it can create multiple scoring opportunities both in the paint and on the perimeter. In "L," players set up the defense for a lob for your most athletic player; however, the lob creates misdirection and allows a skip pass to your best 3-point shooter.

In Wing Double, your players create a scoring opportunity for your best shooter by setting up the defense as you look for gaps to dribble penetrate.

In Screen, your wing looks to screen the middle of the zone, freeing up your best post player for either a post-up or an easy layup. You can add to this set by looking for a skip pass out of the post for your best shooter or most athletic scorer.

In Carlyle's 14 Series, players begin in a 1-4 set to create a different look and more scoring options for your best shooter. Another scenario allows you to use a ball screen to create a 2-on-1 advantage for your best driver.

Coach Carlyle delivers some of the best scoring options you can use against a zone in this video. You'll get various demonstrations for how to beat a zone using screens, skip passes, and misdirection. If you traditionally struggle against zone defense, this is your solution!

75 minutes. 2019.