Let me try,keep in mind I run a true not a robotic match up like the Amoeba ...
1. Point defender "declares ball" or one of the even front defenders "Five of them five of us" ... players shift to
match offensive set ... posts declare inside spots or let the perimeters know if they "have three"... perimeters
declare to the left and right or let post know that "we have four"...
2. Once you match the set, use the same rules that you use when you run shell M2M without screens or
movement in the early stages of the teaching process. Handle the dribble and ball movement the same way as
you do in your M2M.
a) Help and Recover
b) Pack Line
c) SWARM
d) Other
3. If they screen, it switch "hard" not lazy which basically means get around the screener. Many teams think that
we are still M2M because we match up so hard to the set and declare people regardless of the set although some
are harder to match. In short, if they think it is M2M you can negate screening by "hard" switching. I have drills
to defend most screens this way. I teach four very effective techniques actually these four techniques work in
fronting the post and avoiding screens and block outs.
4. Common offensive strategy is to send a cutter through the match up to determine the defense. All you really
need to do is play the player that you matched on into the paint and then zone up. Let your teammates know if
he/she went through and to which side. Rotate to cover Five on Five and be ball side. I call this "Bumping" the
cutter to the next defender. I have two other techniques to confuse the offense but those are more advanced.
5. In conclusion, match the set, handle ball movement and dribble based on your philosophy and bump cutters
while staying matched to the ball side of the set.
How did I do? Please advise.
1. Example #1: a point runs a "J" cut and the point defender sinks to the paint with them ...
a) if the offense replaces at the top the point takes him and the other two weak zone players adjust/ match up ...
b) if they simple vacate the point and adjust wings above foul line extended to create a two guard look the point
ad just because he is "guarding air" and slides to the elbow weak and closes out on the weak side guard while
the wing close out on the corner ... posts communicate "we have three"
2. Example #2 : Wing pass to corner and cut through, follow to the paint and "Bump" ...
a) if the player at the point, comes to the wing, the point zone defender comes with them, if a weak wing player
comes top then I like to take the player that guarded the cutter and step up to the point forcing back zone players
to step across. Basically, point and wing zone players switched spots.
b) if the offense doesn't fill, alot of times that defender, will go to the basket then cover weak side corner on ball
reversal creating a 1-3-1 to match the offensive set.
3. Do you need me to transfer from the other match up thread? I just compiled four or five posts on the match
up.
We have ran a match up zone in the past. We had some success with it, but against well coached teams, we had
some problems. Teams that we good at slippig screens and making quick cuts tended to give some more
problems. We had more success when we trapped out of it.
Here were the basic rules.
Match-Up Rules
1. Continually point to your man and talk to your teammates.
2. Guard someone: don’t have two defensive players on the same offensive player.
3. Defense takes the shape of the offense’s alignment.
4. Keep bigs in and smalls out.
5. The post player comes out in emergencies only…as when the offense has five players along the perimeter or
if we have to defend an excellent perimeter shooter.
6. Help side defenders straddle the weak side lane line. The offense will screen away and will send offensive
players away so in our Match-Up, we assume all offensive players are good shooters.
7. Guards dig into the post to help force the ball back out onto the perimeter.
8. Switch everything to keep bigs in and smalls out…however, we don’t switch the dribble.
9. Pressure every shot without fouling: change or alter the shot.
10. Only guard to the “arc”. This allows us to protect the paint and high post area while giving help in the post.
11. Do not deny passes out to the perimeter, but do pressure the ball.
12. Block Out, Pursue, Chin the Rebound, Outlet…”BOPCRO”
Positives
1. Allows you to incorporate more M2M principles.
2. Can help keep players out foul trouble.
3. Can be effective against teams that do not run a good zone offense.
4. Can be confusing to some coachs as to whether or not you are in a zone or man. However, most coaches will
figure it out.
5. Always pressure on the ball.
6. A way to conserve energy if you are not a deep team.
7. Easy to keep your BIG Slows in the paint.
Negatives
1. I have found rebounding in any zone is more difficult than rebounding in a M2M defense. Now, Dr. D has a
nice rebounding technique that he uses that seems pretty simple.
2. As with any zone, high post touches, zone screens, and penetration and kick CAN be problem areas. Not
always. Depends on how it is coached.
3. Some coaches say that there are to many rules in a match up zone.
There are obviously a lot of coaches who have had success with a match up zone, and I am sure that there are a
number of coaches on this forum who have some great aspects of this thread to add. These are just some of the
things that came to my mind.
Respectfully
Titan
coach, we run a matchup 1-2-2 on occasion. The fundamentals beyond basic m2m help principles include,
- switching on screens, this must be drilled and explained so that it's automatic. Any hesitation will result in a
breakdown
- cutters, who is covering who when Px cuts from a to b. Must go through all progressions and explain both
where and why
- gaps, who will cover which gaps on penetration. again this must be drilled and explained so that it's automatic
(shell drill works here)
imo, the matchup zone works in certain situations. We don't run it all the time because we're mostly an attacking
defense and want to force the tempo. But sometimes when we are in a straight-up m2m we get burned by a
really good shooter, penetrator and we'll switch to a our 1-2-2 matchup zone.
First, most of what people say is a matchup zone isn't. This includes most announcers on TV. Once you know its
rules, it will jump out at you! It is mostly a switching M2M with a few special rules to cover weakside, ballside,
and various cuts. (all easy to learn) What it does it generally keeps your bigger players near the basket and
smaller on the perimeter. The more a team runs cutters, the more it looks like a zone. the more they run a zone
offense with less motion, the more it looks like man (if you don't tip your hand, because you are running man).
And that is one of the tricks..get teams to run their zone against your man. It also makes rebounding
assignments easy because everyone is responsible for a man.... always. So generally run a true zone, get the
team into their zone offense then go matchup.
Best books are "Complete coaching guide to basketball's match-up zone" by Burrall Paye
And the one by the originator Bill Green , the great Marion, Indiana coach is good too.
Paye's book almost makes it seem too much. But it is excellent.
Try the books mentioned in above post. Here is a quick overview of some of the basic rules. For the sake of
easy to visualize. Start in a 1-3-1.
Let’s say your point takes the ball (may be a better defensive match letting a wing take ball in certain games)
Who everyone else guards is ALWAYS determined by the player your point defends (INTIALLY AND
THROUGH ENTIRE DEFENSE) All the players relationships never change!!. READ THE LAST SENTENCE
AGAIN!
If you have your 1-3-1 on paper relabel like this
P
LW C RW
M
P=point LW=left wing RW=right wing C = Center M= matcher
(These are all from the defensive point of view.)
P- Point is guarding someone (with or without ball)
LW- defends (more like is responsible for) first player to the LEFT of P no matter where they are on the floor,
clear around to the low post weakside. Could be at the point, could be left wing, could be in left corner, could be
ballside low post. Even across the lane to other low post, could be ballside or weakside, depending on ball.
RW- is responsible for the first player to the RIGHT of P no matter where they are on the floor. The rules are the
same as LW ,but going the other way.
C – is your center They basically guard the other center M2M.. Or if two posts players, they cover the one in the
high post.
M - is your matcher. (Notice one player not accounted for) This player must be able to guard inside and outside.
They guard the player to left of LW or the player to the right of RW no matter where on the floor. Or take the
low post player ,if two post. They spend most their time around baseline keeping track of the 5th offensive
player.
Players can play tight , deny, extended out for pressure. sag..... And as offensive players cross from one players
responsiblity to anothers they trade players. Remember you are basicalliy playing M2M. Try to add the
cutting ,flashing rules,ect,,,(easy stuff) soon maybe, but it all flows perfectly with the ORIGINAL
ALIGNMENT RULES and responsiblities. If it wasn't the same general rules all the time, it would be too
confusing for your defense.
PS: every defense has weak and strong points, so does this one. Make better M2M players and every defense
gets better.
sorry i pasted ......in 1-3-1 should looked like
P
LW C RW
M
Now that I know the print in here is left side justified I will be careful, and I too believe that KISS is the way.
As I said above, Payne’s (sp error,sorry) book is packed with info, maybe too much, try Bill Green’s then. The
point guard doesn’t have 17 rules, just ONE, UNO, UN.
Once the point is guarding the player you want (if it matters) they only keep track of the first player to the right
of the LEFT WING or the first player to the left of the RIGHT WING. (see previous post) Say you are playing a
straight 1-3-1, the players always have the same basic relationship to each other throughout the entire defensive
set. Well, the instant you roll into a matchup 1-3-1, the basic relationship between players stays the same, too.
Hence, it is KISS, but it has a couple different rules to account for cutters and flashers that makes it basically
stronger than a straight 1-3-1. (most of the time, nothing is perfect). Most zones offenses try flashers, overloads,
interchanging , filling gaps, short corner, ball reversal, the center looking for holes, ect……….. If teams are
trying these tactics and you are really playing M2M, none of these readily work because there are no zone gaps,
no overloads, no flashers(most flashers go right back to their assigned spot in their offense once they are not
open like good little soldiers to keep the offense running, seen it a thousand times, always makes me smile) I’ve
coached boys and girls for 30+ years at every level through varsity, and if JV Girls can run it to perfection, it
isn’t very complex. No slam meant on JV or girls, and actually a girls JV was one of the best I ever had at
running it. I will try to post the basic rules against cutters and movement as soon as possible, and whoever is
interested you can decide yourself if it is too complex to learn or just not the right fit for your personnel. And
will be glad to answer any questions that arise. Been out playing golf the last few days and watching games at
night, so haven’t got around to it.
I was going to cover the basic shifts of how to defend cutters, flashers, and general movement, but writing it out
was getting too wordy. So give me a little time and I will draw up some 2 & 3 half court panels showing the
movement and it will jump right out at you. I know Dr D has success with his rules, but it would be like saying
we are running M2M and after 3 passes we are rolling into a box and one. Actually this can be a great defensive
maneuver! But if you wanted to stay in M2M for the entire defensive series, you couldn’t. I want to stay in the
matchup regardless of the number of cuts or types of cuts, so slightly different rules are needed. I will find a
website to post them on let you know its address as soon as it is up. Left justified in here scares me. (Kinda of
busy right now, a week+ probably)
Hopefully it will clear it up for ya! If you run it great, if not, knowing its rules when you play against it will
help you too.
Matchup zone
Here are the basic rules, mostly to cover cutters. Hopefully you have the basic idea from the posts at
http://coachingbball.proboards106.com/index.cgi in the matchup zone posts. The main concept to
always keep in mind is that the players relationship to each other never changes. (Remember your
Center basically doesn't count) Their distances apart can vary greatly. Hope this helps
ya!!!!!!!
Any questions email carlcarl2@hotmail.com