Objective
Take the opponent's best scorer out of the game with constant denial, and force the other four attackers to score over a compact zone.
Setup
Area
Half court
Players
5 defenders vs 5 attackers, with one attacker in a colored bib as the star
Equipment
1 ball, bibs in two colors
Duration
15–20 minutes
How it works
- 1
Form the box
Two quicker defenders take the top of the box, each a step outside the elbow, and two taller defenders take the bottom, a step outside each block. The box shrinks or stretches with the ball, but the four rarely leave the lane area by more than a stride or two beyond their spot.
- 2
Assign the chaser
Your best on-ball defender guards the star everywhere on the half court, face-guarding when the star is off the ball and denying every catch within about 20 feet of the rim. The chaser's rule is simple: the star should touch the ball as rarely as possible.
- 3
Shift the box on ball movement
On a wing pass, the ball-side top defender closes out and the other top defender drops to the high post area. The ball-side bottom defender slides toward the short corner, and the weak-side bottom defender moves into the middle of the lane. A corner pass sends the ball-side bottom defender out, and the weak-side bottom defender covers the block.
- 4
Take away the skip pass
When the ball swings or skips across, the weak-side top defender takes the new wing while the ball is in the air and the rest of the box shifts one spot. The box has only two defenders up top, so it cannot contest every perimeter spot; concede the shot from the weakest shooter, never the layup.
- 5
Help on the star without leaving the box
When the star cuts through the lane or comes off a screen, the nearest box defender bumps the cutter and calls it out, then returns to their area once the chaser recovers. The box never switches onto the star permanently; its job is to delay, not to guard.
| Defense | Zone shape | Chasers | Best against | Weak spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box-and-1 | Two up top, two on the blocks | One | One perimeter star, weak shooters around them | High post and wings |
| Diamond-and-1 | One high, two mid-lane, one at the rim | One | One star plus a team that attacks the high post | Corners |
| Triangle-and-2 | One high post, two on the blocks | Two | Two scorers with little help | Perimeter away from the two scorers |
Coaching points
Choose a chaser who can defend without fouling and has the stamina to deny for several possessions in a row.
The chaser calls every screen early so the box defender nearby can show and release.
On the shot, the two bottom defenders and the weak-side top defender form a rebounding triangle around the rim, while the chaser keeps the star off the glass.
Plan your exit. If a secondary shooter hits two or three open looks, return to your base defense before the lead disappears.
Variations
Diamond-and-1
Line up the four zone defenders in a diamond: one at the free-throw line, two on either side of the lane about halfway between elbow and block, and one under the rim. It covers the high post and the top better than the box but gives up more in the corners.
Triangle-and-2
Use two chasers against two scorers and a three-player triangle (one high post, two blocks) to protect the lane. It suits games against teams with a pair of dangerous shooters and weak supporting players.
Build it in Coach Board
Your chaser and the box stop colliding once they have seen where their paths cross. On a half-court board in Coach Board, mark the star in a different color and animate the chaser shadowing them through two screens while the box shifts behind. Loop the sequence, then save it in the playbook under that opponent's name so the scout lives with the game plan.