University of Virginia 2-3 Zone Quick Hitter

Written by Coach Peterman

I have coached at the NCAA Division 2 (Southwestern Oklahoma State University), NAIA (USAO), and JUCO Levels (Blinn College and Carl Albert State College) as well as high school. I just felt that fellow coaches especially young coaches need to constantly work on their “game”. Just like the basketball players that we coach. We as coaches need to improve ourselves. That is my story and why I do this blog.

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January 28, 2015

University of Virginia 2-3 Zone Quick Hitter

On Sunday afternoon the second ranked team in the country the University of Virginia Cavaliers took their unbeaten record across the state to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech. New coach Buzz Williams already has his Virginia Tech Hokies playing an inspired brand of basketball and for most of the game they looked like they were gonna pick up their first ACC win of the season.
The University of Virginia has been able to remain undefeated thanks in large part to an offense that ranks 14th in the country at efficiency scoring at a rate of 1.15 points-per-possession(PPP) and a defense that ranks 2nd in the country in efficiency. Opponents are only scoring at a rate of .835 PPP against the Cavaliers.

Sunday in Blacksburg, the University of Virginia was trailing 45-43 and had possession of the basketball. Baskets were at a premium and Head Coach Tony Bennett knew possessions would be as well; Virginia plays at the 4th slowest pace in the country, averaging only 58 possessions a game.

As the Universityy of Virginia walked the ball up, Virginia Tech was set up in a 2-3 zone. According to the Synergy Sports game report Virginia Tech played a zone defense for 16 possessions, giving up points on half of those possessions.

As you can see from the diagram below the ball was reversed twice, with the Virginia Tech zone shifting on every pass. Once the ball was reversed back to the top of the key you can see Virginia’s leading scorer Justin Anderson fein confusion on the wing. While this is happening, both of Virginia’s forwards come to the same side of the floor as Anderson and set back screens on the bottom of the zone. The timing of the pass and cut are perfect and before Virginia Tech could react Anderson was in flight and they were being screened.

It turned out to be a huge basket that tied the score at 45 and ultimately led to the University of Virginia pulling out a 50-47 win to remain unbeaten. Virginia will host #4 ranked Duke in their next game this Saturday in a battle of Top 5 teams.

Coach Zall also has experience as an AAU Head Coach for the Boston Warriors. As Head Coach for the Warriors his team won the 2011 16U State Title and twice competed in AAU Nationals down in Orlando, FL. On top of being a student at Northeastern University, Zall was named Head Coach of the Men’s Club Basketball team for the 2012-13 season. During his lone season as Head Coach, Northeastern finished second in the Northeast Regional Tournament featuring colleges from throughout the East Coast. Coach Zall has also spent time as a Head Coach in the Bay State Games where his team won the Bronze Medal in 2012 and at various camps including: Five Star, Boston Celtics, NIKE, Franklin Pierce University, Hoop Group and The Elite 75.

University of Virginia