Marv Harshman 2-3 Zone Defense by Wes Kosel
In this post, I have diagrammed the 2-3 zone principles used by Coach Marv Harshman. In his 40 year career, Coach Marv Harshman served as the head coach for Pacific Lutheran (1945 – 1958), Washington State (1958 – 1971), and Washington (1971 – 1985). Harshman compiled an impressive 637-444 record and was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985. Harshman was a four-sport athlete at Pacific Lutheran before becoming the head coach in 1945. While coaching basketball at Pacific Lutheran, he also served as the head football coach from 1951 – 1957.
Coach Harshman used his Marv Harshman 2-3 Zone Defense to change the tempo of the game. Changing the tempo of the game benefitted his teams when they were in foul trouble or fatigued. In his Marv Harshman 2-3 Zone Defense, He wanted to deny any attack to the lane (by pass or dribble). The middle defender in the zone, x5, was responsible for defending this area with the four other defenders helping around him.
In this playbook, I have included how to align the defense when the ball is a) passed to the wing above the free-throw line, 2) passed to the middle of the zone, 3) passed to the wing below the free-throw line, and 4) passed to the corner from the wing. When the ball is above the free-throw line, the top defender takes the ball. However, when the ball is passed below the free-throw line the baseline defender takes the ball. If the ball is passed to the corner from above the free-throw line, the ball-side top and baseline defenders trap the ball in the corner. The rest of the defense is responsible for denying the closest 3 passes depending on where the offense lines up.
Harshman kept his zone defenses simple to understand, and encouraged his players to adjust to the offense in order to make defensive stops.
I hope you enjoy this Marv Harshman 2-3 Zone Defense.
Wes Kosel is an assistant coach for men’s basketball under Head Coach Tommy Jones at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, TX. 2013-2014 marks the second year for Kosel at TLU. Prior to arriving at TLU, Kosel served as a student assistant coach under Head Coach Chad Killscrow at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, KS. Kosel has an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from the University of Kansas, and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Houston. The Bartlesville, OK native is also a NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and teaches weight training and aerobic fitness courses at Texas Lutheran. He has coached AAU programs, volunteered with elementary and middle school basketball teams, and has worked basketball camps for various programs including the Houston Rockets, University of Houston, Texas State, and Texas A&M Corpus Christi
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