NCAA Zone Quick Hitters by Wes Kosel

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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Basketball Coaching | Basketball Plays | Zone Offense

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November 20, 2013

NCAA Zone Quick Hitters by Wes Kosel

Here are 3 NCAA Quick Hitters to use against zone defenses. Included are 2 zone quick hitters against a 2-3 defense and 1 quick hitter against a 1-3-1 defense.

The first of the zone quick hitters is from Coach Tom Izzo of Michigan State University. In this play, the emphasis is to get the ball in the middle of the floor (this is the case with most zone offenses and zone quick hitters!). Getting the ball to the middle of a zone defense can break the defense down and usually creates a mismatch in numbers favoring the offense. There just aren’t enough defenders to guard everyone if you can get the ball into the middle. This holds true for this Spartan quick hitter. 2 curls off of a screen from 5 and cuts to the middle of the lane. If he is open, then 1 should pass him the ball. If no defender is close, 2 should look to shoot. If a defender comes up to guard him, 2 needs to read the defender on the opposite low block and determine how he is playing the backside down screen by 4. If the defender chases 3 up to the wing, then 2 should pass to 4 in the low block (Option 1). If the defender stays with 4 after the screen, 2 should pass to 3 for a shot on the wing (Option 2).

The second of the zone quick hitters comes from Utah State Aggie Head Coach Stew Morrill. In this play, staggered screens are used to get the post player open (Frame 3) and a wing player open for a shot in the corner (Frame 4). It is important when teaching these quick hitters to tell your players which zone defenders they should be looking to screen. This helps get the number mismatches that you are seeking. When ran properly, either 5 or 3 should be open for a shot.

The third of the zone quick hitter is from former Arizona Wildcat Head Coach Lute Olson. In this play against a 1-3-1 zone defense, the first option is to get the ball to the middle off of a screen from 5 for 3. If 3 is open in the middle of the floor, 2 should give him the ball. Again, getting the ball to the middle of the zone defense allows you to break down the zone. If 3 is not open, he should continue to the low block. Then, as the ball is reversed, 3 comes off of a double screen and cuts to the corner. If 3 is open, 1 should pass to him for a shot. If the defender that 5 screened follows 3 to the corner, then 5 should open up to the ball looking for a pass from 1.

Hope you enjoy these zone quick hitters.

Best of luck,
Coach Wes Kosel

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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