The thing I never noticed about our zone

[ImperialOrange]

until watching replays of our tourney games is how often our guys switch sides from one possession to the next.

Rewatching SU v Marquette I see CJ and JS switching corners quite often. While Ive noticed Triche and MCW switching at times in the past I honestly had never noticed that the only spot that stays the same is the 5.

So while teams think they see the same 2-3 zone every time down the court there are potentially 4 different configurations of it that won't allow them to get used to one players tendencies at a given spot through out the course of the game.

 

[ClamOtto]

There was a 'Mike and CJ Show" earlier this season where Donna Ditota asked CJ how they decide who will play on which side of the zone. He basically said he looks to see which side James is going to and runs to the other. Not sure if he was telling the truth but if so it's kind of funny.

 

[edowd26]

There was a 'Mike and CJ Show" earlier this season where Donna Ditota asked CJ how they decide who will play on which side of the zone. He basically said he looks to see which side James is going to and runs to the other. Not sure if he was telling the truth but if so it's kind of funny.

So what your saying is James hustles back harder?What gives cj.

 

[All4SU]

So what your saying is James hustles back harder?What gives cj.

Cj usually has the rebound at the other end.

 

[edowd26]

Cj usually has the rebound at the other end.

And James is out on the perimeter. I was just kidding. Cj is one of my all times.

 

[upperdeck]

does anyone not play zone like that? first guys back stop ball the rest fill.

 

[ImperialOrange]

does anyone not play zone like that? first guys back stop ball the rest fill.

No idea. I've never played it and seems it would take a great court awareness to be able to seemlessly switch like that.
You have to figure some players would struggle with this and you'd end up with open spots or players tripping over one another from time to time.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

does anyone not play zone like that? first guys back stop ball the rest fill.

Seems pretty intuitive to do it that way, but I remember back in high school or CYO being assigned one of the forward spots.

What I notice about the our forwards is that they are always communicating the switches as they run back - you can see CJ pointing James over or letting him know that he will fill the other side.

 

[KingOtis]

I don't remember as much switching in year's past. For example, teams knew where Paul Harris would be and that's the area they exploited.

What's also different about this particular zone is BMK's movement. He doesn't take up space like AO or Otis Hill, but he makes up for it by being all over the paint. His speed and quickness is unparalleled.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I don't remember as much switching in year's past. For example, teams knew where Paul Harris would be and that's the area they exploited.

What's also different about this particular zone is BMK's movement. He doesn't take up space like AO or Otis Hill, but he makes up for it by being all over the paint. His speed and quickness is unparalleled.

BMK often gets himself into trouble flying all over like that, especially early in the year. But like you said, his quickness allows him to recover much more quickly so he's able to get back more often. He's gotten better about getting his arms up when he gets to the guy at the foul line now as well so he can contest that dump down pass.

 

[kuethstheman]

I remember back in the '70's, Chris Sease (not the sharpest tool in the box) used to get all mixed up. The other forward nearly had to take him by the hand and lead him to the other side where he was supposed to be.

 

[007]

There was a 'Mike and CJ Show" earlier this season where Donna Ditota asked CJ how they decide who will play on which side of the zone. He basically said he looks to see which side James is going to and runs to the other. Not sure if he was telling the truth but if so it's kind of funny.

I have no doubt this is true, but probably a little more organized than that.

It's not mentioned much, but this team is particularly good at transition D. They all hustle back and run to the ball. One of the less obvious benefits of the zone is the guards positions and the forward positions are interchangeable. So if James's transition D position takes him to left side of the floor for example, he stays on that side for that possession. The slides and rotations are the same.

 

[stuckinbig11]

The thing I never noticed about our zone was a bunch of fat, tavern-sitting, beer drinkers playing in it.

 

[Hoot]

I remember back in the '70's, Chris Sease (not the sharpest tool in the box) used to get all mixed up. The other forward nearly had to take him by the hand and lead him to the other side where he was supposed to be.

He was always looking for the "invisible ladder".

 

[im4cuse]

The thing I never noticed about our zone was a bunch of fat, tavern-sitting, beer drinkers playing in it.

well we did have Earnie Siebert playing the 5 spot at the 1975 final four.

 

[kuethstheman]

well we did have Earnie Siebert playing the 5 spot at the 1975 final four.

Good one! Bob Parker wasn't much better.

 

[Coach Orange]

until watching replays of our tourney games is how often our guys switch sides from one possession to the next.

Rewatching SU v Marquette I see CJ and JS switching corners quite often. While Ive noticed Triche and MCW switching at times in the past I honestly had never noticed that the only spot that stays the same is the 5.

So while teams think they see the same 2-3 zone every time down the court there are potentially 4 different configurations of it that won't allow them to get used to one players tendencies at a given spot through out the course of the game.

This is true. The rotations in our 2-3 zone are all predicated on ball movement by the offense. The guards, forwards, and center make the same reads and movements regardless of which side of the floor they are on to start. Hence, it doesn't matter which forward spot CJ fills--he will make the same rotations based on where the ball is. This is true for the guards (i.e. MCW will make the same movements whether he is on the right or left side depending on ball position) and the center, too.

This makes our players interchangeable within their respective positions in regards to our defense.

In terms of transition defense, communication is vital. Man-to-man teams often cover the paint first in transition, and then work their way out to the three. We do the opposite--we take away the three, and then work in toward the hoop (according to JB's Match-up 2-3 Zone DVD). Hence, if James is taking away the ball-side three, CJ fills the weak-side spot. The guards take away the middle of the floor, allowing the five-man to get back into position. This explains why, in transition, we often get a player trailing the play who blocks the other team's shot. Communication allows the team to "match-up" properly, not allowing a three while also taking away the lane.

 

[stuckinbig11]

well we did have Earnie Siebert playing the 5 spot at the 1975 final four.

Hey, I once went smelt fishing with Earnie Siebert -- good guy.