2-3 Zone Defense: Taking Away 3-Pointers & Creating Turnovers

with Joe Gallo,
Merrimack College Head Coach;
NCAA record for most wins by a program in its first year post-reclassifying to Division I;
3x Division II NCAA Tournament appearances ('17, '18, '19);
2019 Northeast-10 Conference & Tournament Champions;
Has been top 5 in the country in turnover percentage and has led the nation in steal percentage

In this video, you will learn about zone defense principles with Merrimack College head coach Joe Gallo. Coach Gallo goes through the coverages and positions of his zone defense and how to defend against different offensive alignments. He also looks at different ways on how his zone defense could be beat and what his team does to counter those offensive actions.

Philosophy + Mindset

Gallo starts off by breaking down his philosophies and strategies for success on the defensive side of the basketball. This video is all about zone defense and how to use it to your advantage. Coach Gallo discusses playing with the mindset of no 3-pointers, no layups, and only giving up contested 2-point shots. He places a huge emphasis on preventing offensive players from shooting the ball from where they catch it.

Within his zone defense, Gallo implements five main rules:

• Move on the flight of the ball.
• Hands never drop below your waist.
• Stay down (no ball fakes, no shot fakes).
• Don't get screened.
• Nobody shoots where they catch from.

Using Zone Defense

Coach Gallo goes position-by-position reviewing the different slides, closeouts and responsibilities for each person in the zone. He talks specifically about the angles players should take when closing out, how to move, as well as what actions (off the dribble, off the pass) defenders should be able to anticipate and react to on the court. All five players must work together and need to be in the correct positions in order for this zone defense to be most effective.

You'll also see Coach Gallo look at different ways the zone can be "punctured" by putting stress on the defense. He breaks down what to do when the ball is in the short corner, when it goes to the middle, and when dribble penetration occurs. You will also get drills and breakdowns that work on covering these "punctures."

This video is for teams of all levels looking to implement a stifling zone defense. Coach Gallo does a tremendous job breaking down each piece of his zone in an easy and understandable way. He spends time talking about where the zone could get beat and provides great drills that can be used to help players practice in different game-like situations.

91 minutes. 2020.