The two-1-2 press isn’t a standard selection for many basketball coaches.
Whereas it positively has some similarities to the 1-2-2 press and the 2-2-1 press, the 2-1-2 has simply sufficient variations to make most coaches draw back from it.
Nonetheless, it may be argued that the variations of the 2-1-2 press really MORE efficient.
As a result of the 2-1-2 press is ready as much as decrease the most important weak point of most zone presses and likewise to drive groups to beat it in a manner most gamers are instructed to keep away from.
Under you’ll find an in depth breakdown of the 2-1-2 press, together with its guidelines, its setup, and the best way to run it successfully.
Targets of the 2-1-2 Press:
The two-1-2 press primarily has 2 objectives:
1. Hold the ball out of the center
Most coaches educate their groups to break a zone press by getting the ball to the center of the ground. From right here, they can collapse the press and sometimes create a bonus state of affairs after it’s handed out.
With most zone presses, after a reversal or two, the defenders are late to cowl the center and there’s a huge gap for the offense to relocate to and obtain a cross.
However because the 2-1-2 press places a defender within the center from the beginning, the center is roofed from the start and the rotations are shorter to maintain it that manner all through the complete possession.
2. Drive the offense to dribble up the sideline
The opposite factor most coaches educate their groups is to keep away from dribbling the ball up the sideline due to how simple it’s to get trapped there.
However as a result of the 2-1-2 press takes away any cross to the center from the very starting, groups are compelled to search for the sideline to get the ball throughout half courtroom.
And as soon as groups do begin dribbling up the sideline to advance the ball, this press permits defenders to get traps set both within the frontcourt or backcourt from a wide range of totally different gamers.
2-1-2 Press Guidelines
a. No center passes
Once more, the design of this press is to maintain the ball from the center of the ground.
With the 2nd line of the press establishing overlaying the center firstly, there ought to be no actual alternatives for the offense to discover a gap within the center to take advantage of.
b. Don’t get beat sideline
With the center taken away, the offense goes to be compelled to try to interrupt the press by dribbling it up the sideline.
This will create an enormous benefit for the protection if they can reduce off the dribble and get a authorized entice set.
So no matter participant is rotating over to get the ball stopped and provoke the entice should get their outdoors foot out of bounds and forestall the ball from being dribbled previous them up the sideline.
c. No layups
With two bigs in the back of the press always, there is no such thing as a motive that the offense ought to be capable of get to the rim for a layup.
Even when the offense is ready to dribble its manner by means of the press, there ought to nonetheless be a submit ready within the lane to contest any try the offense takes.
d. No fouling
Tight protection and trapping could make defenders susceptible to getting fouls known as.
It’s crucial that the urgent gamers always present their fingers to the officers to stop any low cost hand-check calls from being whistled within the full courtroom.
As well as, as soon as the entice is ready, the gamers should maintain their fingers excessive and maintain themselves from swatting or slapping on the ball. Most steals from a entice are made by the gamers not concerned within the entice after a deflection, in order that must be the purpose of the entice.
2-1-2 Press Setup, Roles, & Obligations
Center Line:
Discovering the precise middle-line participant stands out as the most important component to the 2-1-2 press.
X3 must be your most agile participant and in a position to transfer nicely backward and forward and anticipate the place the following cross is headed. A participant with size at this place is an additional benefit.
X3 ought to start someplace across the entrance of the half-court circle within the backcourt.
The preliminary accountability of X3 is to maintain the ball from being handed to the middle of the ground, so X3 should discover and deny any offensive participant close to the center.
Then, because the ball is handed in, this participant must soar towards the ball to be ready to set a entice whereas additionally preserving the ball out of the center.
As soon as the offense begins advancing the ball up the sideline with the dribble, that’s when X3 runs over to chop off the sideline, get the ball stopped, and be the preliminary trapper.
It will be important for this participant to ensure to not go away the center too quickly or it would create a big hole for the offense to throw the ball to the center of the ground.
Additionally, this participant should take a great angle far sufficient forward of the dribbler so there may be sufficient time to get to the sideline and get set to cease the ball legally with out committing a foul.
If the ball will get thrown over X3’s head up the sideline, a second entice can get set within the frontcourt between X3 and one of many posts.
Entrance Line:
The entrance line ought to be the remaining two guards.
X1 and X2 ought to be fast gamers who’re good at guarding the ball. Quickness and energy are added advantages for these positions.
These 2 ought to be located across the elbows because the press begins.
Because the ball is inbounded, whichever participant is guarding it ought to present sufficient ball stress to maintain the offense uncomfortable and likewise steer the dribbler towards the sideline. Letting the ball go center will make it troublesome to get a entice set.
Because the ball does get dribbled up the sideline, the participant on the ball should proceed to information and steer the ball towards the sideline to X3 to get the entice set. Then because the ball will get stopped, this participant should full the entice with out fouling.
The participant not guarding the ball ought to drop towards the center of the ground and be prepared to switch X3 as quickly as that participant leaves to entice. This participant should be certain that to not drop too far too quick as they want to have the ability to come up and stress the ball if it will get reversed.
Again Line:
The again line ought to include your two tallest gamers.
X4 and X5 ought to be lengthy and hopefully fast sufficient to have the ability to get from the sideline to the lane relying on the situation of the ball. Having shot-blocking means is an additional benefit to those positions.
The again line ought to start within the frontcourt, someplace across the 3-point line.
Because the ball is inbounded, the ball-side deep participant ought to transfer towards the sideline and presumably even up the ground. This participant is seeking to take away any sideline cross and drive the offense to beat the press with the dribble.
The weak-side deep participant ought to get close to the free throw line and be looking out for any deep cross to attempt to get a quick break rating. Because the ball will get superior up the ground, the weak-side defender ought to proceed to drop to stop any simple scores towards the press.
If a cross is made up the sideline, these deep gamers could be concerned in a entice with X3.
Find out how to Run the 2-1-2 Press
Inbounding & Advancing:
The protection has the selection whether or not to have X1 and X2 deny or not. The extra essential half is that these two information whoever catches the ball up the sideline.
Usually, X1 and X2 would play behind and inside any offensive gamers in order that it’s simpler to push them towards the sideline to make their preliminary catch.
On the catch, X1 places stress on the ball to make the offense uncomfortable and likewise encourages them to dribble up the sideline.
Once more, they have to be certain that to affect the offense to assault up the aspect of the ground.
The purpose guard shouldn’t be allowed to survey the courtroom and as a substitute be made to really feel that dribbling up the sideline is the one possibility.
As X1 pushes the ball up the sideline, X2 drops again just a little towards the center of the ground.
X2 is principally taking part in between the middle circle and any reversal cross.
They wish to be shut sufficient to the reversal cross that they’ll apply fast stress and never let the offense dribble up by means of the center of the ground.
On the similar time, X3 inches out barely away from the middle of the ground to organize to remove any sideline cross. The extra athletic this participant is, the farther away they’ll place themselves to make the cross look open earlier than operating over for a steal.
Behind the press, X4 will transfer up and out towards the sideline to remove any deep passes up the sideline.
That leaves X5 left to rotate again to close the lane to be the participant answerable for contesting any photographs taken on the rim.
Ball Reversal:
A ball reversal is unquestionably not the tip of the world on this press because it means the offense is constant to make use of their 10-second depend with out actually advancing the ball.
On the reversal cross, X2 will take the ball. Nonetheless, the trail right here is essential as they need to nonetheless be guiding the offense to dribble up the sideline. So a slower method that permits the offense to proceed to dribble laterally is right.
Because the ball is being reversed, X3 ought to be working to remain according to the ball and preserving the center of the ground coated.
Because the ball is reversed to the opposite aspect of the ground, the objectives ought to once more be forcing the offense to dribble it up alongside the sideline.
First Entice:
If X1 does the job and forces the offense to dribble up the sideline, it’s time for X3 to dash to the sideline to get able to entice. They have to try to get their outdoors foot out of bounds to chop off any sideline drive.
X1 ought to proceed to protect and information the offensive participant proper to the ready X3 to allow them to set a entice proper alongside the sideline.
This entice can happen in both the frontcourt or the backcourt relying on how shortly X3 is ready to get into place alongside the sideline.
However both manner, it would hopefully happen as near the 10-second line as attainable.
To set the very best entice attainable, X3 ought to be perpendicular to the sideline with the surface foot on the road to stop any area for the offense to make use of to drive.
On the similar time, X1 ought to be immediately on the hip of the offensive participant to stop any type of crossover to the center of the ground.
If each gamers do their jobs, the end result ought to be a decent entice alongside the sideline the place the offense may have very restricted choices.
Because the entice is going on, X2 ought to be in the midst of the ground to remove any direct cross there. This participant should be very conscious of any potential flashes to this space and likewise bear in mind that the center participant may very well be in entrance or behind the 10-second line.
X4 strikes as much as immediately take away any participant up the ground close to the sideline. This can be a nice alternative for a steal because the offense received’t see X4 flying in to remove that participant a variety of occasions and throw a high-arcing cross.
X5 rotates again close to the lane to guard the basket. There isn’t any motive that the offense ought to ever be capable of throw a deep cross over the pinnacle of this participant for a straightforward layup.
Second Entice:
Sometimes, the offense goes to finish a cross up the sideline earlier than X4 can get there to choose it off. However this doesn’t imply that the press must be known as off.
Actually, this entice can really be efficient as most occasions the offense will not be anticipating it to occur there and it’ll usually be within the fingers of a participant who isn’t assured with the basketball.
If a cross is accomplished deep up the sideline, X4 should get in entrance of the ball and reduce off the sideline, very like X3 did within the preliminary entice.
Because the cross went over X3, this participant is answerable for following the ball and finishing the entice alongside the sideline.
It’s seemingly that the offense will attempt to assault the basket shortly on this sideline cross, so X3 should instantly dash and observe the ball as quickly as it’s handed.
X5 will proceed to remain within the lane and defend the basket, which is able to develop into rather more vital now because the ball is a lot nearer.
The entrance line of the press, X1 and X2, should dash again to the frontcourt and discover any potential shops for the offense and take them away. They need to begin by wanting within the center after which working their manner down towards the basket.
Benefits of the 2-1-2 Press
1. Sturdy center protection
Preserving the ball out of the center is a vitally vital purpose of any press.
With the design of the 2-1-2 press, this purpose ought to be completed every time the opponent makes an attempt to interrupt it.
By stopping the ball from attending to the center, groups are compelled to take extra time to advance the ball throughout half courtroom, giving the press extra probabilities to work.
2. Good trapping alternatives
With the center taken away, groups are compelled to assault the press up the sideline.
This permits the protection to rotate and get nice traps set alongside the sideline, whether or not it happens within the frontcourt or the backcourt.
And with the entice occurring alongside the sideline, it offers the offense fewer passing choices and a better chance of turning the ball over.
3. Constant basket protection
Since there are 2 bigs in the back of this press, it permits 1 of them to at all times be deep and forestall any potential uncontested layup from taking place.
It doesn’t matter what aspect of the ground the ball is on, there’ll at all times be 1 huge rotating to the lane to be there to make the offense must work to attain ought to they really break the press.
4. Low threat press
The setup of the 2-1-2 press ought to stop a variety of simple seems to be by the offense.
Alternatively, nonetheless, it ought to permit the protection to drive tempo and create some turnovers whereas implementing it.
So the risk-reward for the 2-1-2 press appears to be very favorable for the protection.
Conclusion
The two-1-2 press does a fantastic job of flustering an offense by forcing them to interrupt a press by doing one thing they’ve been instructed they shouldn’t:
Dribble up the sideline as a substitute of getting the ball to the center.
The two-1-2 press is a good change-up press to make use of at the side of one other press to maintain the offense guessing.
If in case you have some athletic guards who can stress the basketball and a few posts who can cowl a variety of floor, the 2-1-2 press could also be one thing you wish to check out.
