Screening Zones

In N.C.A.A. Basketball by Brock Bourgase

duke-screens-syracuse-2-3-zone-and-gets-rebound

Screening zones generates opportunities:

Marshall Plumlee sets a possible flare screen on the top of Syracuse’s 2-3 zone. When Amile Jefferson sets a ball screen, the middle defender must step up to contest Rasheed’s Sulaimon’s drive. The wings are matched up with Duke’s outside shooters.

As the shot goes up, Plumlee rolls to the hoop, in a seam between defenders and towards the likely area for a missed shot to land. He is able to time the rebound perfectly and dunks the putback before any defender is ready.

If Sulaimon had turned the corner, Plumlee would have been ready to receive a pass and finished, as he had considerable space behind the defense (Duke was able to create this space because they possess the threat of good outside shooting).