The two-1-2 press isn’t a typical 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 spot of most zone presses and likewise to power groups to beat it in a method most gamers are advised to keep away from.
Beneath you’ll find an in depth breakdown of the 2-1-2 press, together with its guidelines, its setup, and run it successfully.
Objectives of the 2-1-2 Press:
The two-1-2 press primarily has 2 targets:
1. Hold the ball out of the center
Most coaches train their groups to break a zone press by getting the ball to the center of the ground. From right here, they’re able to collapse the press and usually 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 move.
However for the reason that 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 method all through the complete possession.
2. Pressure the offense to dribble up the sideline
The opposite factor most coaches train their groups is to keep away from dribbling the ball up the sideline due to how straightforward it’s to get trapped there.
However as a result of the 2-1-2 press takes away any move to the center from the very starting, groups are compelled to lookup the sideline to get the ball throughout half court docket.
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 completely 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 at first, there needs 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 aim to interrupt the press by dribbling it up the sideline.
This will create an enormous benefit for the protection if they’re able to reduce off the dribble and get a authorized lure set.
So no matter participant is rotating over to get the ball stopped and provoke the lure should get their outdoors foot out of bounds and stop the ball from being dribbled previous them up the sideline.
c. No layups
With two bigs behind the press always, there isn’t any motive that the offense ought to be capable to get to the rim for a layup.
Even when the offense is ready to dribble its method via 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 consistently present their fingers to the officers to forestall any low cost hand-check calls from being whistled within the full court docket.
As well as, as soon as the lure is ready, the gamers should hold their fingers excessive and hold themselves from swatting or slapping on the ball. Most steals from a lure are made by the gamers not concerned within the lure after a deflection, in order that must be the purpose of the lure.
2-1-2 Press Setup, Roles, & Duties
Center Line:
Discovering the precise middle-line participant could be the most important factor to the 2-1-2 press.
X3 must be your most agile participant and in a position to transfer properly back and forth and anticipate the place the subsequent move 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 leap towards the ball to be ready to set a lure whereas additionally maintaining 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 is crucial for this participant to ensure to not go away the center too quickly or it is going to create a big hole for the offense to throw the ball to the center of the ground.
Additionally, this participant should take a very good angle far sufficient forward of the dribbler so there’s 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 lure can get set within the frontcourt between X3 and one of many posts.
Entrance Line:
The entrance line needs to be the remaining two guards.
X1 and X2 needs to be fast gamers who’re good at guarding the ball. Quickness and energy are added advantages for these positions.
These 2 needs 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 tough to get a lure 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 lure set. Then because the ball will get stopped, this participant should full the lure with out fouling.
The participant not guarding the ball ought to drop towards the center of the ground and be prepared to exchange X3 as quickly as that participant leaves to lure. This participant should make sure 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 encompass your two tallest gamers.
X4 and X5 needs to be lengthy and hopefully fast sufficient to have the ability to get from the sideline to the lane relying on the placement of the ball. Having shot-blocking capacity 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 probably even up the ground. This participant is seeking to take away any sideline move and power 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 move 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 forestall any straightforward scores in opposition to the press.
If a move is made up the sideline, these deep gamers will be concerned in a lure with X3.
Tips on 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 make sure that to affect the offense to assault up the aspect of the ground.
The purpose guard shouldn’t be allowed to survey the court docket 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 somewhat towards the center of the ground.
X2 is mainly enjoying between the middle circle and any reversal move.
They need to be shut sufficient to the reversal move that they’ll apply fast stress and never let the offense dribble up via 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 move. The extra athletic this participant is, the farther away they’ll place themselves to make the move look open earlier than working over for a steal.
At the back of 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 pictures taken on the rim.
Ball Reversal:
A ball reversal is certainly not the top 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 move, 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 strategy that permits the offense to proceed to dribble laterally is right.
Because the ball is being reversed, X3 needs to be working to remain in step with the ball and maintaining the center of the ground lined.
Because the ball is reversed to the opposite aspect of the ground, the targets ought to once more be forcing the offense to dribble it up alongside the sideline.
First Lure:
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 lure. 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 lure proper alongside the sideline.
This lure can happen in both the frontcourt or the backcourt relying on how rapidly X3 is ready to get into place alongside the sideline.
However both method, it is going to hopefully happen as near the 10-second line as doable.
To set the very best lure doable, X3 needs to be perpendicular to the sideline with the surface foot on the road to forestall any area for the offense to make use of to drive.
On the similar time, X1 needs to be instantly on the hip of the offensive participant to forestall any form of crossover to the center of the ground.
If each gamers do their jobs, the outcome needs to be a decent lure alongside the sideline the place the offense can have very restricted choices.
Because the lure is going on, X2 needs to be in the course of the ground to remove any direct move there. This participant should be very conscious of any potential flashes to this space and likewise remember that the center participant might be in entrance or behind the 10-second line.
X4 strikes as much as instantly 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 instances and throw a high-arcing move.
X5 rotates again close to the lane to guard the basket. There isn’t a motive that the offense ought to ever be capable to throw a deep move over the pinnacle of this participant for a straightforward layup.
Second Lure:
Sometimes, the offense goes to finish a move 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.
In actual fact, this lure can really be efficient as most instances the offense is just not anticipating it to occur there and it’ll typically be within the fingers of a participant who isn’t assured with the basketball.
If a move 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 lure.
Because the move went over X3, this participant is answerable for following the ball and finishing the lure alongside the sideline.
It’s doubtless that the offense will attempt to assault the basket rapidly on this sideline move, so X3 should instantly dash and comply with the ball as quickly as it’s handed.
X5 will proceed to remain within the lane and shield the basket, which is able to change into way more vital now for the reason that 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 trying within the center after which working their method down towards the basket.
Benefits of the 2-1-2 Press
1. Sturdy center protection
Protecting 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 needs 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 court docket, 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 lure occurring alongside the sideline, it offers the offense fewer passing choices and a better probability of turning the ball over.
3. Constant basket protection
Since there are 2 bigs behind this press, it permits 1 of them to all the time be deep and stop any potential uncontested layup from taking place.
It doesn’t matter what aspect of the ground the ball is on, there’ll all the time 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 forestall a variety of straightforward seems by the offense.
Alternatively, nevertheless, it ought to enable the protection to power 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 an excellent job of flustering an offense by forcing them to interrupt a press by doing one thing they’ve been advised 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 together with one other press to maintain the offense guessing.
When 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 need to check out.
