Facing Zone Defenses

[the_real_dynamyte]

Any one have any tips on beating the zones while on offense? i have my team practice those sets every week at 10 pts but everytime a team goes zone they can't hit a shot and the opponents team just doesn't foul at all. It doesnt matter what zone it is.

In real life ive created plays and sets to beat each type, just curious to the best approach here in the simulation realm

[Wayne23]

What offense(s) are you using?

[Wildcat18]

How good is your team at the 3? I’ve found ive had the most success against zone defenses when I’ve a 1, a 2, or a 3 who’s hitting 3s at a 33%+ rate.

[the_real_dynamyte]

What offense(s) are you using?

I typically go straight to the zone offense for the zone their running. I mostly have like 55-65% using motion and any combo 2 offenses in the following: Triangle, Princeton, Shuffle, and 5 Out

[the_real_dynamyte]

How good is your team at the 3? I’ve found ive had the most success against zone defenses when I’ve a 1, a 2, or a 3 who’s hitting 3s at a 33%+ rate.

I think in my numerous playthroughs, ive only had 1 or 2 good shooters at the 3 (35%+) that were an actual SF and weren't a SG playing the 3, worst SF ive had on my current playthrough from 3 is a 27%, but he was a PF playing the 3

It doesnt matter if my guards/forwards are 2-5 star or 33%+ rate from 3, its just brick city. I remember being Indiana (ranked 2 and eventual champs) facing Central michigan at home where My line up consisted of PG: 4.5 stars, Backup 3 stars; SG: 5 stars, backup 2.5 stars, SF: 4 stars, PF 4.5 stars, backup for both (PF) 4 stars, C: 4 stars, backup 3.5 stars. CMU's best player was their SF and C at 3.5 stars each and the remaining guys were 2 or less. They went zone and i only won like 65-62 and shot 31% from the field and was like 14-57 from 3 (had to have them shoot so many because they kept turning the ball over with anything other than "heavy outside. Luckily i had a great defense because thats what i want from my teams.

[PointGuard]

Not sure why your guys are shooting so poorly from beyond the arc. Rather than coaching a high flyer like Indiana, my association is for a 23 Prestige college so I'm not recruiting top 100 guys...my team is knocking down 39.3% of their 3's with 1-4 star players. But some games, my guys shoot horribly from outside and other games they shoot great. Last season my team hit 33% of their 3's, so yeah, it varies. Throughout the entire association this season, the best team is hitting a little over 42% of their 3's and the worst is hitting a little over 27% of their 3's and the median team is hitting about 35% of their 3's. That range and median is pretty close to what occurs in real life Division 1.

With regard to facing zone defenses, I normally assign 5% to each zone attach offense in practice. But I check the scouting reports for the teams I will be playing the week AFTER the one I'm presently in and if an opponent's primary defense is a particular zone defense, then I'll drop the % to practice the OTHER zone attack offenses to 0 and up the one that I will be facing for that opponent to 15% so that my guys are getting ready to handle that zone as best they can.

[the_real_dynamyte]

Not sure why your guys are shooting so poorly from beyond the arc. Rather than coaching a high flyer like Indiana, my association is for a 23 Prestige college so I'm not recruiting top 100 guys...my team is knocking down 39.3% of their 3's with 1-4 star players. But some games, my guys shoot horribly from outside and other games they shoot great. Last season my team hit 33% of their 3's, so yeah, it varies. Throughout the entire association this season, the best team is hitting a little over 42% of their 3's and the worst is hitting a little over 27% of their 3's and the median team is hitting about 35% of their 3's. That range and median is pretty close to what occurs in real life Division 1.

With regard to facing zone defenses, I normally assign 5% to each zone attach offense in practice. But I check the scouting reports for the teams I will be playing the week AFTER the one I'm presently in and if an opponent's primary defense is a particular zone defense, then I'll drop the % to practice the OTHER zone attack offenses to 0 and up the one that I will be facing for that opponent to 15% so that my guys are getting ready to handle that zone as best they can.

Indiana is typically my end goal. Currently running with Indiana State after 2 seasons at SC Upstate. Hoping for a Seton Hall or another lower "power school" next. Currently shooting at 33.2% from 3 right now.

I'll have to try that next time, currently have 10 allocated to each each week and rarely change my practice plan, which ultimately could be my issue, first time ever playing thru these games, so havent gotten the 100% grip on the best strategies yet

[PointGuard]

Heh, I don't really have a "grip" on it since I'm not sure what really works best. Actually, that's one of the good things about the game...that all the intricacies aren't easily figured out. There are many different ways to play it and to set things up....no one way is right.

[the_real_dynamyte]

Heh, I don't really have a "grip" on it since I'm not sure what really works best. Actually, that's one of the good things about the game...that all the intricacies aren't easily figured out. There are many different ways to play it and to set things up....no one way is right.

Its why its so damn addicting!

[RandyR17]

If things are not working against your opponents zone, try to 'force-select' an offensive set, that is different from the default zone offense.

For example, against the 2-3 zone. Instead of running a 2-3 zone attack, (force) use another offense set. Maybe a 5-out set, to spread out your players in the perimeter. Or try out a 3-2 zone attack offense, against your opponents 2-3 zone defense. Anything that may confuse your opponents zone defense

If everything else fails, set your offense freedom to max. Depending on their basketball IQ, your players will position themselves according to their tendencies, and not using the default zone attack offense.

You can have your default strategies set before the game. But as a coach, you have to be ready to make in-game adjustments. That's what I love about this game