High/Low Zone Offense
What to Discover or Recall . . .
The "High'/Low" zone offense can be used very effectively on all levels of the game.
It compliments the three player High/Low passing game predominately used in the Big 10 conference.
It combines an outside three player passing attack with a potent inside high/low rotation.
The "High/Low" zone offense can readily be initiated out of almost any alignment or entry.The High/Low's continuity is relatively simple and easy to learn. However, don't let this fool you, the constant movement of the two interior players creates serious matchup problems for any zone, especially matchup zones. When the zone defense does collapse in order to protect the middle, it creates wide open outside shots for spot up shooters. Like most good zone offenses, the High/Low zone offense also incorporates a quick hitting weakside attack that forces zones to defend the entire court sideline to sideline. Ball movement with sharp accurate passing is another key ingredient to its success.
Offensive Fundamentals Required
Attacking Zone Defense Principles
Basic Continuity
| Continuity | Post Roll | Post Flash | Entries | Specials |
Point O1 passes an entry pass to wing O2 and goes opposite. O2 looks to feed O5 rolling to basket, posting up or stepping out to short corner.
If unable to feed O5 on basket cut, O2 looks to pass to O4 flashing into the middle to side post position.
When O4 does not receive the ball on flash to middle or on the side post, O4 steps out to initiate ball reversal and weakside attack.
Ball Reversal: O2 passes to O4 who passes to O1 and cuts to basket. Point O1 passes passes to wing O3 and goes opposite. O3 looks to feed O4 rolling to basket, posting up or stepping out to short corner.
If unable to feed O4 on basket cut, O3 looks to pass to O5 flashing high into the middle.
When O5 does not receive the ball on flash to middle or on the side post, O5 steps out to initiate ball reversal continuity.
Post Roll Options
Wing looks to feed the high post rolling to basket or posting up in a mismatch against a smaller or weak defender.
O5 then steps out to short corner. When O5 receives a pass in the short corner, O5 has option of shooting the ball, feeding O4 on high post basket cut or making a skip pass out to weakside spot up shooters.
If/when O5 makes a skip pass to O1 on weakside, O1 looks to shoot or pass to O3 spotting up. Shooter O3 has options of shooting, feeding O4 in low post area, or passing to O5 flashing into the middle.
Note: If O2 does not pass to short corner, high post O4 steps out initiating weakside ball reversal action.If/when short corner O5 passes back to wing O2, O2 makes a reversal pass out to O1. O4 continues basket roll to short corner creating a temporary three out two in alignment. Continuity continues according to O1's next pass.
When O1 passes to wing O3 (or when wing O2 makes a direct skip pass across to O3), O5 flashes to middle. O5 has options of shooting, passing to O4 on baseline cut, or making a kick out pass to either O1, O2 or O3.
If point O1 makes a return pass back to wing O2, O4 flashes to middle initiating the high low action.
High Post Flash Options
When defender X5 guards O5 roll to the basket, it opens up O4's weakside flash into the middle.
If O2 passes to O4 in high post area initiates high/low action. O4 looks for shot or to pass to O5 on baseline cut.
If defender X3 stays with O5 baseline cut, O4 looks to make a kick out pass to O1, O2 or O3 spotting up for outside shots.
Various Entries
In addition to the basic point wing entry pass, various alignments and sets can be use to initiate the High/Low zone offense continuity. Here are a couple of the most used:
| Dribble Clear | Slice | Mid Screen | Horns |
High/Low Zone Situations & Specials
To avoid rush shots as the shot clock or game clock runs down, the High Low Zone Offense can quickly flow into quick hitting set plays. These set plays can also be ran following a time out. Here are a couple of examples:
| Pin Down | Weakside Double | Vegas |
"Pin Down" (Down Screens)
Pin Down is initiated out of a 1-4 high set. Point O1 makes an entry pass to wing O2. O2 dribbles toward the baseline.
O2 then makes a return pass to O1. O4 and O5 set down screens for O3 and O2. O1 looks to feed either O2 or O3 coming off the down screens.
If/when defender X4 goes over O4's down screen and closes out on shooter O3, point O1 looks to pass to O4 under the basket. O4 and O5 can also post up after setting the down screens.
"Weakside Double"
The Weakside Double begins with point O1 dribble clearing wing O2. If O2 is open on the back cut, O1 passes O2 the ball for a layup shot. O4 and O3 set a double screen on weakside.
O1 makes a reversal pass out to high post O5 stepping out. O5 looks to pass to shooter O2 coming off the screen. The double screen in broken by O3 flashing into the middle and O4 looking for an over the top lob pass.
If/when defender X3 steps up to defend O3's flash cut, O3 looks to make a kick out pass to O1 spotting up in corner.
"Vegas"
The Vegas special is initiated with point O1 passing to wing O2. High Post O5 rolls to basket. If open O2 passes the ball to O5.
O3 and O4 set a high double screen on defender X2. Wing O2 looks to make a cross court, skip pass to O1 fading off O3's and O4's double screen.
If defender X4 steps out to challenge O1's shot, O1 looks to feed O4 rolling to basket. When defender X2 goes over the double screen, O1 looks to pass to shooter O3 popping out.
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