This is our initial 2-2-1 3/4 court press alignment.
In this sequence, we will illustrate our press with the ball being in bounded to the opponent's right side of the court.
The opponent in bounds the ball. We allow the 1st pass, and then 2 will apply immediate pressure, forcing the ball handler up the sideline. 2 cannot allow the ball handler off of the sideline.
1 begins to take away any short pass into the middle of the court.
3 & 4 would be matched up with anyone in their areas of the zone press.
5 is our basket protector and is also looking to steal any deep pass.
As 2 forces the ball handler up the sideline, 1 continues to retreat in the middle, staying ahead of the ball.
3 should play 'cat and mouse' on the sideline. She does this by moving back and forth between the ball handler and the player she is trying to deny the next pass to. 3 should be about 2/3 of the way between the ball and the girl she is playing.
5 begins to rotate over to the sideline, looking for that next pass up the sideline.
4 should be rotating back to take away deep middle. She will be our basket protector when 5 rotates to the sideline.
The ball is advanced up the sideline and we continue to move the press.
2 and 3 form the 1st sideline trap. This trap can take place before the ball handler reaches the mid court line, but ideally it occurs just as the ball is dribbled over half court. This takes away a pass back to the trailer. 2 & 3 should lock feet and trace the ball, looking for a deflection or a jump ball.
5 should be looking to intercept the next pass up the sideline. The ability of the 5 to anticipate this pass and steal it is a main ingredient to the success of '32'.
1 should be denying any pass directly across the court or just in front of the ball, i.e. short middle.
4 takes away deep middle and is now our basket protector.
If 5 is unable to intercept the next pass up the sideline, 5 should contain the ball and force that player to the corner, where 4 can join 5 in setting another trap.
1, who way playing short middle, must now hustle to take away the weakside block. 4 may have to delay her slide across the lane until 1 is closer to the lane. Once 1 is near the lane, 4 slides across the lane to take away the ballside low post.
3 must leave the trap she was in and take away the high post on ball side.
2 looks to take away any pass out to the top or across the perimeter.
We should have the ball contained by 5. We should also have ballside block, weakside block and ballside elbow covered.
5 funnels the ball handler into a corner trap with 4.
1 slides across the lane to front the low post.
3 slides down the lane to cover the weakside block.
2 covers the high post on ballside.
Here's our baseline trap.
We try to keep the press on all the way to the baseline.
Our 2 man should anticipate a pass out to the perimeter and make the steal if it's available.
On a successful pass out to the perimeter, we can quickly change to a 2-3 or 3-2 zone.
This is easily done by having 2 stay at the ballside elbow and by having 1 slide to the other elbow. 5 & 4 retreat to their interior spots in the zone.
3 would stay on the weakside block for a 2-3 zone alignment, or slide to the top of the key for a 3-2 zone.
Submitted by: Steve Dickinson
Category: Defense press