From FIBA.Com Library:1-4 Against The Zone.

1-4 AGAINST THE ZONE 
by Steve Smith

Steve Smith is one of the best high school coach in Unites States. He was named
National Coach of the Year twice. He coaches Oak Hill Academy and the Warriors
have been crowned National High School Champions three times. Fourteen of his
players went on to play in the NBA, and among them Ron Mercer of the Indiana
Pacers and Jerry Stackhouse of the Washington Wizards (and many of his
players are playing in foreign countries). Also Syracuse University Carmelo Anthony,
the MVP of this year NCAA Final, is a former player from Oak Hill Academy.

In preparing to attack zone defenses, there are several fundamentals a team must learn
if it’s to have consistent success.
These areas of instructions are:
1. Use of different screening techniques;
2. Obtaining penetration by dribbling and passing;
3. Frequent ball reversal to expand the zone horizontally;
4. Use of the skip pass;
5. Use of the 3-point shot as a weapon.
In keeping with these principles, we have developed a series of rules for our zone
attack. They’re broken down into two categories: post player rules and perimeter player
rules.

BASIC ALIGNMENT
While there is nothing earthshaking about the way we set up (diagr. 1), 


we do have some guidelines for each player entering into the offense.

Player 1 is the primary ballhandler.
We want him to always set up in a seam and to start the offense fairly high on the floor to
expand the zone vertically.

Players 2 and 3 are the wings - good perimeter shooters.
We want them to start at least one step above the free-throw line extended, and to face in
such a way as to be able to see the defense with their peripheral vision.

Players 4 and 5 are the post players.
We like them to start at the corners of the free-throw lane, facing each other. Their
objective is to screen the defensive guard or to seal the guard to the outside in order to
receive a post entry pass from the 1 man. This alignment allows for two things:
1. you have four options to start your offense.
2. It moves the zone up the floor vertically, which creates larger seams. Once the principles 
of the basic alignment are covered, everything else in the offense is a reaction to the 
movement of the ball.

RULES FOR THE POST PLAYERS
1. Anytime one post player receives the ball, the other post player dives across the lane to
the opposite block. This can happen when both post players are at the high post or when 
they’re in a high low set (diagr. 2, 3 and 4).

The cut should be made on eye contact between the two players.
2. Anytime the ball is passed from the wing to the top of the key, the high post downscreens
for the low post (diagr. 5).


The screen should be made on the middle defender in the zone. For proper timing, the
low post should pivot on the baseline foot toward the baseline, then cross over through
the screen into the broken-circle area. 
3. Anytime the ball is reversed by the way of a skip pass, the post players should crisscross 
(diagr. 6), the high post player cutting first.

4. On dribble penetration to the corner of the free-throw lane, the high post steps out
beyond the 3-point line and the low post attempts to pin and seal on the block (diagr. 7).


5. On dribble penetration to the baseline, the low-post player should inside-pivot and seal
the defender as the high-post player dives to the weakside block (diagr. 8). 

6. When receiving the ball, high-post players should catch and inside-pivot (the James
Worthy, and Jack Sikma, the two great former NBA players, footwork) and face the basket.
Low-post players should catch, chin and look over the high-side shoulder.

RULES FOR PERIMETER PLAYERS
1. Anytime penetration is made toward the baseline (either by dribbling or feeding the
post), all perimeter players rotate in a stepslide technique toward the ballside baseline
(diagr. 9).

2. Anytime penetration is made toward the corner of the free-throw lane (middle of the
court), all perimeter players step-slide toward the weakside baseline (diagr. 10).

3. Anytime penetration is made from the top of the key (by dribble or pass), wing player
step-slide to the corners or behind the penetrator (diagr. 11), 


depending on the type of zone. On pass penetration, the point player slides opposite the 
direction of the post player.
4. Against an odd-guard front, the point guard always plays in the blind side of the defensive
guard.
5. Do not pass back to the same side unless the point player dribbles or fakes across the
midline of the court.
6. Option: Anytime the ball is passed from the point to the wing, the passer screens away
or exchanges with the opposite wing, depending on where the defensive off-guard plays.