Basketball Triangle-and-Two Defense

The Triangle-and-Two Defense is a particular type of defense used in basketball. The Triangle-and-Two is a hybrid between a man-to-man defense in which each defensive player is responsible for marking a player on the other team, and a zone defense in which each defensive player is responsible for guarding an area of the court.

Motion offense

In a Triangle-and-Two Defense, three players play zone defense, and align themselves in a triangle protecting the basket, with typically the power forward and center playing directly under the basket, and the small forward playing towards the foul line.

The shooting guard and point guard in a Triangle-and-Two defense play man to man defense, typically marking the opposing team's best offensive players on the perimeter.

A Triangle-and-Two defense is usually used against teams with a dominant scoring backcourt. It is also often used simply to disrupt the play of the opposing guards, who are generally the best passers on the floor, thus disrupting the entire offense. The idea is to try to shut perimeter players down by forcing them to score against a dedicated man-to-man player, and a supporting zone. The set was often used against the dynamic backcourt of Jameer Nelson and Delonte West of Saint Joseph's University in 2004. One specific example of a team effectively employing the strategy en route to victory was in 1998 when the Utah Utes, led by head coach Rick Majerus and point guard Andre Miller, defeated the #1 seed and defending national champions Arizona Wildcats in the Elite 8 round. Utah successfully neutralized Arizona's two star guards, Miles Simon and Mike Bibby, winning the game by a score of 76-51 and earning a trip to the Final Four. In the 2010 NCAA Tournament, Sam Houston State employed the Triangle-and-Two defense against heavily favored Baylor, neutralizing Baylor threats Ekpe Udoh and Tweety Carter. Sam Houston State was able to keep the game close the entire way before falling in the game's final minute. The set was used by the Kansas Jayhawks against Harrison Barnes and Reggie Bullock of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2012 NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional final. This resulted in North Carolina failing to hit a shot from the field for the final 5:48 of the game, and a failure to score at all for the final 3:58.

The biggest weakness of a Triangle-and-Two defense is its vulnerability to cutters through the lane, and also against good passing from the forward spots. Teams with good passers on the floor are often able to easily find flaws in this defense.

One variation of the Triangle-and-Two is the Diamond-and-One, where the four players in the box are arranged in a diamond pattern (one under the basket, two between the basket and foul line, and the fourth at the foul line). Another variation is the Box-and-one defense, in which four defenders play zone defense in a box shape around the key, while the remaining defender plays man-to-man defense.

Outline

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Basketball

The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 metres (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made.

Rules and Regulations

Gameplay: A jump ball is a method used to begin or resume play in basketball. Two opposing players attempt to gain control of the ball after it is tossed up into the air in between them by an official.

Positions: During the early years of basketball's evolution, two guards, two forwards, and one center were used.

Equipment: The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends.

Official: Basketball is regarded as among the most difficult sports to officiate due to the fast speed of play, the complexity of rules that must be followed, the unique case-specific interpretations of rules, and the instantaneous judgement required.

Violations: The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds.

Fouls: An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul.

Strategy: The playbook starts as a canvas picture of the basketball court with all its boundaries and lines. On top of that, the playmaker can draw O's for players on offense, and X's for players on defense.
Techniques and Practices

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Techniques and Practices

Basketball moves are generally individual actions used by players in basketball to pass by defenders to gain access to the basket or to get a clean pass to a teammate to score a two pointer or three pointer. Basketball Moves »

Shooting: Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the basket, methods varying with players and situations.

Slam dunks: A slam dunk, also dunk or dunk shot, is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball(s) above the horizontal plane of the rim, and scores by putting the ball directly through the basket with one or both hands.

Rebounding: Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made, or the rebound allows the defensive team to take possession.

Passing: A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. Most passes are accompanied by a step forward to increase power and are followed through with the hands to ensure accuracy.

Dribbling: Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand, and is a requirement for a player to take steps with the ball.

Blocking: In basketball, a block or blocked shot occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player.

SPORTS

Basketball

The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own.

The rules of basketball are the rules and regulations that govern the play, officiating, equipment and procedures of basketball. While many of the basic rules are uniform throughout the world, variations do exist.