Playing a Triangle and 2 Defense

Q14- When running a Triangle and 2 defense what two positions would be the most advantagous to play the 2 against? I've heard the 2 and 3 should be manned. Are there better places to put your man defensive players?

Coach Shiela Bash

Coach Bash, Your question is a simple but tricky one for many coaches. First of all let me say that I'm a firm believer in a very good basic defense better than an ineffective junk defense. That isn't to say that there may be occassions when a junk defense can be very effective.

It has been my experience that junk defenses generally only work temporarily to take the momentum or tempo away from a hot team. In most cases they are used to defend a hot player. You might be just as effective in playing a good man defense and completely denying the ball to the two players you might normally defend in the triangle and 2. That said, if I were to play the defense, I would almost certainly defend the two man players who are the most critical to the execution of the offense. In most cases this would be the hot shooter and probably the point guard. By taking the player out of the game that coordinates the offense, you can cause some significant problems. A team with a two guard system wouldn't be nearly affected by such a defense. In some cases you might also choose to man a post player, but from a defensive spacing standpoint this isn't very effective use of your players.

Just so you are aware, the most common way to play against a triangle and 2 on offense is to place one post player ball side, a second player with the ball (maybe the point guard or odd guard not being manned) high and run the third player not guarded by the 2 players playing man out to the corner, on the same side as the low post. The top man in the triangle of the zone must then chase the corner or leave the top player with the ball wide open. This can also cause the bottom of the triangle defense to be forced to step out opening up the post for an easy shot. If the player in the corner gets hot, the triangle and 2 is almost immediately neutralized. This defense is a gamble at best.

One year however, in the European Cadet Championships for Women in Romania in 1989, the Head Coach of the German National team Steven Clauss, used this defense to upset a heavily favored Yugoslavian team, primarily because the shooter left open in the corner shot 2 for 19, and this mentally took the Yugoslavian team completely out of their rhythm. The defense can work, but more times then not, it is dependent on how well the three remaining players on offense, not manned are shooting.

Thanks for Asking The Coach an interesting question. The Coach