Man I like all these, but I chose the 1-3-1.

Simply put, in high school if you've got a really athletic guy who has great stamina and length, you put him out front for ball pressure. If he's got the ability to cause some havoc, it throws the offense off it's entire game plan.

Tricky part is covering the corners and open cutters on the baselines. But if you can make it difficult for them to get into their offense from the jump, you're in good shape.

My senior year during Sectionals, we were going up against the best team in our league. They had dropped 73 and 67 on us during the regular season and coach wanted to slow them down. We implemented the 1-3-1 and held them to 35. Still lost the game because we couldn't shoot a lick. I think about that game a lot. They went on to the Elite 8, but we HAD em.

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But we ran all these and mixed em up during the course of the game. Especially after made baskets. Another favorite was our "500" press, which started out as a 1-1-1-1-1 formation straight down the court, but acted more like a 2-2-1 once the ball was in play.

Run and Jump was another fave. Full court man-to-man pressure, and as soon as the ball handler turns his back you go trap, and the rest of the team covers the middle of the floor. Keep trapping all the way down.

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Can I get a box-and-1? Or a triangle-and-2?

I can only think of one time we actually used a box-and-1 and it actually worked. One of our rivals had a really good shooter and not much else, so the 4 in the middle could shut down the lane while the other guy chased and played the guy face up and never helped. We won but I can't remember using it again.

Full court presses were always fund to execute as well. And fun to beat with passing. :)

Because I was an admittedly odd child, I used to spend hours with a wipeboard trying to invent a new zone defense.

Turns out coaches have pretty much thought of them all.

My favorite zone is the one played well by a team coached by a head coach who hates zone defense.

I love seeing their look of resignation when they realize the team is better that way and how much it irks them.

As a recovering control freak, I spot the discomfortand it makes me laugh.

A big +1

Triangle and 2 followed by 1-3-1 for me

Charlotte has the largest Church Rec league in the country - 100s of teams - different ages and divisions. My son's senior year, they made the semi's - played a team with a great player. We threw a box and 1 at him, switching as well. Confused and tired him out - probably helped he was under house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor lol. Wins a win though. Lost in the finals (third time in a row) - players called me Coach Levy.

At 6'3" he also does out jump me. Tide turned in HS when I was scrimmaging with said rec team. I got the ball in the paint. Turned to shoot and he stuffed it back in my face without jumping - then said, "that's for all the times in the driveway." - I don't post him up anymore.