Zone defense has long been a powerful equalizer in the game, as it can be a way to disrupt an opponent’s flow and “muddy the waters.” What’s been fascinating to study over the years is how coaches have harnessed this disruptive nature, evolving and transforming zone defenses from a passive, “hang back and hope they miss” tactic into an aggressive, suffocating, and proactive system. We’ve been fortunate in the past to have the likes of Merrimack Head Coach, Joe Gallo {🔒} and Coach Tony Miller{🔒} join us in the “Film Room,” where both spoke at length about how their respective programs have dialed up the aggression within their own zone coverages.
Continuing this trend, this week we highlight former podcast guest and current Utah State Head Coach, Jerrod Calhoun {🎧}, and his 2-3 Match-Up Zone. Coach Calhoun puts a unique spin on the match-up zone, blurring the lines between man and zone, and building a defense that’s as disruptive as it is disciplined.
How to Match Up?
On its face, the merits of a Match-Up Zone are easy enough to understand. By blending man-to-man principles within a zone structure, defenders take on more responsibility for their assigned players rather than simply guarding designated areas. This shifts the focus toward controlling their match-up and applying consistent pressure, allowing for a more aggressive defense while still benefiting from the protection and help that a zone offers.
However, like any effective defense, the devil is in the execution. The opponent is going to move, cut, screen, and make adjustments. The key question becomes: when do you stay matched up with your man?, and when do you revert to controlling your designated area?
This is what fascinates us about Coach Calhoun’s defense: their adept ability to continually reshuffle their alignment—sometimes following cutters, sometimes not, switching screens—while almost always returning to their 2–3 zone shape. It is a seamless blend of flexibility and discipline. So what is the secret in the sauce?
First, and more on this later, the center very rarely ventures out of the key (except for some PNR coverages, shown in the video). The center will match up with an opponent in the key and spy high post flashes, but never forfeit their position between the ball and the rim to chase an opponent outside the paint. With the center staying home the majority of the time, the four perimeter players are tasked with controlling their match-ups while striving to keep their defensive balance in relation to the remaining perimeter defenders.
To Follow or Not to Follow?
Given the nature of the zone, the four perimeter defenders are interchangeable. Utah State does start with two guards at the top, and two on the wings, but these spots are moveable depending on the actions of the offense. As a result, when a defender finds themselves along the baseline, they need to be especially attuned to following cutters up or baseline runners. Of course, if it is merely an exchanging cut or action, the defense can switch matchups, but more often than not, a flashing cutter coming out of the corner should not go unguarded.
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Zooming In: Because it is a match-up zone, the top defenders are not sitting back in areas but are instead applying pressure on the ball. This naturally creates gaps or soft spots within the zone that can be exploited. For that reason, the low defenders must stay connected to their match-up until they can either switch off or the offense re-spaces itself after the cut, as shown above.
Defenders on the top line of the zone take the opposite approach. They become more attuned to passing cutters off and bumping their teammates down on the cut. These cuts—often from the top to the baseline—are typically designed to clear space. The defense wants to avoid flattening itself, as this can open up driving gaps through the slots.
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Zooming In: In the example above, after the swing pass, the guard cuts through to clear the nail and create a gap. If the defender were to follow the cut, the zone would give up valuable space for the ballhandler to attack. Instead, the defender holds their position and bumps the other top defender back, while the low defender picks up the cutter.
No Rest for the Weary
Another aspect that drew us to Coach Calhoun’s zone was the activity of the center within it. As mentioned, the center is tasked with tracking the ball, ensuring they always stay between the ball and the rim. This is perhaps the most passive part of their defensive responsibility. From there, on any given possession, the center must be prepared to wall off penetration outside the lane, cover the corners when the zone gets out of balance, and, most impressively, hedge out on ballscreens.
“Fire” Closeouts
Either through offensive overloads or during the course of “reshuffling” matchups, the defense can be stressed in such a way that the center must be prepared to vacate the key and make an emergency “fire” closeout to the corner.
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Outside the Lane Helps
In an effort to be proactive, we routinely saw Utah State pair on-ball pressure with aggressive paint collapses on dribble penetration, either by collapsing the nearest perimeter defender off their matchup onto the ball, doubling blind ballhandlers {🔒}, or sliding the center well outside the lane to trap the dribble.
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PNR Lateral Hedges
The last feature of this zone we admire is the ability of the center to defend the ballscreen with a lateral hedge. Traditionally, when a ballscreen cannot be switched between the guards, we often see the defense use a “drop” or “ice” coverage, holding the center in the paint and fanning out the perimeter defenders on the penetration. This is where the match-up zone shows its value in applying pressure on the ball. If the center’s matchup sprints into the ballscreen, the center, still responsible for that opponent, accompanies them up to impact the ball with a lateral hedge.
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Zooming In: Above is a prime example of the center following their matchup into the ballscreen, then recovering after the lateral hedge to plug baseline penetration.
In an era where spacing and skill continue to stretch defenses thinner, it’s fascinating to see how match-up zones like Coach Calhoun’s respond with rotational discipline, ball pressure, and smart aggression to disrupt offensive possessions. As always, the details make the defense, and this one is well worth studying. To further observe this unique match-up zone become an SG Plus Member today!
Looking for a few more zone resources?
📺 2-3 Triple Switching Zone {🔒}
📺 3-2 “Monster” Zone {🔒}
📺 1-3-1 Halfcourt Trap to 2-3 Zone {🔒}
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