Attacking Zone Conceptually

🏀 Zone Offense That Works: Insights from Coach Dave Lepisto

Hey Coach,

Let’s be real — every season, every team, at every level, we all run into the same challenge:

How do you beat a zone defense without overcomplicating things for your players?

That’s exactly what Coach Dave Lepisto from Kimberly High School (WI) tackled in a recent System Basketball Clinic. His team didn’t just survive zones—they won a state title playing with a conceptual offense that stays the same no matter what defense they face.

And now, you can check out his full breakdown on-demand inside our System Basketball Community.

But here’s a quick summary to get your wheels turning 👇

---

🧠 One Offense for Everything

Coach Lepisto doesn’t separate man and zone offense. He teaches one conceptual system based on spacing, reads, and player skill. Whether it’s a 2-3, 1-3-1, or man—his players play the same game with minor tweaks.

“Simple doesn’t mean easy. But the more we simplify concepts, the more confident our players become.”

---

🧲 Develop ‘Gravity Players’

His offense works because the players make it work. The goal? Put five threats on the floor who can shoot, move, and make decisions.

Can’t do that yet? No problem. Let your non-shooters become elite cutters or screeners. Same system—just different roles.

---

📐 Spacing > Everything

From transition to half-court, his players sprint to the corners and fill out specific spots to force spacing wins. No more guessing or clumping. Kids know exactly where to go and how to react.

---

🛠️ 6 Simple Concepts to Attack Zones

These were gold:

1. Cutting — all types: basket, burn, blind, exit

2. Formation/Spacing — how you align impacts how the zone reacts

3. Pinning — screening zone defenders for corner 3s or skip passes

4. Passbacks — reverse the ball after overloading a side

5. Boomerangs — pass it and get it right back to shift the defense

6. Sandwiching — surround a key defender to exploit their rules

He even explained how to manipulate the Syracuse zone using their own principles against them. 🔥

---

🔺 The High Triangle Concept

This was a clinic favorite: getting into a triangle at the top of the key and free-throw line to create constant two-on-one decisions.

It’s simple, clean, and kills zone integrity.

---

🎥 Reps, Film, and Trust

Every day, his players rep these concepts live and break them down on film. They don’t just run plays — they learn how to read the game.

Structure + freedom = flow. That’s the goal.

---

💡 Final Coach Takeaways:

• Stop overloading your players with separate zone/man systems.

• Create gravity players or smart movers around your playmakers.

• Space, cut, and play with concepts—not just set plays.

• Film and five-on-five practice builds trust and transfer.

• Simple systems win under pressure.

---

📺 Want to Watch the Full Clinic?

Coach Lepisto walks through the film, diagrams, and teaching points in detail in the now available on-demand inside our System Basketball Community.

👉 Watch it now in the Community Hub

---

Let’s keep building better offenses—and smarter players—together.

Talk soon,
Coach Marc Hart
System Basketball