Our default 1-3-1 formation

Chaser / Top Defender

The top defender should be one of your longer and more athletic players. They need to be very active in the defense, get in passing lanes, and force difficult passes up and around them. They must be a pest and make life miserable for the players attacking the top of the zone.

Center

This will likely be your post player or a player you’d like to hide in the defense. Their main responsibility is to stay in between the ball and the rim. They also are taking away passes at the rim and high-post entry passes. They need to have a little capacity for physicality because they’ll be in denial and fronting situations.

Warrior / Back Defender

This is likely your most aggressive and hardest playing player. They’ll be flying around from corner to corner and it’s a lot of ground to cover. The success of the defense probably hinges the most on how hard this player is willing to play and cover the ground successfully…so choose wisely.

Wing Defenders

There are two wing defenders and they play off of each other in this defense. For instance, if the ball is on the right wing - the left wing needs to be opposite the ball and covering the low post/diagonal skip pass. Once the ball is swung and reversed, these players basically exchange spots. Thing of them as being on a string together - they are pushing and pulling each other throughout the play. These players must rebound hard, especially on the weak side.