Grasso BLOB vs 2-3 Zone - FastModel Sports

Published 04/18/2018 by Shannon Clancy Favorite Send to FastDraw Print Embed

About This Play/Drill

Zone BLOB - highly effective against a 2-3 zone.

Play credit to Fred Grasso.

Jr. Wizards Coaches Manual

  • Basketball Play - Grasso BLOB vs 2-3 Zone
  • Basketball Play - Grasso BLOB vs 2-3 Zone
  • Basketball Play - Grasso BLOB vs 2-3 Zone
  • Basketball Play - Grasso BLOB vs 2-3 Zone
  • Basketball Play - Grasso BLOB vs 2-3 Zone
  • When executed properly, this play is virtually unguardable against a 2-3 zone.  I say virtually because there is one clear way to stop it - come out of the zone.  Your players need to have a high level of patience and let the play develop.  If either of the two corner players get "nervous" and leave the corner early, the play breaks down.  It only works if they are in the dead corner, lined up with the rim.

    Player 5 cuts first, cutting to the strong side block.  As player 5 passes, player 4 cuts off his/her back to the weak side block.

    This sets up an overload on the baseline - stretching the 3 bottom defenders and putting them in a spot where they can not prevent everyone from scoring without the top two defenders dropping down.  

    This play was designed by a long time Long Island high school, college and professional coach - Fred Grasso - who passed away in November of 2017.
  • Here the outside defenders (x3, x4)  take away the three point shot, and the middle defender (x5) leans to the weak side block.  This leaves the 5 man open for a layup.
  • x3 takes away the strong side three, x5 takes away the strong side block, and x4 sags in to take away the weak side block.  This leaves the 3 open in the far corner.
  • Here the opposite occurs - x3 stays in to take away the strong side block while x5 takes away the weak side block and x4 stays on the weak side shooter.  This is an easy pass to the 2 in the corner.
  • The two outside defenders take away the three and the middle defender reacts to the first cut.  The 4 slips behind him to the weakside block for a layup.

    As we stated in the open - the only way to defend this set is to not play zone.  It will often take teams quite a few posessions before they figure that out.  If you stay spaced and cut hard, more often than not you will get a wide open look - be it a layup or a corner three.