What is an undersized basketball team
A basketball team could be considered undersized or small if it does not have any traditional post players at all or it possesses a limited number of post players with less than ideal low post offensive/defensive skills.
Furthermore, a basketball team could also be considered undersized if it has an adequate number of post players alongside guards but the current opposing team is larger in terms of overall size and length.
What can an undersized basketball team do to increase its chances of winning
An undersized basketball team could potentially increase its chances of winning against bigger and/or more talented opposing teams by being in excellent shape, using speed/quickness, and emphasizing solid offensive skills and fundamental defensive principles.
Additionally, an undersized basketball team could also consider implementing a full court press or zone defense while also prioritizing scoring via transition offense, protecting the basket by way of transition defense, and augmenting defensive rebounds by boxing out the competition effectively.
Be in excellent shape
If an undersized basketball team is able to get into (and remain in) excellent shape by way of a strong conditioning program, then this could possibly give them an advantage over their bigger opposition.
Essentially, when a undersized basketball team is in better shape than their opponents, this allows the smaller team to perform at a more optimal level for a greater length of time over the course of the game.
In other words, during the latter half of the game and more specifically, within the fourth quarter, if the undersized team is in exceptional shape, then they would most likely be able to execute higher peak performance than the opposing team in terms of offensive and/or defensive actions.
Moreover, if the undersized basketball team has more adequate conditioning and fitness, then this also basically means that the much larger team would potentially become fatigued at a much faster rate than that same undersized team.
Offensively, when the opposing team begins to tire out, that could lead to inefficient shot selection, especially near the perimeter areas, as well as turnovers, mainly due to mental lapses.
In addition to that, from a defensive standpoint, when the opposition becomes exhausted, they could possibly break down, lose focus, and make simple mistakes such as not being in the proper defensive stance or not sliding their feet laterally, either as an on-ball defender or off-ball defender.
For example, when opposing defenders become fatigued, that same defender might not get into a proper defensive stance with their feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, their knees bent, their back straight and their hands up with their arms extended out.
Instead, one or more of the tired defenders might have their hands down near their sides, they may not bend their knees correctly, and/or they might become flat-footed as opposed to appropriately remaining on the balls of their feet.
Furthermore, one or more of the exhausted defenders could execute inadequate off-ball help defense actions such as forgetting to jump to the ball or not sliding properly on the weak side to either protect the basket or prevent basket cuts.
As a result of those potential defensive errors, the undersized team with better conditioning could likely create scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court, primarily via offensive actions such as dribble penetration and/or basketball cuts.
Utilize speed and quickness
What an undersized team lacks in height, length, and/or natural strength, they can typically nullify or at least reduce those perceived weaknesses with their speed and quickness against the much larger (and usually slower) defenders.
Focus on solid offensive skills
Basketball teams in general, and more particularly, undersized basketball teams should possess a solid foundation of offensive skills such as cutting, passing, dribbling, screening, and shooting which could improve the probability of winning games.
Cutting
Cutting is one of the primary ways that an offensive player on an undersized basketball team could get open to receive the ball near the rim or around the perimeter areas of the court.
It is important to cut because if the offensive player remains in one area, that same player could be easily guarded by an adjacent defender.
Furthermore, by constantly cutting, particularly as a smaller offensive player against a man to man defense, this could lead to the larger defender becoming fatigued as that same defender would have to continuously move around the court to stay in front of the offensive player.
As mentioned previously, if one or more of the defenders become tired, this could cause defensive errors and breakdowns.
Another reason that cutting is essential, especially for undersized teams is because it makes it very difficult for the defensive team to efficiently stop two actions at the same time.
In other words, the defense will primarily focus on guarding the offensive player with the ball but doing that allows an off-ball offensive player to cut, either towards the basket or near the perimeter.
Afterwards, if that same off-ball player gets open and receives the ball, then the defensive team may not have enough time to prevent that same off-ball player from scoring.
Passing
Undersized basketball teams should strongly emphasize passing the basketball to each other, especially when open, because the ball can move faster than the defenders, regardless of their height and/or length.
Therefore, undersized teams (and basketball teams in general) should at least seek to master the fundamental passes known as the chest pass, bounce pass, and overhead pass.
In addition to that, smaller teams could also think about utilizing the pitch ahead pass and/or the skip pass in certain instances against the defense.
Moreover, the smaller offensive team can also combine passing and cutting to the basket as a simple tactic for creating scoring opportunities against the defensive team.
Dribbling
Dribbling is another fundamental skill that undersized basketball teams should consider practicing and mastering. Particularly, small teams should be proficient in utilizing the crossover dribble, between the legs dribble, and behind the back dribble.
With these foundational dribble moves alongside other possible dribbling combinations, the smaller offensive players could use their natural speed and quickness against the bigger, albeit slow-footed defense, to generate dribble penetration into the gaps of the defense.
From that point, the smaller offensive players could then produce scoring opportunities by slashing to the basket and/or driving towards the lane before executing a kick pass to an open teammate for a potential three-point shot.
Screening
Screening is another foundational skill that could be used to create scoring opportunities near the rim or near the perimeter.
Notable basketball screens that could be implemented by undersized basketball teams include the back screen, the down screen, the flex screen, the elevator screen, or the ram screen.
What makes these types of screens particularly useful for undersized teams is that they are generally used near the perimeter areas to create scoring opportunities near the basket or they could be used near the basket to create scoring opportunities near the perimeter.
For example, the back screen is generally set near the perimeter areas of the court and more specifically, near the high post area and it seeks to free up an offensive player cutting to the basket.
Conversely, the down screen is typically set closer to the basket (or baseline area in the case of the pin down/wide pin down) and its general purpose is to help an offensive player get open for a possible perimeter jump shot.
In addition to those types of screens, which are off-ball screens, undersized teams could also take advantage of the larger opposition with the on-ball screen in certain situations.
For example, let’s say that an offensive player sets an on-ball screen for a teammate and as that occurs, that screener’s defender decides to utilize the drop coverage tactic, typically because that same defender does not have an adequate amount of footspeed.
As a result of the defensive drop coverage, the offensive screener could then counter it by popping to an open area of the court as opposed to rolling to the basket.
When that occurs, the screener could then receive the ball and take a possible open jump shot because the screener’s defender would be too far away to execute a proper defensive closeout.
Furthermore, even if the screener’s defender is able to closeout, that might become negligible if the screener is quicker than the larger defender.
Essentially, if the screener is not necessarily open for a jump shot, that same offensive player could potentially drive to the basket with quickness or use a dribble move to get around the presumed slower defender that is attempting to guard the screener near the perimeter areas of the court.
As another example, a defensive team may try to hinder dribble penetration due to the on-ball screen by executing the defensive switching tactic.
If that were to occur, then the undersized offensive team could potentially take advantage of the situation by setting an on-ball screen near the perimeter with the offensive player being guarded by the slowest defender.
The main purpose of that is to counter the defensive switch and create a possible mismatch by exploiting the slow footspeed of the screener’s defender.
Afterwards, the smaller but quicker offensive player could use dribbling moves against the bigger but slower defender to either drive to the basket or even create separation for a potential mid-range or three-point jump shot.
Shooting
Shooting could arguably be the most important offensive skill that undersized teams should be adept at, especially from three-point range.
In a basic sense, if one or more undersized offensive players attempted to score from the low post area by way of low post moves, then this could prove to be challenging for those same players when performed on a consistent basis against defenders that possess greater length, height, and/or strength.
Additionally, if undersized teams possess below average perimeter shooting skills, then that same team would be very limited in their ability to score the basketball.
In other words, if the undersized team attempts to score via low post moves, then the presumed much larger defense would have an advantage in that department.
At the same time, if the undersized team is not able to efficiently shoot from the mid-range or three-point areas of the court, then that same team would most likely have problems consistently scoring the basketball.
It should also be noted that the undersized team with inadequate shooting could simply slash or cut to the basket in an attempt to score around the basket.
However, this would most likely be a futile endeavor if the defensive team puts at least one defender (especially a shot blocking defender) either directly in front of the basket or at least near it.
Therefore, to mitigate this probable issue, undersized basketball teams should consider shooting jump shots with regularity, especially during practice, as a countermeasure against the much bigger defenders.
Moreover, if the smaller team does indeed have a multitude of perimeter shooters, then that shooting capability would be a threat to the defensive team, particularly if those defenders prefer to stay near the basket because they are slow-footed.
If that is the case, then the shooting capabilities of the undersized team would essentially force those same defenders to move away from the basket and towards the perimeter as to not give up easy, open shots.
Additionally, as a result of those supposed slower defenders being pulled away from the rim, the undersized offensive players could effectively get into the gaps of the defense and/or cut to the basket without having to worry about a vast amount of rim protection.
Focus on fundamental defensive principles
Defensively, if an undersized team is at a disadvantage in terms of height, length, and/or natural strength, that same team could instead focus on executing defensive fundamental principles to hinder offensive productivity from their opponents.
The smaller team should emphasize defensive essentials such as the proper defensive stance alongside the correct mechanics of defensive sliding.
Additionally, the undersized basketball team could also consider certain defensive tactics such as defensive closeouts, denial defense, and double team action, especially near the low post areas of the court.
Defensive Stance
The defensive stance is one of the essential building blocks to executing effective defensive strategies and/or tactics.
To properly perform the defensive stance, each defender should have their feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, their knees bent, and their back straight while maintaining balance.
Also, defenders should try to remain on the balls of the feet and not stand flat-footed.
Moreover, defenders should have their hands up with their arms extended away from their sides.
Additionally, if a defender is directly guarding the ball, then that same defender should mirror the ball with their hands.
In other words, if the ball is high near the offensive player’s chest or above the shoulders, then the hands of the defender should be high as well.
By doing this, the defender may be able to deflect the ball if the offensive player attempts to pass it to another teammate.
On the other hand, if the ball is low near the offensive player’s hip area (that is to say, the offensive player is essentially in a triple threat position), then the hands of the defender should be low as well.
Furthermore, in that particular instance, if the offensive player is a good perimeter shooter, then the on-ball defender could have one hand near the face of the potential shooter while the other hand is near the ball.
This allows the on-ball defender the opportunity to take away a probable jump shot and at the same time, the defender is in a position to completely stop or at least, slow down any feasible dribble penetration by the offensive player.
In addition to that, the defender should not reach in aggressively in an attempt to steal the ball from the offensive player. If that occurs, the defender could possibly get called for an unwanted foul by the referee.
Defensive slide
The defensive slide is yet another key principle which is important for the basketball teams in general, and even more so, undersized teams.
For undersized players, defensive sliding could be beneficial to master alongside their presumed natural speed and quickness.
Essentially, if the smaller team is able to slide their feet properly, especially near the perimeter areas, the bigger but supposedly slower opposition could have issues attacking the gaps of the defense with dribble penetration.
To execute the defensive slide, defenders should move their feet laterally from side to side with one foot leading the other.
For example, if a defender wants to move to their right (which would be the left side of the court from the offensive team’s point of view), then the defender should move laterally (from side to side) with the right foot leading first followed by the left foot thereafter.
Conversely, if a defender would like to move to their left (which would be the right side of the court from the offensive team’s point of view), then the defender should move laterally (from side to side) with the left foot leading first followed by the right foot afterwards.
Also, it is important to note that a defender should try to keep their feet as close to shoulder width apart as possible while executing the lateral slide.
In other words, the defender’s feet should never be too close together as that would take away the defender’s lateral quickness.
Furthermore, it is also important to mention that a defender should not cross their feet when executing the lateral slide.
If that were to occur, not only does this eliminate the defender’s ability to effectively slide laterally, but it also could cause the defender to lose balance.
Defensive closeout
A closeout is a basketball defensive tactic in which an on-ball defender will quickly close the open space on the court between themselves and an adjacent offensive player with the ball.
The defensive closeout can help members of the undersized basketball team limit or prevent uncontested jump shots or easy dribble penetration towards the basket by the bigger opposition.
Generally speaking, to execute a closeout, the on-ball defender should sprint towards the offensive player with the ball, particularly with long steps, while maintaining a good defensive stance.
Furthermore, the on-ball defender should use short choppy steps upon fully closing the space between themselves and the offensive player with the ball.
The choppy steps allow the defender to slow down their sprinting speed in an effort to not make unnecessary contact with the offensive player with the ball which could lead to an undesirable foul.
Additionally, at the same time, this also allows the defender to properly read and react to any potential actions of the offensive player, regardless if those actions are a jump shot, dribble penetration, or a possible pass to another offensive player.
Denial defense
Denial defense, sometimes referred to as denying the pass or denying the ball, is a basketball defensive tactic in which an off-ball defender, typically one pass away adjacent to the player with the ball, prevents the offensive player that they are currently guarding from receiving the ball.
In particular, if an offensive team prefers to get the ball into the hands of bigger perimeter players, then the undersized defenders can deny those types of offensive players the ball to limit or prevent scoring opportunities.
Generally speaking, to execute proper denial defense, the defender should put the foot that is opposite the ball in the middle of the denied offensive player’s body, usually between the feet of that same offensive player.
Additionally, the defender should place the other foot that is closest to the player with the ball slightly above the offensive player that is being denied.
Next, the defender should place the forearm that is opposite of the player with the ball on the chest of the offensive player that is being denied.
After that, the defender should have their arm and hand that is closest to the ball fully extended in the passing lane between the offensive player being denied and the player with the ball.
Moreover, the defender should have the palm of their hand towards the ball. In other words, the defender should be able to see the back of their hand and not their palm.
This basically helps the defender deflect the ball if the offensive player with the ball attempts to pass it to the offensive player that is being denied.
Low post front
The low post front, also referred to as fronting the post, is a defensive tactic that an undersized post defenders could use when the opposition has bigger low post players and its general purpose is to discourage the easy post entry pass.
Generally speaking, to front the post, the defender will position themselves between the offensive low post player and the perimeter player with the ball.
Additionally, the post defender will extend an arm into the passing lane between the low post offensive player and the perimeter player.
By placing a hand in the passing lane, this will typically make it much harder for the low post player to easily receive the ball.
Also, at the same time, the perimeter player with the ball would have to throw a more challenging pass over the head of the post defender to complete the post entry pass.
Furthermore, when fronting the post, the post defender can execute the fronting stance on the high side (towards the half court) or on the low side (towards the baseline) of the offensive low post player.
The high or low side front could be determined by the location of the ball and/or by the skill sets and potential weaknesses of the offensive low post player.
As an example, if the ball is on the right side wing and/or the offensive low post player prefers to score with their right hand, then the post defender could establish a low side front.
In that case, the post defender would place their left side leg and left side extended arm between the offensive low post player and the perimeter player with the ball.
When that occurs, the post defender is essentially influencing the offensive low post player to catch the ball with their left hand and try to score from the middle area.
From there, if the offensive low post player does attempt to score from the middle, then it might be tougher for that player to score with their non-dominant hand.
Also, as a side note, the low post front could become susceptible to the post seal in which the offensive low post player executes a pivot turn to face the basket with the low post defender behind them.
Afterwards, the offensive low post player could receive the ball from a perimeter player and score near the basket.
If that occurs, the undersized basketball team could consider the double team tactic as an alternative counter.
Double team
The double team is a basketball defensive tactic in which an offensive player with the ball will receive simultaneous defensive pressure from a primary defender and a secondary defender with the ultimate objective of limiting scoring opportunities, particularly near the basket or from the perimeter.
The double team action is probably one of the more important tactics that an undersized basketball team should consider implementing, especially if the offensive team prefers to play through the low post areas.
Essentially, if the offensive team throws the ball into the low post but the post defender is smaller than the low post offensive player, the defense can possibly send double team help, especially from the weak side to influence that low post player to pass the ball back towards the perimeter areas of the court.
To execute the double team, the secondary defender should typically wait until after the player with the ball has already started their dribble or just finished their dribble.
If the player with the ball started their dribble, then the defensive pressure from the double team could cause them to prematurely pick up their dribble.
When that error occurs, the player with the ball could make the problem worst by executing a bad pass, which then could lead to a turnover.
In a similar fashion, if the player with the ball already ended their dribble, then the double team pressure could cause the player to get rid of the ball impulsively leading to a intercepted pass or some other type of turnover such as a traveling violation.
Afterwards, the primary defender and secondary defender should lock their adjacent feet next to each other as a method to prevent a potential dribbling escape route for the player with the ball.
Following that, the primary defender and secondary defender should use high hands to make it more difficult for the player with the ball to see potential passing options out of the double team.
Also, the primary defender and secondary defender should use their high hands to mirror the hands of the player with the ball.
As a result of mirroring, one of the defenders could possibly deflect an attempted pass from the player with the ball, and this could lead to a turnover.
Additionally, it is important for the primary defender and secondary defender to not reach for the ball in an attempt to steal it from the offensive player. This could cause the primary defender or secondary defender to receive an unnecessary foul.
Consider installing a full court press defense
Undersized basketball teams could consider installing a full court press defense to extend their defense into the opposing team’s backcourt.
In other words, even if the opposing team has a size advantage, that same team would still have to get the ball into their frontcourt to score points. However, they would have to get around the backcourt defensive pressure of the undersized team.
Furthermore, the smaller team could possibly utilize their natural speed and quickness to influence the offensive team into playing faster than they would prefer. When that occurs, this could lead to inefficient shot selection and/or turnovers by the offensive team.
Consider implementing a zone defense
Undersized basketball teams could consider implementing certain types of zone defense, particularly if the opposition contains low post players with greater height and/or length.
Essentially, certain types of zone defenses, more specifically zones that have two or three defenders at the back of the zone, could be used to limit low post scoring opportunities while also influencing perimeter jump shots.
Furthermore, a zone defense may prove to be beneficial, specifically if the opposing team prefers to play through their low post players but at the same time, the opposition does not shoot well from the perimeter.
Consider a fast break attack
An undersized basketball team could consider using a fast break attack because in many instances, the smaller team will typically have a speed and quickness advantage over their bigger opposition.
Basically, the undersized team could try to score quick points mainly via transition offense layups, particularly when the opposing team misses a field goal attempt or makes a mistake which results in a live-ball turnover.
Moreover, even if the opponent scores a basket, afterwards during the transition phase, the undersized team could still execute early offense or hurry-up offense scoring options before the supposed slower defenders are able to match up properly.
Emphasize strong transition defense
Generally speaking, when an undersized basketball team takes and misses a field goal attempt, especially near the perimeter during offensive action, that same team could have possible challenges consistently getting offensive rebounds over the longer arms of the opposing team.
Therefore, to alleviate that potential issue, the undersized team could instead emphasize strong transition defense in which they would send two or more defenders into their own backcourt to protect the basket upon taking the shot attempt.
Essentially, what this means is that the undersized team would give up a few of their own second chance point opportunities while also limiting easy transition offense scoring opportunities for their opponent.
Emphasize defensive rebounding
While the undersized basketball team may decide to relinquish some of their offensive rebounds, notably for transition defense, they should at the same time, emphasize defensive rebounds, especially for transition offense.
In other words, the smaller team should prioritize boxing out their respective assignments, particularly near the basket, during their opponent’s field goal attempts to gain possession of the basketball via defensive rebounds.
After gaining possession of the ball, the undersized team could then use their speed and quickness to execute their transition offense scoring options prior to or as the larger team is sprinting into their own backcourt in an attempt to protect the basket.
What are useful offensive strategies to consider for an undersized basketball team
Useful offensive strategies to consider for an undersized basketball team include any team-oriented or continuity-based offenses that can space the floor and/or open the low post areas such as the 1-4 high offense, the 4 out 1 in motion offense, the 5 out motion offense, the Horns offense, the Princeton offense, or the Shuffle offense.
1-4 high offense
The 1-4 high offense is a basketball offensive strategy that typically begins with a point guard at the top, two players at the high post elbows, and two additional players near the wings.
The 1-4 high offense could be useful for the undersized basketball team because the larger low post defenders would generally be pulled away from the basket to defend against the smaller high post offensive players.
That, in turn, opens up the low post areas for actions such as backdoor cuts, UCLA cuts, pick and roll, or pick and pop to create scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter.
4 out 1 in motion offense
The 4 out 1 in motion offense is a basketball offensive strategy that typically begins with two guards in the slot areas, two guards on the wings (or in the corners in certain instances), and one post player, either near the high post or low post area.
The 4 out 1 in motion offense could be useful for undersized basketball teams, particularly with a high post player. Afterwards, the undersized team could try to create scoring opportunities via the high post or via the guards, especially with on-ball or off-ball screens.
5 out motion offense
The 5 out motion offense is a basketball offensive strategy that is initiated with five players behind the three-point line near the top, wings, and corners.
The 5 out motion offense could be beneficial for undersized teams, especially at the youth basketball level, because it generally does not require any post players at all.
In other words, the 5 out motion offense could be utilized as a positionless system in which all five players are interchangeable.
The reason this is viable is because each player in the 5 out motion offense will usually pass and cut to the basket or pass and screen for another teammate.
Circle offense
The circle offense is a basketball offensive strategy that is essentially a variation of the 5 out motion offense.
The main difference between the standard 5 out and the circle offense is that with the circle, at least three players will always be cutting in constant motion as opposed to one cutter with the 5 out motion.
The circle offense may be useful, particularly for undersized teams, because the constant motion of the three offensive players could potentially fatigue and possibly confuse the larger but slower defenders.
Afterwards, the smaller but quicker offensive players could then utilize the cuts within the circle strategy to score at the rim.
Dribble drive motion offense
The dribble drive motion offense is a basketball offensive strategy that typically begins in a 4 out 1 in formation with two guards in the slots, two guards in the corners, and one player near the low post block opposite the ball.
The dribble drive motion offense could be favorable for undersized teams because it is basically a guard-oriented offense that focuses on attacking the basket or executing kick passes for possible three-point shots based on the speed and quickness of the offensive players.
Flex offense
The flex offense is a basketball offensive strategy that starts in a 4 out 1 in formation with two offensive players in the slots, two offensive players in the corners, and one offensive player near the low post block on the strong side of the ball.
The flex offense could be useful for undersized players because the flex screen could cause the screener’s defender to get pulled slightly away from the basket and when that occurs, it could open up a scoring opportunity near the basket.
Additionally, the screen the screener action, particularly with the down screen after the flex screen could create a scoring opportunity near the perimeter as well.
Horns offense
The Horns offense is a basketball offensive strategy that begins with an offensive player at the top, two players near the high post areas, and two additional players in the corners behind the three-point line.
The Horns offense could be useful for an undersized team because the low posts are opened up which allows the smaller team to execute actions such as backdoor cuts, dribble handoffs near the perimeter, wide pin down screens, or pick and pop sequences.
Princeton offense
The Princeton offense is a basketball offensive strategy that typically begins with a two-guard front in the slots with two additional players on the wings, and another player near the low post or high post elbows.
An undersized team could make use of the Chin series or Point series within the Princeton offense to create scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter.
Shuffle offense
The shuffle offense is a basketball offensive strategy that focuses on fundamental offensive skills to create scoring opportunities near the rim and near the perimeter, particularly the mid-range high post area.
The shuffle offense could be beneficial for undersized teams because it is essentially a positionless type of offense and does not require the typical basketball positions to be successful.
Primary Break
The primary break is a basketball offensive strategy that begins when one team transitions from defense to offense by gaining possession of the ball via a turnover, missed shot, or made attempt by the opposing team.
An undersized team should consider implementing the primary break if they have a speed advantage over their opposition because it can help that same small team score quick buckets before the defense is able to fully protect their own basket.
Secondary Break
The secondary break is a basketball offensive strategy and the alternative phase of transition offense when the defense is able to prevent the initial primary break action during transition offense.
Similar to the primary break, an undersized basketball team could execute the secondary break with their speed to create quick scoring opportunities against the presumed slower defense.
Numbered Fast Break
The numbered fast break is essentially a structured variation of the standard primary fast break in which each offensive player receives a specific number and distinctive role to create scoring possibilities near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
In a similar fashion to the common primary break, an undersized team could consider utilizing the numbered fast break as a speed advantage over the slower competition.
What are useful defensive strategies to consider as an undersized basketball team
Useful defensive strategies to consider for an undersized basketball team include various defenses which seek to limit offensive low post opportunities and hinder dribble penetration such as the 1-1-3 zone defense, the 2-3 zone defense, the 3-2 zone defense, the Amoeba defense, and the pack line defense.
1-1-3 zone defense
The 1-1-3 zone defense is a basketball defensive strategy which begins with a defender at the front, a defender near the high post area, and three defenders in the back of the zone adjacent to the low post blocks and in front of the basket respectively.
The 1-1-3 zone defense could be useful for undersized teams because at least two of the three defenders in the back of the zone would be near the basket most (if not all) of the time.
What this essentially means is that even if the offensive low post players are bigger than the smaller low post zone defenders, the offensive players, particularly near the perimeter areas would still have at least a few challenges getting the ball into the low post consistently.
Furthermore, at the same time, the offensive low post players that could receive the ball would have potential issues scoring around the rim with low post moves effectively because of the defenders near the basket.
Additionally, the defender at the front of the zone alongside the defender near the high post can mitigate or totally prevent offensive dribble penetration, particularly towards the middle area of the zone.
2-3 zone defense
The 2-3 zone defense is a basketball defensive strategy and most likely one of the more common types of zone defense that could be used by undersized teams or any other types of basketball teams in general.
The 2-3 zone defense begins with two defenders in the front of the zone near the high post elbow areas and three defenders in the back of the zone adjacent to the low post blocks and in front of the basket respectively.
The 2-3 zone defense could be useful for undersized teams in a similar fashion to the 1-1-3 zone defense.
That is to say, at least two of the three defenders in the back of the 2-3 zone could deter low post offensive productivity, particularly by fronting the low post player and/or implementing a double team against the low post player.
The 2-3 zone defense could also be a great option to consider when the opposition has more height and length but they do not shoot well from mid-range but even more so, behind the three-point line.
3-2 zone defense
The 3-2 zone defense is a basketball defensive strategy which begins with three defenders in the front of the zone near the high posts areas and two additional defenders in the back of the zone near the low post areas.
The 3-2 zone defense could be a favorable strategy for undersized teams, especially with speed and quickness because there is at least one defender that could cover the offensive low post player with additional weak side help defense if necessary before the ball gets into the low post.
Moreover, even if the offensive low post player receives the ball, two of the defenders near the back of the zone could set a double team to create a turnover or influence a pass back towards the perimeter areas of the court.
The 3-2 zone defense is also good at preventing dribble penetration towards the middle, especially from the wing areas of the court because there is typically at least one defender near the high post area.
Amoeba defense
The Amoeba defense is a basketball defensive strategy that combines elements of man to man defense with zone defense in addition to trap defense as well.
The Amoeba defense might be useful for undersized teams, particularly with speed, because it emphasizes on-ball perimeter pressure and off-ball interceptions by stepping into the passing lanes which could lead to layups via fast break action.
The Amoeba defense also seeks to limit offensive low post or high post touches and it also focuses on hindering dribble penetration towards the middle of the lane.
Pack line defense
The pack line defense is a basketball defensive strategy and a variation of man to man defense.
It begins with one on-ball defender that implements defensive pressure against the offensive player with the ball and four off-ball defenders that will generally play a sagging defense away from their respective assignments.
The pack line defense could be useful for undersized teams because when the ball is near the perimeter, the four off-ball defenders within the pack line could front the post or execute double team action to mitigate or totally prevent low post scoring opportunities.
What is also interesting about the pack line defense is that it actually encourages dribble penetration towards the middle as opposed to utilizing a no middle philosophy as with many other defensive schemes and strategies.
However, the main reason that this occurs within the pack line is because the on-ball perimeter defender wants to influence the offensive player dribbling the ball towards the off-ball help defenders within the pack line which are near the middle of the lane.
From that point, the pack line defenders will try to encourage the offensive player with the ball to take an inefficient, heavily contested jump shot instead of getting the ball into the low post, which is a plus for an undersized team.
Furthermore, in certain instances, when an offensive player with the ball dribbles it towards a help defender within the pack line, that could possibly cause that same player to turn the ball over.
If that occurs, then it could then lead to fast break layups which is yet another potential benefit, especially if the undersized basketball team has a speed and quickness advantage over their opposition.