1-1-1-2 Conceal Defense

Basic Explanation and Purpose

The 1-1-1-2 is an initial defensive alignment I saw watching a community college
game a few years back and really think is neat. Hadn’t seen it before, haven’t seen it
since. The following are some of the things I saw and some of the ideas I added myself.
Definitely feel free to tweak it how you want. This isn’t the perfect defense. The purpose
of the alignment is to attempt to conceal the defense you are in initially and confuse your
opponent. That’s why I call it a “conceal defense” it’s just a very SIMPLE thing you can
use to initially hide the defense you are in. You hope is that you confuse them into
making a mistake at best or at least be puzzled. You want them to have to figure out what
you are doing. You want to prevent them from being able to come down the floor,
immediately see the defense you are in, and then set up an offense to beat it. Most teams
run different offenses for man and zone, so you man confuse them into running a zone
offense when you are playing man or a man offense when you are playing zone. Also, the
1-1-1-2 is an alignment I have seen few teams use. Hopefully they will devote some
practice time to figuring out how to combat the 1-1-1-2 and how you are matching up out
of it. With most defenses it looks the same even after the first pass if you play good
helpside defense in both your man and zone. What you are looking for is that they spend
more time thinking about it than it took you to put in. Now when that team plays you (or
plays you again), they are having to prepare for the alignment.
Another good thing about this defense is that it takes the ball out of the
opponent’s point guard’s hands right away. The point guard can’t leisurely bring the ball
up and initiate the offense. He has to pass it to another guard who is hopefully a more
poor ball handler and decision maker. Hopefully that will cause the other team to commit
more turnovers because someone else has to try and initiate the offense.
There are specific times I would break the 1-1-1-2 conceal out during a game. I
would NOT recommend trying to run it off a missed shot, unless you are playing a team
that really likes to slowly walk the ball up. I guess the choice is up to you however. I
would run it off of made baskets (unless it was a great fastbreaking team) and on
situations where the other team is talking the ball out of bounds at or behind half court. If
they are taking it out at half court and enter it up one of the side lines, you can match up
right away out of the inbounds pass. One of the greatest times to run this though is at the
end of a half or a quarter (if you play quarters) when a team is bringing the ball up and
going to run a play for the last shot. If you start in the 1-1-1-2, the other team won’t be
able to figure out what you are playing right away and will waste time figuring it out.
Also, this is obviously something you wouldn’t run in a situation where the other team is
taking it out of bounds under their own basket or on their half of the court.
The ball is pressured at half court in order to make the guard pass it off and
choose a side. After the initial pass is made, you have the option of having your players
either match up off the first pass or trap the first pass. Which you decide will depend a lot
on personnel, philosophy, and the defense you are playing after the pass. You can run
only one, you can run both, the choice is yours. With the match up off the first pass, your
#2 man takes the first pass if above the free throw line extended and the #3 man takes the
first pass if below the free throw line extended. If you trap off the first pass it’s the same
no matter where the ball is entered. Also, if you are running some kind of half court trap
(ex- 1-3-1), you can elect to match up off of the first pass and then start your trapping
when the next opportunity presents itself. Take this idea and mold it to what fits you! I’m
not trying to tell you what you HAVE to do, I’m telling you what you as a coach CAN do
with this defense.
This defense is designed to be a simple wrinkle to throw in with what you already
do in your half court defense. It’s not a fancy new defense that you have to spend many
practice hours teaching to your players. You can make it as simple as you want, or you
can make it more complex with relatively little time invested. It has simple rules that can
be applied to almost any offensive look or situation. You are only in this look for the first
pass basically (second if you trap the first pass), so it’s nothing your players really have
to think hard about. The diagram below shows what the defense looks before the first
pass.

First Pass Match-Up

Overview
With the first pass match up option, your players simply match up off the first
pass and get into whatever zone alignment you want them too. One of your middle men
(#2/#3) will take the first pass and the rest of the players will fall into either their regular
zone match up (where they would be in the zone) or in their man to man match up. Below
is a run down of each position and their duties on the first pass when running the first
pass match-up.
#1- This player should be situated right around the half court line. The job of #1 is
to but extreme pressure on the ball and attempt not to allow penetration. He wants to get
the ball passed to one of the wings. This should be the spot for your best on the ball
defender. One of the reasons that I like the 1-1-1 on the top is because it ENCOURAGES
the pass to the wing and discourages anything to the middle. Players like to do what is
easy and it’s easier to give the ball up to a wide open player than it is to try to dribble it
up against ball pressure. It’s easier for the other guards to go to the open wing spots than
try and fight defenders in the middle. They are going to play into your hands by doing
what is easy. Once the pass is made from the point guard to the wing, #1 has done his job
and should assume his spot in the defense. If it is a zone that calls for him to drop back he
should drop back. On the other hand, if he is playing on the line, up the line defense he
should stay with the point and get into help position. Whatever your defense calls for he
should do.
#2 – #2 should start at our 1-3 steps above the top of the key, depending on his
athleticism and your feelings. The job of this player is to take the first pass made IF the
first pass is made above the free throw line extended. When he takes the first pass, he
should close out in a way that is consistent with your defensive rules. You should close
out as if you in the defense you are playing. For example, if you are a push baseline
coach, have your players close out a little higher as if they were closing out normally. NO
TEACHING CHANGES HERE! That is the beauty of it. As #2 closes out on the first
pass, he should now be in his normal defense. If you are in man to man, that is the man
he is guarding. If you are no in a 3-2 (or 1-2-2) zone, he is now the outside high man on
that half of the zone; #2 is now in your regular defense. If the ball is entered BELOW the
free throw line extended however, the #2 man drops into help position and assumes that
spot on defense. If you are in man to man, #2 would match up with the back side wing
player and would ALREADY be in solid help position. If you were in a 3-2 (1-2-2) zone,
#2 would now be the outside high man on the back side of the zone. See, nothing changes
for your defense.
#3 – Player #3 should start at, slightly above, or slightly below the area of the free
throw line. The job of this player on the first pass, if entered above the free throw line
extended, is to be in help side and assume his position defense. For example, if he is in
man to man #3 is already in help position and matches up with the back side wing player.
This player should keep the ball out of the middle and should bump cutters. If the ball is
entered below the free throw line, #3 takes the first pass and goes into the defense you are
playing as such. For example, if a 2-3 is being played and the ball is entered below the
three point line, #3 takes the first pass and is the bottom wing on the 2-3 zone from there
on out.
#4 and #5 – These two positions are interchangeable. The main job of these two is
to protect the basket. They are to make sure we don’t get beaten for easy baskets. They
should match up with the post player on their side or assume their position in the zone
that is called. They MAY have to cover a corner from time to time.
*The following options show how to match up into different zones from the 1-1-1-2.
Basically, they are all the same. You just get into your spot in the defense off the
first pass. Nothing really changes from defense to defense. Also, the offense is just
set up in a typical 1-2-2 look. I will talk briefly at the end about different set ups, but
remember this is just a defensive mask and we want to keep it as simple as possible
and I am going to attempt to do that

First Pass Match Up – Man to Man

This is what will happen when you are running man to man defense out of the
first pass match up and the first pass is received above the free throw line. #1 is
pressuring the ball handler and matches up with him after the first pass. On the first pass
(which is above the free throw line) #2 takes the first pass and matches up with the
receiver. The #3 man matches up with the back side wing. The #4 and #5 players match
up with their respective posts. The circles on the second diagram show the match ups of
the defenders. The defense goes on as a normal man to man defense.

This is what will happen if the ball is entered below the free throw line. #1 is still
pressuring the ball at the half court line and stays matched up with the player at the point.
But this time on the pass, #3 is closing out on the first pass. #2 drips into the mid lane
help side. #2 matches up with the back side wing player. #4 and #5 match up with the
post players on their sides respectively. Once again, the circles on the diagrams show the
match ups off the first pass.

First Pass Match Up – 1-2-2 Zone

This is how you would match up into a 1-2-2 Zone (3-2 Zone, however you play
it). The nice thing is it is basically the same drop as the man to man defense, there is
nothing new to teach. The 1-1-1-2 conceal would be a great thing to add if you as a coach
run both a 1-2-2 (3-2) zone and a man to man defense. It would be basically impossible to
tell what you were in, at least for a while. Also, just because you match up out of the first
pass doesn’t mean that you can’t trap out of the zone later. Sometimes it’s advantageous
to run it where you don’t trap until the ball goes back to the point. It will keep the offense
guessing; if you match out off the first pass then all of a sudden start trapping, they won’t
know what to think.
When the pass is made above the free throw line, #2 closes out on the receiver.
Now #2 is the wing defender on that side. #3 stays were he is on the backside as help and
is now the wing defender on the other side. #1 either drops back to the top of the key (as
shown) or stays out there with the point guard, he is now on the top of the zone. What #1
does depends on YOUR rules for the zone defense. If you want your top player in denial,
he stays, if you want him inside, he drops.

When the ball is entered below the wing, the drops are again basically identical to
the man to man defense. #3 here takes the first pass and is the wing defender on that side
of the zone. #2 drops to the middle in help position (as he would in the 1-2-2 zone), and
is now the defender on the back side wing. #1 either drops back or matches up with the
point. #4 and #5 are already in their spots on the bottom of the 1-2-2.
First Pass Match Up – 2-3 Zone
The first pass match up into the 2-3 zone is basically the same as the above two.
The first diagrams show when the ball is entered to the free throw line. As with every
other defense, #2 takes the first pass and is now the ball side top guard on the 2-3. In the
2-3 however, #3’s job is a little bit different. #3 now drops ball side and becomes the
outside wing on the bottom of the 2-3. #1 drops back to the middle of the free throw line
or high post area (depending on how you play the defense) and assumes the backside
guard on the top of the 2-3. When #3 reaches the block, #5 can kick to the middle and
assume the middle position on the 2-3. #4 then assumes the back side wing on the bottom
of the 2-3. The 3rd and 4th diagram show how they are sliding back into the 2-3 for your
benefit.
 When the ball is entered below the free throw line, everything is basically the
same. The defenders all end up in the same positions, except #3 takes the first pass.
Because it is below the free throw line, #3 is still the bottom wing player in the zone. All
the other positions are the same, it’s really easy to grasp. See the diagrams below.

First Pass Match Up - 1-3-1 Zone

These diagrams show how to match up into the 1-3-1 out of the 1-1-1-2 conceal.
As I’ve said before, just because you match up out of the first pass doesn’t mean that you
can’t run a trapping zone. I love the 1-3-1 as a trapping zone and will use this to surprise
the opponent with traps. On the first pass above the free throw line, #2 takes the pass and
is now the outside defender on the wing. #1 drops to around the top of the key and is the
player on the top of the 1-3-1. #3 drops mid lane and is the back side wing while #4 cuts
up to the elbow and is the middle man. #5 by default becomes the bottom of the 1-3-1.
For the post players, if the ball were to have been entered to the opposite side in the
diagram, then 5 would have been the middle man and #4 would have been the bottom
man. The third diagram is there as a reference to show how we get back to the 1-3-1 look.

For the 1-3-1, it gets a little more tricky when the ball is entered below the free
throw line, but it’s not too bad. When the ball is entered below the free throw line
extended, as always #3 takes the first pass. #2 then drops down to the back side wig
position while #4 cuts up to the high post as the middle man. #1 drops down to the top of
the key as the top man on the 1-3-1 zone. The diagrams show how to get to the 1-3-1.
First Pass Trap – Man to Man
As I stated before, no matter where the ball is entered (above or below FT line),
the movements when trapping the first pass are exactly the same. When the pass is made
to the wing, both #2 and #3 sprint over to the player receiving the ball and apply a trap.
The players MUST learn to move on air time and get there as soon as the pass does. As
the pass is being made, #1 must also move on air time to drop back into help side
defense. Both the posts at this time are matched up with the post players next to them.
Once the pass is made out of the trap, you are in a scramble type situation. I advise (you
can do what works for you in this situation) #1 to take the first pass and then one of the
players sprints out of the trap and takes the unguarded opponent. The diagrams below
reflect this.
First Pass Trap – 1-2-2 Zone
As with the man to man, the 1-2-2 trap is exactly the same rotation. In fact, I use
the same diagrams to show the movement. I have #1 again taking the pass to the point
and one of the players in the trap sprinting across to fill the back side wing area that is
void of a defender. You can do it however you want. Some coaches may rotate where
they bring their #4 up to guard the wing, shift five over and have one of the player that
were trapping sink down into the lane, it’s really up to you and your philosophy.
First Pass Trap – 2-3 Zone
This is actually a little easier than running the 2-3 with the match up. The #3 is
still going to be the ball side wing on the bottom of the 2-3 and #2 is still going to be the
guard on the top of the 2-3. When the first pass is made, the #2 and #3 man are again
sprinting on air time to make the trap of the ball. As the pass is being made, #1 drops
down to the free throw line area and assumes the back side guard position. After the pass
out of the trap, #1 takes the pass, but #2 sprints up and bumps him over. After the pass is
made #3 takes his spot on the low wing and bumps #5 to the middle and #4 over to the
other low wing on the 2-3.
First Pass Trap – 1-3-1 Zone
These diagrams show trapping the first pass and getting into the 1-3-1 zone
defense. The only thing for this one is that #1 is going to have to cover a lot of ground on
air time to make it work as well as it can. As the pass is in the air, #2 and #3 have to
sprint over and trap the pass. Also as the ball is in the air, #1 must sprint hard and cover
the back side, #1 will now be the back side wing in the 1-3-1 defense. At this time, #4 is
also coming up to the high post as the middle man in the 1-3-1. When the ball is passed
out of the trap to the point, #4 can come up, contest, but is then bumped back to the
middle by #2 who comes up and takes the top spot in the zone. #3 then takes the wing on
the 1-3-1 and we are set.
Dribble Penetration
Undoubtedly, unless you have the best defender in the world, the other teams
point guard is going to penetrate at some point. What we want to teach our defender (#1)
to do is push the ball to the side line and keep it out of the middle if they feel themselves
getting beat. There are times when the point guard will just refuse to pass to the ball to
his open teammates and will try to force things.
When we push the point guard to a side, we have the same basic options as
before, we can either match up or trap. When we match up, #2 will take the wing on the
ball side as if he is matching up in whatever zone or man to man defense we are in. #1
would become matched up with the point guard or would be a wing on whatever zone we
are playing and so on. If we were to trap, the same rules apply as if we were to trap the
wing. #1 and #2 trap the dribbler and #3 would take the place of #1 with back side help.
After the pass was made out of the trap we would be back into our regular defense.
 Personally, I like the trap because again, it goes back to getting the ball out of the
point guard’s hands. But you do whatever fits your style for you personally as a coach.

Conclusion
Let me reiterate one more time, this is not supposed to be some complicated
defensive scheme that ends up confusing your players more than the opponent. It is
meant to be a simple thing that will throw your competition for a look from time to time.
I don’t want to devote hours in practice to this, I feel that you can get pretty good at it
only spending minutes a day of your practice time on it. Also, I am a coach that likes to
press full court, so this may only be brought out occasionally, such as at the end of a half
or quarter.
But at the same time if you feel this is too simple for you however, and you would
like to add more complexity to it, there are ways to make it more complex. You could run
it like former LSU Coach Dale Brown’s freak defense, the side and position (above or
below the free throw line) dictate what defense you run out of it. Overall though, I like to
use it as a look that I bring out from time to time to attempt and confuse the opponent, to
not let them know what we are running. I feel that this gives us a slight advantage that
can help us down the stretch.
If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an e-mail at
john.carrier@st.bemidjistate.edu. I would be glad to do what I can.