Coach's Clipboard's "Runner" against the 1-3-1: the best shooter lives in a corner, the ball goes to him, and the warrior has to sprint to him; on every reversal the shooter runs the baseline to the new ball-side corner and the warrior has to run with him. Two guards in the slots keep the chaser honest, and the posts stay on opposite sides of the lane. Why the corners: one defender, the warrior, is responsible for both of them, so a shooter who stays there makes him run the full baseline on every reversal. The read is the warrior's recovery speed: if he is late, the shooter has the catch-and-shoot. The counter is for the warrior who runs out hard on the shooter every time: a quick entry to 5 on the ball-side block for the layup, and it only works if 4 stays put on the far block; the moment he drifts over, the middle can slide down and help. Basketball For Coaches adds the second counter, screening the warrior as he sprints. Common mistakes: the runner going before the ball is reversed, both posts drifting to the ball side so the middle can take the block, and the guards standing in front of the chaser. The Runner is Coach's Clipboard's Zone-2, and Basketball For Coaches and HoopsKing both taught me to keep the shooter in the corners against this zone; read them for the second counter.
