FIVE

To effectively attack any zone, all five players should try to stay in scoring position so they remain ‘dangerous’ and must be guarded by the zone.  

A pass to a player outside of scoring position gives the zone a chance to reset (and rest).  If only three players are dangerous, the zone can still guard all three with the remaining defenders.

By engaging two defenders (with the ball) and by having all four other players always in a position to threaten the zone (with equilateral triangles), the defense must scramble to cover each pass.  Quick ball movement, then, is not so important as movement of the ball to the most dangerous spots. 

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