 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2009) |
| Line Defense | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Half court zone defense |
| Name Usage | |
| Technical name: | Line Defense |
| Common name: | Line Defense |
| Play Development Credit | |
| Designed 1st by: | Coach Walter Meanwell  United Kingdom |
| Year play 1st used: | 1911 |
| Play 1st used by: | University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Country: |  United States |
| Play History | |
| Walter E. "Doc" Meanwell, a native of England, developed what he called "scientific basketball".[1] Doc Meanwell became the basketball coach in University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1911 and went on to develop Line Defense,[2] which won the Wisconsin Badgers 8 championships in 1912, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1921, 1923, 1924, and 1929.[3] | |
| Step by Step: [n/a] | |
Line defense is a strategy used in basketball. It is referred to as the "line defense" because of its formation on the court, which consists of two lines of defense. Three players at the front of the defense (at the half-court center line) and two players behind (between the center line and the team's own key). The line was the first zone concept to be used in basketball.[4] The line defense was developed to counter the fast break plays that were being developed, and adopted, at the time. The line defense was the catalyst of the future 3-2 zone defense.
- ^ Own the Zone - Executing & Attacking Zone Defenses, Don Casey & Ralph Pim, 2008, Pg.19
- ^ Own the Zone - Executing & Attacking Zone Defenses, Don Casey & Ralph Pim, 2008, Pg.16 & 17
- ^ The University of Wisconsin Collection
- ^ Coach Don Casey & Ralph Pim, Own the Zone - Executing & attacking the zone defense, New York: McGraw Hill, 2008, pg. 16