Can teams play zone defence or a full-court press?
Rule- England
- Basketball England
- Junior NBL
- Under 12
- Under 14
- Under 16
- Under 18
- 2026/27
- Parents
It depends on the age group and level:
Zone (or combination) defence
- Under 16 and Under 18 Conference: zone allowed in the 1st and 3rd quarters only. Man-to-man is compulsory in the 2nd and 4th quarters.
- Under 16 and Under 18 Premier: no restrictions. This also applies to girls' junior leagues where there is only one tier.
- Under 16 Regional, all Under 14 and all Under 12: no zone at all. Man-to-man is compulsory.
Full-court press
- A team may not full-court press while leading by 20 points or more in Under 16 Conference and Regional, Under 14 Conference, and all Under 12 competitions.
When a Conference team plays a Premier team in a playoff or cup game, the higher league's rules apply, so zone and pressing are allowed throughout.
Added 21 Oct 2026