Basketball Tips and Tricks

It was the last few minutes of the game. Our team wanted to score – badly. One basket and we would get the two points we needed to win. The ball was caught on the rebound, our defense rebounder playing to perfection, not letting our opponents get the ball after they had basketed it. She gobbles it up, being careful not to over-do the ball retrieval part of it at the expense of denying the ball to our opponent team. Then our team has to transition fast from defense to offense. The rebounder, while still up in the air, turns her head toward the sideline of the court where I am waiting, without any defender marking me, screaming for the pass. Before she hits the ground, she passes the ball to me and I am off, dribbling the ball like mad, zooming up the court.

I reach my target, the basket into which I must shoot, my opponents swarming all around me, my team taking up strategic positions – should I pass, or should I shoot? There is no time to think. Time is ticking, the referee already has the whistle in her mouth. And then time seems to slow down as if in a dream sequence of a movie.

I can hear my coach's voice in my ears, as I perform the action as if I am sleepwalking. When shooting, concentrate. Really focus your eyes on that point of the rim of the hoop that is directly in front of you. It's not the general area of the basket, but that single point on the hoop – that is your target. Remember, you have to shoot up, over that target point. My knees bend in a slight crouch, and like a well coiled spring being released, I let my body straighten up, while at the same time my elbows straighten up with the ball held with the fingertips of my hands, and at the right moment, I let go off the ball, and watch it sailing over the rim, and into the basket, even as the referee's whistle blows in a shrill – Phrrreeeeeeee! And my whole team rushes toward me - We have won!

The origins of this fast paced, adrenaline pumping, sweaty team sport – it's said to be the second fastest game in the world, after ice-hockey – with two teams, comprising of five players each, getting the ball across a rectangular court, via lighting swift dribbles, passes and sprinting, to get to the opponent's basket, elevated ten feet off the ground, to shoot it in, in order to score points – goes back to the year 1891.

It was in that year that a gentleman named Dr James Naismith, who had previously been the Athletic Director of McGill University in Montreal, had moved to the YMCA Training School, located in Springfield, Massachusetts. Since the Massachusetts winters were bitterly cold, Dr Naismith wanted to devise an activity that could be played indoors, which would help in developing skill while not relying exclusively on strength. A soccer ball and two peach baskets as goals were used in the first basketball game ever played.

From those rudimentary beginnings, to the action-packed sport that is played today, basketball has grown and evolved with numerous modifications and changes made to it over the years, such as the style of playing, the rules, the court markings, the equipment, and so on. Here are a few basketball tips and tricks that you will find interesting, whether you are a player, a parent of a player, or a spectator:

Basketball Shooting Tips

Your team scores by shooting the basketball into the basket, of course. This is one of the most thrilling aspects of the game.

• When about to shoot, it is important to be relaxed, while also remaining focused on the basket. The shooter should concentrate on that portion of the rim of the basket closest to him/her when shooting the ball into the basket. When shooting bank shots and lay-ups, the player should concentrate on that part of the backboard where they intend banking the ball.
• When shooting the ball into the basket, players should learn to be completely balanced. Proper all round balance of the body is critical when aiming the ball into the hoop.
• It is important to develop the skill to sense when it is the right time to take a shot at the basket. Players must neither shoot to often nor not shoot enough. With enough practice, players will develop the ability to discern when it is the right time to shoot and when not.
• When using the jump shot to shoot, the jump should be natural and not forced. After jumping straight up, the ball should be released right at the crest of their elevation. A simple way to remember this is: "Up – Hover – Shoot."
• The follow through after each shot players take at the basket is also very important. Each time they shoot, players should practice an appropriate follow through.

Basketball Passing Tips

Without a doubt, passing is one of the most vital aspects of the game. Efficient ball passing is crucial for the team to advance the ball effectively.

Here are some of the dos of ball passing:

• Do opt for easy passes.
• Do pass to the player that is unmarked.
• Do make fake movements before actually passing the ball.
• Instead of the bounce pass, do make use of the air pass on a fast break.
• In order to generate better lanes for passing, do dribble.
• Do make use of the bounce pass in order to feed the ball to the post.
• With every pass you make, do make sure to follow through - don’t allow them to just float.
• When passing, do see that you do it away from the defense marking you.
• Do use both hands to pass. Single-handed passes are far more difficult to receive.

And here are some don’ts:

• Don’t throw in the general direction of a teammate’s voice.
• When making a pass, don’t jump up in the air.
• Don’t make a pass to a heavily marked teammate.
• Don’t pass to your teammate if you can see that it will get him/her into trouble.
• Don’t pass the ball from the center of the court, choose a side and pass from there.

Basketball Dribbling Tips

Arguably, dribbling the basketball is one of the skills that players enjoy the most – next only to shooting. There is just something magical about manipulating the basketball with your hands! Here are a few key aspects of dribbling that players must remember always.

• While dribbling the ball, it is important to stay low.
• Keeping the head up while dribbling is also important.
• While dribbling and advancing with the ball, instead of avoiding the defender, attack him/her.
• Purposeful dribbling is the most effective - hence avoid pointless movements.
• While dribbling, it is important to learn to use the body and the other hand to protect the ball.
• All players have one hand that is strong and the other that is weak. In order to be an ambidextrous dribbler, the weak hand must be strengthened by constant practice.
• The best way to keep the defender off-balance is to learn to change the pace of dribbling, sometimes speeding it up and at other times slowing it down.
• Another tactic of keeping the defender off-balance is to learn to change direction abruptly while dribbling.
• Once the player succeeds in beating the defender, he/she must learn how to keep the defender behind, while keeping the ball in front.
• Dribbling mechanics and techniques can be improved by constant practice.