Basketball is an incredibly popular sport. Millions of spectators watch championship games on TV and just as many root for their own smaller high school teams and leagues. Everyone wants to be part of a winning team so if you are a player, you want to give your fans something to really cheer about. So here are some tips to help you improve your game and to score some points for your team and for those who are there to cheer you on.
Always protect the ball when you are in possession of it. Keep your dribble off to the side of your body to make it more difficult for another player to steal the ball. While you generally want to avoid dribbling in front of you, you can do so if there are no other players in your immediate vicinity.
Practice your layup shot often. You should expect layups to represent about 80% of all the shots you take in a game. Dribble the ball in front of you while taking large strides followed by a smooth shot. Like everything, practicing at game speed will only improve your skill and have you ready to play at the fastest pace.
If you are trying to create a charging foul against the other team, make sure you plant your feet to the ground. Don’t shuffle them or lean into the dribbler coming at you. If you do either of these things, you’ll actually be called for a blocking foul instead of getting a charge.
If you play serious team basketball, jump rope for thirty minutes before practice sessions. You’ll get used to playing basketball already winded and tired. Doing this can make you very prepared to make shots in late game situations, as your conditioning is already a notch above anyone else just showing up to practice.
To play solid defense, if you are guarding the person with the ball, keep your eyes on the basketball. If you look at his eyes instead, he will fake a pass one way, just by looking in that direction, and then dribble around you the other way. The ball can’t lie about where it’s going.
A player’s free-throw percentage is generally much higher than their field goal percentage. While part of this has to do with being in action with defenders right on you when shooting field goals, the other part is the dedicated form and practice put into this “free” shot. Be sure you spend some time practicing your free throws during each practice.
To become a better ball handler, there are two key things you should focus on. Staying low while you dribble will make it harder for opponents to guard you and to steal the ball. Changing speeds is also important. By changing speeds while you move you’ll become more unpredictable to your opponent.
To give yourself a big advantage in any game of basketball, study the moves of your opponents. Players often have certain moves that they repeat or a certain approach that they favor. If you can make a plan to disarm their favorite move or approach, you can often outplay them.
As you well know, basketball not only involves the player but includes the fans and spectators as well. They are there to cheer you on and to support you. So all players want to be able to give their fans something to stand up and cheer about. Everyone loves to celebrate a winning team. So keep the above tips in mind when you are on the court and you can help give those fans a season they will remember forever.