| Tips on Passing, Shooting and Dribbling |
From "Family Sports"
episode SPT-107 |
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Horsing around on a home basketball court is just plain fun, but if you want your game to improve so that you can play competitively, it's important to know some basics. Basketball coach Chris Ferguson gives Belma Johnson some pointers on ball-handling techniques, including passing, shooting and dribbling.
Effective passing is one of the most critical elements to master if you want to be a skillful player. For the most part, players use three basic styles of passing: the chest pass, the bounce pass and the baseball pass.
With the chest pass, the player begins with the ball held with both hands close to the chest. Extend both arms simultaneously, straight out from the chest (figure A) to throw the ball straight toward the receiver. As you release the ball, the hands rotate outward with fingers extended, palms facing out and both thumbs pointing down. This creates a spin on the ball that makes it easier for the receiver to catch it.
The two-handed bounce pass is similar in technique to the chest pass, but instead of throwing the ball directly to the receiver, the passer throws it so that it bounces once on the way to the receiver. The bounce should occur about three-quarters of the distance between the passer and receiver (figure B). This pass is often helpful in getting the ball past a defender.
The baseball pass is just what the name implies: an overhanded pass thrown with an arm motion similar to a baseball throw (figure C). Aim for the receiver's chest.
For shooting, the proper grip relies on the fingertips. The ball is held, supported from underneath, resting lightly on the fingertips (figure D). The ball should not be resting on the flat of the palm. There should be space between the palm of the supporting hand and the surface of the ball. The fingertips offer more control of the ball than the palm. The elbow of the supporting arm should be pointing down (figure E), not outward or to the side. The shooting motion should feel like pushing the ball straight toward the rim, with the elbow locking as the arm extends in follow-through (figure F).
Dribbling can be likened to an art form, and it requires a great deal of practice. Players who don't practice dribbling extensively are not likely to develop into skilled ball-handlers. The proper stance for dribbling is known as "basketball position," with the body bent forward slightly at the waist and knees relaxed and bent slightly. It's important for the player to keep the head up and to face forward (figure G). Avoid the temptation to look at the ball or the ground in front of you. Practice switching back and forth from the right to the left hand, dribbling while running, and control techniques like dribbling between the legs.
All of these techniques rely on the player's becoming completely at ease with the ball. A number of exercises can help with this. For example, practice tossing the ball up and catching it lightly on the fingertips, or passing it back and forth from hand to hand while standing or lying on the back.
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