In order to win games you must learn the art of putting the ball through the basket. In basketball today every player must be a scorer. A basketball team of five scorers keeps the defense alert. The defense must watch all five men instead of concentrating on one or two high-scoring players. The many defensive tactics used today can play havoc with a team of one or two scorers. Very seldom are there five players of equal scoring ability, but every player must be a scoring threat.
Basketball and Shooting
Good marksmanship can be taught but it takes practice. And more practice! And more practice! Do not expect perfection in a game if you have not tried for it during practice! Good shooters in high school today hit as high as 40% of their shots. This achievement has been brought about by the development of the one-hand shot and the jump shot. Not too many years ago it was considered good shooting if a player made one out of three shots. In shooting, you should have good balance, with your weight on the balls of your feet. You should face the basket with your body, keeping your eyes on its front rim. Some coaches prefer the back rim; in my opinion the front makes a better target. The palms of your hands should never come in contact with the ball. The ball should be released from the fingertips. This causes the ball to reverse spin in its flight to the basket. A spinning ball has a much better chance of dropping in the basket than a "dead" ball, a ball that does not spin.
A spinning ball will hit the rim, bounce around a few times and possibly go in; a dead ball, unless true in flight, will bounce away from the basket. The thumb action is the dominant factor in getting a spin on the ball for the two-handed set shot. In the one-handed shot the spin is caused by a downward flip of the fingers and a turn of the wrist. Follow through on your shots. Your arms should be fully extended toward the basket at the completion of a shot. Use the backboard for lay-up and hook shots. When you are near or under the basket, use the board as a deflector. Uncertain shots and hurried tosses should not be taken. A sound principle is that the player should shoot only when properly set.
Basketball and The two-hand set.
The two-hand set shot has a definite place in basketball even though in modern basketball it has been overshadowed by the one-hand set shot. The former is a very effective shot against a zone where you have a little more time to get set. It can still be used from the outside with good results. Adolph Schayes, who has been playing professional basketball for many years and is one of the top scorers, depends heavily on the two-hand set shot. For all shooting the body must be evenly balanced and the heel of the hands must be kept off the ball. In making the two-hand set shot, the body is slightly crouched with the weight on the balls of the feet. The feet should be separated about the width of the shoulders with one foot slightly behind the other. Focus your eyes on the front part of the rim. Face the basket with your shoulders at right angles to the basket. Hold the ball loosely by the tips of the fingers with the elbows close to the sides of the body. Keep the ball well in front with your thumbs and wrists to give the ball the required spin, use a medium arc and follow through. Two-hand set shot. Body slightly crouched with the weight on the balls of the feet. Two-hand set. Before release of the ball. Follow-through of two-hand set shot. Note hands are turned outward.
Players should learn to shoot their shots "clean." In other words, don't depend on the backboard. At times your feet may leave the floor as you leap toward the basket to get the necessary power into your shot. The one-hand set. The one-hand set shot is an excellent scoring weapon that can be taken with either the left or right hand. Let us assume you are right-handed. Place your right foot slightly forward and point it directly at the basket. Your weight should be on the ball of the right foot, with your right knee slightly bent, the left knee almost straight. Hold the ball high and sight your target over the ball. Support the ball with your left hand underneath it. Place your right hand behind and somewhat underneath the ball. Release the ball with the fingertips and a flick of the wrist. The back of your hand should point toward the basket with the fingers extending toward the floor. Always follow through, so the ball spins properly. The heels of your feet rise from the floor on the follow-through. The lay-up shot.
The easiest shot in basketball is probably the lay-up. The fast break, used by most teams today, allows a player many opportunities for this particular shot. You should be able to make a lay-up from the right side of the basket with your right hand and from the left side with your left hand. When making the overhand lay-up shot from the right side of the court, start with the left foot, using a one-two count (shooting off your right foot). Adjust your stride so that you will be under the basket when the shot is taken. Leap as high as you can from the left foot, keeping in mind this is a high jump not a broad jump. At the height of the jump the ball is released from the fingertips of the right hand with the palm facing the basket. The left hand balances the ball in the palm of the right hand prior to its release. Be careful not to put spin on the ball. The ball should be carried as high as possible before laying it against the backboard. It is important to pick your angle on the way in for this shot. Do not draw away from the basket! Drawing away from the basket causes you to miss easy shots.
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