Basketball isn’t just a sport played in gym class or intramural competition. You can play at the park or in your driveway. If you like shooting hoops, it would be a good idea to read this article to learn some new skills.
You need to learn the correct way to dribble the ball. You want to dribble with the tips of your fingers, not your whole hand. Using your fingers allows you to better control the basketball. Dribble to the side of your body rather than directly in front of you, bouncing at waist level. Keep your head up and do not look at the ground.
Many people forget that defense is the key to winning.Basketball games are won by great defensive play. Offense gets all the praise and attention, but when you lack good defense, any team is sure to lose.
Learn how to hit a free throw. Practice often using the following method.Start out by holding the ball ahead of you. Keep looking at the goal while visualizing the basketball going into the hoop. Shoot the same path you imagine it going in.
Dribble while keeping your head upward and looking ahead. If you’ve got your eye on the ball while you’re dribbling, you haven’t mastered it yet. If you are just getting started, bring your ball with you everywhere. Dribble as you walk down the street. Get used to looking up as you go so that you can focus your attention on the court and not on your hands and the ball.
Learn how to maneuver a crossover if you get the ball fairly often. This technique passes the ball back and forth from the right hand to hand. The action must be very swift if it is going to work. Once you master the art of the crossover dribble, you can travel down the court quickly.
Learn how to throw proper bounce passes. A useful bounce pass that’s good is going to end up hitting the other player near their waist. A useful tip is to have the ball bounce at about 3/4 of the distance to the recipient. There can be other factors in play to keep in mind, however.
To keep passes under control, make use of hand signals. Passing is tough, especially if you and your teammate are not in sync with one another. This can be prevented through the use of hand signals. If the player does not flash the signal, then the player can avoid an errant pass.
Make sure to practice includes catching of passes. You and your team a favor by practicing how you can best complete imperfect passes.
Play games with yourself during the season and before it. Even though basketball is usually played with teams, you can still practice on your own. You can still accomplish a lot accomplished with solo games. Work on free throws or your pivot moves. There are many things you can be done.
It can help you when you pass through your legs. Practice dribbling the ball between your legs. Mastering this movement gives you a big advantage on the court.
Hand signals can help you from turning the ball over.Hand signals can help you if your teammate is ready.
To get better at shooting free throws, use the same routine prior to every shot. This may mean you want to dribble three times, touch your forehead, touch your forehead, or do anything else. As long as it’s quick, you won’t have any trouble having your body memorize what you’re doing.
Use the foot opposite of the hand you shoot with for a better layup. Thus, if you use your right hand for shooting, you need to push off using your left foot. This gives you better balance, while keeping you poised toward the basket.
You must disrupt and upset the play of your opponent if you want to be successful as a great defensive player. Don’t let your opponent get comfortable. Be aggressive in the moves you execute your moves. Do not allow them to choose the plays to make.
Good footwork can really help you to get rebounds off your teammates’ foul shots. The defender below you will be moving toward you, so be sure you’re thinking of how to get past that defender. This will allow you to grab the rebound without getting penalized for a foul.
Do not release your defensive stance. Stay in the right position by pushing off of your opposite foot. If you never allow your feet to cross one another you will invariably be a very hard player to get passed.
Don’t let your feet get crossed and it will be hard player to pass.
To boost your ability with the weaker hand, use it for everything from opening jars to brushing your teeth. This also can significantly help you with your basketball game.
Keep low as you defend. This allows you to jump faster and increases your reaction time should the person you’re covering do something. Be in the correct defensive stance all the time. When you must break from your stance in order to block shots, make sure to return to form right away.
You will gain a lot of ball control with bent knees.
This will make it harder for your opponents to steal the ball away from you. This also allows you to cover large distances across the court, but just move quickly down the court as you thwart the opposition.
For exercise, do a workout regimen that will enhance your skills and presence on the court. For example, building up your stamina will help you play your hardest throughout the game. To play more physically, lift weights to make yourself a more dominating presence. Your shooting abilities are greatly enhanced by a more self-assured, aggressive mindset.
Use the hand to create a buffer between the ball as a block. You never want to push the opponent with your hand, but you’re able to keep them away by using the arm that isn’t dribbling as a separator. Keep it up and dribble with your opposite hand.
No matter how intense the competition may be, you will enjoy basketball more when your skills improve. Now that you’ve read this article, go out there and put it to use. Learning more will make you a better player.
When you’ve got the ball, you must know when to take a shot, and then when you should pass it to another player who’s got a better shot. It’s better to assist a goal, than the team to lose a play.