Basketball how to drive better

Get to the Hoop Quick – Backyard Sidekick

Getting to the hoop quick in basketball is both a necessary and difficult skill when it comes to driving to the basket. Watching the pro’s cut through traffic with immense power, and confidence is exciting. Easier said than done, so I pulled together the best advice on improving your drive to the basket.

To drive to the hoop effectively in basketball you will need to improve your ball handling and dribbling skills as well as be able to move quickly on the court with the ball. Your main goal is to get past the defenders and to the hoop, crossovers and dribbling technique can help get you there.

Things that also matter is which is your weaker side when driving to the hoop and knowing your defender’s best skills. Going over all the tips and tricks at first may seem overwhelming, but once you put it into practice, the steps make sense.

Basketball Driving Tips

It’s impossible to make long shots or hit the three-pointers every single time you shoot the ball, especially under pressure. When games are evenly matched, it does come down to who can get to the rim and make that drive happen a lot of the time.  

Having said that, it’s also one of the more difficult things to do when several people are trying to stop you from completing that mission. Consider having to navigate your way around several defenders instead of one and not trying to foul anyone.

Ideally, you want someone to foul you to get the And-1. But it’s not just about how you drive; it’s also about when you drive.

Below are the most basic and important tips to understand when powering your way through the key and to the basket. It’s not enough to just read it though, you have to go out and practice it on your own.

Make sure you’re practicing with a decent basketball if you can. I like to use this Wilson Evolution Game Basketball (link to Amazon) because it’s the most widely used ball on basketball courts in the US.

Gain Respect

It might seem a little counterintuitive, but being respected in other areas of your game as an attacker is important when it comes to driving. For instance, if your range of shooting is only limited to around the key, then the defender doesn’t have to worry about you putting up a lot of three’s. But if you can put it in from just about anywhere in the court, then the defender has to worry about a lot of different ground to cover. 

If I knew that my opponent could only drive, then I would spend all my efforts and energy, keeping him or her as close to the three-point line as possible.

If you’re the player that can’t shoot outside the paint, ask yourself, are you getting double-teamed a lot? Chances are the answer is yes, because it’s an easy way to turn the ball over. 

Do the work and become a better shooter in general, and you will earn the respect of your opponent to not leave you too much room. With a tighter guard, you’ll find that you have more opportunities to go around and get to the rim quickly.

Check out the How To Shoot A Basketball Guide for tips on upping your shooting game.

Being Unreadable

Being unpredictable is no surprise in any sport, let alone basketball. Just like a tennis player doesn’t want their opponent to know where they are going to serve, a basketball player on offense doesn’t want their defender predicting their every move. Otherwise, chances are you aren’t getting to the rim often or scoring many points.

So how does one be unreadable on offense? Having more weapons in your tool belt and becoming a triple-threat is the answer to this question. A triple-threat is someone who can drive, shoot, and set up their teammate with ease.

Even if you are great at all three, it’s also important to make sure that you clean up your weaknesses within each one.

If you are always going to your strengths and your strong side, then your defender will guess right nine times out of ten. Even the best shooters, ball-handlers, and players, in general, have their go-to moves, but it’s always important to stay versatile in your game-play.  

A Quick First Step

Explosive movement is also no stranger to sports. The faster you can react and move, the better off you’ll be in getting some room. Efficiency is a part of that explosive movement as usually, the first movement is one of the most important of the process.

It’s not unusual for the first movement to be slow because you are either starting a force from little to no movement or changing the direction, which takes a lot of energy. It’s like a car that needs to get up to speed.

If that car happens to be really nice and has a sport mode, it may take half the time than a car that doesn’t have that option. Refining your fast-twitch fibers are like upgrading to that nice sports car. The reason why it’s so important is even if you are quick in general, the first step is what your defender or defenders will first see in predicting your path to the hoop.

If your first movements are incredibly slow, then you become incredibly predictable, and we are back to the first tip of not being readable.

Take this example. You are going to drive to the hoop, and you hesitate a little too much, making a slower first move. The defender has you beat every time and steals the ball. But imagine having such a powerful first step that you can fake one direction and still have time to pass the defender on your strong side. It makes a difference.

Trick Steps

Sometimes trick steps can get a bad rep for being a little too flashy and inefficient. That can be true when executed poorly, but when done in the right fashion, it can certainly be nice to look at, and effective. 

Getting space from your defender in order to open up a pathway to the hoop can be difficult. That is why developing a few trick-shot types of moves can be helpful in fooling your defender into giving you that opportunity. 

Consider the Eurostep, which has become quite popular in the NBA.

Giannis Antetokounmpo did a whole article with ESPN about why a move like this is the deadliest in the game and has caused him to rethink his defensive skills. The move is a two-step fake where the first step is a large step to the right or left of the defender to make them believe that’s the direction the attacker is going. Before committing fully to that side, the other foot goes in the opposite direction, to go around the defender.

Here’s a quick video showing the Eurostep in action so you can see how useful this can be when driving to the hoop. (I could watch this stuff all day)

The reason the Eurostep is such a good move is that it forces the defender to possibly move out of position and increases the chances to foul the attacker as they are not as steady trying to also change direction with the attacker. 

The Long Step

This can be a little misleading as some coaches may encourage a long first step when starting your drive. This actually isn’t the time to use the long step. What happens when you use the long step a little too soon is that you become off-balance. You also lose range of motion and power, making you slower. 

A good rule of thumb is if your planting leg is less than a 90-degree angle, you probably can’t support that position to well. Maybe think of the phrase “nose over toes,” which means leaning all your body weight forward, so even if you are lunging, there is still a chance for good balance and strength. 

The long step can happen when you are going to make a drive for the hoop but are already really close to the basket. Typically, the long step is the last one step or lunge to the basket in a layup when you are trying to cover ground and distance in a speedy fashion without having to dribble too much.

Here’s another quick video showing some layups made by professional players in the NBA. Watch their footwork as they’re making the layup.

We’ve all seen NBA players use this step as their long limbs spread to avoid traveling once they’ve scooped the ball up after dribbling. Following their lead and use the long step in this type of moment at the appropriate time. 

Speed Dribbling

Speed is not only important when it comes to the first step but also when it comes to handling the ball. Have you ever noticed that a player will warm up and bounce the ball really quick and real low to the ground with many repetitions?

This is to get better at handling the speed and increase strength in the hand, wrist, and forearm.

This is because quick dribbling when driving to the basket is a lot safer and effective than big drawn-out dribbles. The first issue you come across when dribbling high is the ball is slow, and you can’t move as quickly. The second issue is that you leave room for the ball to be stolen by the defenders you’ll come across.

Quick, powerful dribbles offer a lot more control as you approach the rim quickly. Control is important in case you need to change your route as a counter to the defenders. Practice dribbling with force while maintaining ball control. You can use that skill to make your drive to the basket more successful.

Shoulder to Hip

Standing up tall continues to give you the lack of control, which is why assuming a position that allows you to attack the defenders hip gives you a way to protect the ball and make your way to the basket. Making your defender come down to your level is a lot better than trying to get past a defensive player spreading out as tall as they possibly can.

Shoulder to hip doesn’t mean actually bulldoze them down.

It just means that your shoulder that is not the ball-handling arm should be angled down to the player’s opposite hip. So if it’s your left shoulder, that’s the free arm, then you want to point it to the left hip of your opponent. Opposite in terms of how you are facing them and not opposite in terms of left or right. 

Here’s a video breaking down this shoulder to hip move as used by Kobe and Michael Jordan.

Not to mention, when we talk about being predictable, this plays a major role.

Offense and defense is a game of cat and mouse. You go high, they go high, you go low, so do they. The more stamina and energy they have to use the easier driving will become as the clock dwindles down. Evenly matched skill to skill may come down to endurance and fitness, and this is where cat and mouse come into play.

Flexibility

Being flexible with your body has it’s advantages, but that isn’t the type of flexibility we are talking about right now. The type that helps your drive is being flexible with your mind, and in order to be flexible with your mind, you have to be able to have options in your tool belt.

Mentioned above, being a triple-threat is important for being a good driver. But when you have all these tools, you need to know how to interchange them at the last minute by being flexible with your plans.

Being flexible requires another thing. Being alert. The best players in the NBA aren’t just athletically gifted or skilled; they’re smart.

Anticipation and alertness are huge when driving to the hoop. Going back to the topic of cat and mouse, you can also be good at the game if you are aware of what you’re doing and what your opponent is doing. Otherwise, you’re a dead mouse. 

An easy team or defender might allow you to zip right by them with your plan A every single time. But make no mistake because a good team will counter your plan A, B, and C. This forces you to continually come up with something new every time to keep yourself…yup, less predictable. 

Practicing drills that force you out of a situation that you previously planned, by allowing your teammate who’s guarding you to know your first move, is a great option in training flexibility. If your coach doesn’t allow much time for you to think out several plans, it will force you to react quickly and respond to pressure situations.

Here’s a great video showing some moves you can use to get past defenders and get the ball to the hoop.

When to Drive?

So now that you have a handful of tips on how to drive successfully, knowing when to drive is just as important. Despite it being the shot closest to the hoop, it’s one of the hardest to pull off, given the number of defenders and limited space.

A poorly executed drive can result in an easy block or a steal resulting in a turnover. Or worse, instead of getting the foul your team so badly wants, you ended up being the one to foul and costing your team because of poor decision making.

So how do we know when to drive? Well, there are a number of situations that encourage the right moment to execute getting to the hoop, so let’s go over them.

Tight Defending

Briefly mentioned before, tight defending can lead to an opportunity to blow past your opponent. When a point-guard slowly walks up to the middle of the court, it’s not just to scan the court of his teammates and opponents; it’s also an attempt to draw out his specific defensive guard—drawing the defense out of the key leaves for major gaps and openings. 

The way you get your defender to guard you tighter is to demonstrate you can shoot.

Another way to get your defender to come close is to have quick passes between your team. This will likely draw a defender out in an attempt to steal the ball. Take advantage once they fall for the bait.

Keep in mind that the first time you maneuver past your opponent because of drawing them out will likely send them back again until they feel like they can read you better as an offensive player or attacker. That’s where you must become unpredictable and flexible. 

When You Are Confident

Driving to the net takes a certain level of confidence that not a lot of players have. The reason being, is that once you have chosen to drive, there’s no turning around. Yes, there is room to change your footwork and ball-handling in an effort to keep the ball safe and to the hoop. But the goal remains the same, which means going forward. 

This also means that you are going to likely get fouled and knocked down.

If you aren’t confident and get jumpy at the sight of someone stopping, you then driving is not for you. The reason being is that you want to be the one fouled on, but if you are not careful, a bad drive is going to result in a foul. Driving in general is tough, but once mastered, is a deadly threat to your opponents.

Helpful Links:

• 10 Basketball Drills You Can Do At Home
• Recommended Basketball Gear
• How To Shoot A Basketball Guide
• 14 Fun Basketball Games For All Ages

Sharing is caring!

• Facebook
• Twitter

The Ultimate Guide to Driving to the Basket (and why you should ALWAYS look to drive for a basket) : Basketball

No matter who you put in your list of the top three basketball players of all time (in terms of scoring): Kobe, Lebron, MJ; you find one similarity. These players were primarily slashers who seeked to drive at every chance they got, and only developed a jumper when their athleticism faded (which is not the case for Lebron yet). This is why the greatest basketball players of all time are not shooters, as much of a necessity as they are to a team. In order to further explain, let me use myself as an example. I am 14 years old, 5'7, 170 pounds, and I have been working on my jumpshot intensely for almost forever, and I'm still not the best player on my team. Others score with ease, I sit frustrated that I airballed because my finger placement was half a centimeter off. Hell, I'm very replaceable, even though I have the most work ethic and grit on my team and possibly the whole county. I just recently (right now, actually) discovered the importance of driving.

When I shoot and miss, 99% of the time it means that the other team gets the ball and I'm back on defense. Not only because you can't really predict where the ball will go, but because my own team doesn't see the shot coming, and the defense is closer to the basket (because they are between their man and the basket) to get a rebound. I beat myself up and I feel horrible, like I'm killing the flow of my team. A layup is SUCH an easy shot compared to a jumpshot, and it requires less skill and reps to get good at and master. Let's say that I drive to the basket and I miss. Not only does my own team see the drive coming, they will collapse in the paint (with the defense alongside them) and our team has a decent chance of getting the rebound back. And in high school ball, it is so damn easy to get fouled. I get fouled 9/10 times in game when I drive (which I rarely do, until now). Throw your head back when driving and its damn near a 100% guarantee that you get fouled. Learn how to draw fouls, even easier buckets. I don't know about you guys, but when I miss a layup, I am SOOOO much less mad at myself then when I shoot the ball and miss. I feel selfish when I shoot, even when I make it. Also, and one's get the team hyped and get the rhythm going super well. Lets say that you get cut off when driving and you fail. Guess what? Pass the ball, your man is either wide open or open enough that when you pass it to him and he swings it, someone is gonna get an open jumper, and you're already under the basket to get the rebound. Easy.

Of course, this doesn't mean to not work on your jumper. In order for your defender to not sag off of you and not let you drive, you need a jumper so he has to guard you fully. Jumpers are also a necessity. You do need to have some handles in order to get your defender out of the way when driving as well.

Guide to driving

1. Where's his top foot? Rip the ball in that direction, and go HIP TO HIP with him. You should leave no space and time for him to turn around and catch up with you. Get the ball, look at his feet, attack in the other direction and your hips should be touching when you make this move. Don't shatter your os coxa, leave an inch or two of space, but get as close as possible to his hip, as fast as you can.

2. Dribble

3. Pick up the ball

4. Shoot a layup and try to draw a foul. If you're scared of contact, you should just stick to shooting anyways. Try to jump into your defender so that you can immobilize them and get the really really basic simple easy layup. Also, you're on offense, it's not like defense where barely touching someone can get you fouled out. You can use your shoulder to bully them, hell even truck them (don't drop the shoulder and do that though). Hit them, hard. You won't get a foul called unless you ram them like a bull.

5. No layup opportunity? Pass to the wide open man, they will swing the ball if necessary to get a shot for someone else. Or you could just get fouled on purpose anyways by learning how to draw fouls.

Easy.

PRO NBA TIPS

• When your teammate is driving to the basket, you want to face the person who is driving and BOX OUT your defender and get him behind you. Get yourself in between your defender and the player who is driving, so you basically eliminate the help defense. Don't get dunked on by your teammate though.

• Get some IQ so that you know where the defense and offense is when you drive, so you can draw the help defense and pass it for a jumper.

• Make freethrows

• Have fun

Thank you all so much for everything you've taught me here, please be on the lookout for my name in the news soon.

Basketball coaching hacks: how to score goals for beginners

Even if you are a novice basketball player, we will not give you a training plan, but we will tell you why the ball flies anywhere but into the ring and into your hands. It's all about technique: even with regular training and perseverance, novice adults and children often make simple mistakes. It's a shame, let's fix it. Below are 11 life hacks on how to hone your technique to increase the likelihood of a goal for your team.

Basketball Shot Rules for Beginners

1. Hands up

In pursuit of the attacker, raise your hands, even if you are standing with your back to the pass, and even more so if the ring is in front of you. Your raised hands will increase the chance of intercepting the ball from the opponent by 2 times. Don't overlook this little thing!

2. Make shield rolls

Even Tim Duncan did not neglect them! A square is drawn on the basketball backboard. If you are standing opposite the ring, then aim at the middle of the upper part of the square, if you are standing on the side, then at the corner. If you hit this square, then the ball is at 90% of cases will fall into the ring. The law of physics and no cheating!

3. Look at the ring, not at the ball

Practice driving the ball with your hand, not your eyes, develop tactile control. Your eyes should be on the hoop while dribbling and be aware of the position of your body in relation to the hoop. Then you will be able to take the correct posture, and the throw will be effective.

4. Dribble with the balls of your fingers only

The palm should not touch the ball, only the pads of the fingers. Dribbling should become familiar to you, like an extension of your hand. Then you can change its trajectory at any time and you will have more chances to score goals. Practice with the ball constantly.

5. Throw with one hand

If you throw the ball with two hands, you reduce the chance of hitting the basket. All the efforts of the throw are in one hand (in the right for right-handers, in the left for left-handers). The other hand only holds the ball, the leading one holds it with the fingers, not the palm.

6. Do not jump when protecting the ring

Jumping is the main mistake of rookie defenders. To intercept the ball and block the shot, simply stick out your hands. When you are in a jump, the attacker will easily bypass you.

7. Don't look back

When you dribble, don't look back, but dribble and aim for the ring, focus on shooting (or passing to another player on your team).

8. Bring the throw to automatism

Incorporate the most basic basketball techniques into your training plan and bring the shot to automatism. Throw first from a distance of half a meter from the ring, gradually increasing it. Learn to throw the ball so that it hits the hoop without touching the edge.

Throw the ball with all fives and jump

Throwing Rules:

• Head in the center of the body - if tilted, accuracy is lost.
• Look at the ring: mentally build a trajectory. If you are far away, the ball flies in a curved curve with a maximum height of 2 meters above the hoop.
• A strong hand is in front and throws, a weak hand is on the side and directs, only holding the ball. The elbow of the throwing hand must be in line with the ring.
• The ball must rest on the fingers without touching the palm. The fingers are as far apart as possible and grab the ball.
• Throwing arm bent 90 degrees, forearm perpendicular to the floor. If you bend less, then you get not a throw, but a throwing of the ball horizontally.

The main thing in the throw is the position of the body and its balance. Place your feet apart and parallel to each other: it is important to orient them in the middle of the basket. Then the direction of the body during the jump will coincide with the direction of the throw, and the ball will fly straight into the ring. When the feet are uneven, the ball flies in the wrong direction or does not reach (although the throw was normal).

Take a deep breath and release as you exhale.

How to hold the ball and shoot in basketball

How to throw correctly: straighten your arm, point your wrist up, and with your hand set the ball to rotate in the opposite direction from the flight. The ball should seem to "roll" off your fingers.

9. Copy masters and play as a team

Watch professional basketball games and try to copy the movements of your favorite players in training. And be sure to conduct game sparring - this will allow you to develop more techniques.

10. Do not throw in a straight line

The higher the arc of the ball, the greater the chance of a goal and the less chance of blocking by the opponent.

11. Do not throw the ball from a full height stand

This is the biggest newbie mistake!

Before the throw, bend your knees slightly and at the moment of the throw, straighten your body, making a jump. You need to straighten up and push off the ground at the same time. When squatting, keep the elbow of the throwing arm close to the body and towards the ring.

The jump will give momentum to the ball and will allow you not to make sudden movements with the brush.

***

And to be a long-term player, do not forget about your health: take care of your joints and muscles, use tapes, do a warm-up. And be sure to strengthen your arms, legs and shoulder girdle, develop coordination. Regular exercises on uneven bars and horizontal bars will help you with this.

Schoolchildren in professional clubs. One step closer to the goal...

League 9 News0003

October 10, 2019

2317

For many, school basketball is not just a hobby, it is the beginning of a great professional path for athletes. In the 2014-2015 season For the first time, the best players of the Superfinal of the IES-BASKET SBL Championship received tickets to the training camps of professional basketball clubs. Since then, awarding tickets to the best players of the Superfinal has become a good tradition of the IES-BASKET SBL Championship project. In the 2018-2019 season Both boys and girls received tickets.

Alexandra Pilyaeva (ShBK Kometa, Oryol Region), Daria Merzlaya (ShBK Fakel, Arkhangelsk Region) went to the sports club "MBA" (Moscow) got a ticket to the sports club "Dynamo" (Novosibirsk region), Elizaveta Korshunkova (ShBC "Phoenix", Ivanovo region) trained with the players of BC "Samara" (Samara region), the best center of the Championship Ekaterina Ivanova (SHBC "Olga & K", Samara region) was invited to the BC "Academy" (Perm Territory).

Alexander Kuznetsov from the Oreshki Sports Club (Republic of Mari El) was invited to try his hand at the Nizhny Novgorod Sports Club (Nizhny Novgorod), Artyom Starostin (Palestra, Tver Region) visited the PARMA Sports Club (Perm Territory) . Ivan Samoilenko (ShBK "Lyceum 5", Republic of Tatarstan) was chosen by representatives of the BC "Ural" (Yekaterinburg). The participant of the final match Georgy Drozdov (ShBK "Kuznetsk Owls", Kemerovo region) received a ticket to the BC "Tambov" (Tambov region). Saipudin Abdurakhmanov (SBC "Kaspiy", Astrakhan region) gained experience of working with professionals in the sports club "Samara" (Samara region).

After the training camp, the players and their mentors shared their impressions of working together.

Daria Merzlaya (ShBK Fakel):

- I was well received at the club. I was afraid that it would be difficult for me to join the team, but after the first training session, this fear disappeared.

Professional training is, of course, different from school team training. In the club we did a lot of new exercises for me, and the load there was much greater. In addition, I could not get used to the “working conversation” for a long time. At first I spoke softly, but over time I began to do it confidently and loudly.

Training in a professional club gave me the opportunity to think about many things and draw important conclusions. The most important of them is that there is always something to strive for and something to improve in your game.

Remembering myself at the beginning of my sports career, I would like to note that I didn't even think about basketball. My athletics coach suggested that I give it a try and I accepted. Started training and making progress. As a result, I said goodbye to athletics and went deep into basketball. After the district competition, I was offered to move to another school and play in the IES-BASKET School Basketball League Championship. I hadn't even heard of this at the time. After considering this offer, I made up my mind. She started playing in the Championship from the 7th grade. Since that moment we had both victories and defeats, and a year later we got to the Superfinal for the first time, which was held in Nizhny Novgorod. Unfortunately, we took only 5th place. It was very disappointing, but for my team it was a good incentive. We wanted to climb the step of the podium. The following year, at the Superfinal in Togliatti, we took 3rd place. An embarrassing defeat in the semi-finals and a worthy victory in the match for 3-4 places led us to the desired result. Emotions were indescribable, but you should always strive for more! This year we will try to surpass our last year's result, and for this we need to work hard and hard.
Thanks to the League, basketball became a part of my life, I met my current friends and people from other cities with whom I still keep in touch. Basketball is an integral part of me, thanks to this sport I have become who I am, I have found loyal friends, the support of relatives and, of course, the dream of playing a match in a big arena.

Head coach of the youth team of BC Dynamo (Novosibirsk region) Alexey Gulyaev:

- Dasha has good physical data, especially speed and stability. Unfortunately, it was not possible to see the girl in a game situation, since the pre-season training camp included mainly general physical training. I note the discipline and diligence of the player.

Dasha's height data are typical for the first number. However, in order to play this position, her left hand is poorly developed. To date, the level of Dasha is the level of DUBL. She needs to practice a lot and get game experience. The girl has another year for this, so everything depends only on her.

I think it's important for players from the school league to try out for a professional club, especially if it's at the Superleague-2 level. Girls and boys will be able to learn a lot for themselves and draw conclusions on what they need to work on. In addition, in a team with stronger players, schoolchildren are drawn to the leaders. This contributes to their development.

Saipudin Abdurakhmanov (ShBK "Kaspiy"):

- Of course, in the training camp of the professional club there were many exercises that I did not do with my team. Also, the loads offered are much more than at school. But the hardest thing for me was to find a common language with partners on the site, since I had not played with these guys before. But gradually I started to get it. I am glad that I was able to try my hand, evaluate the possibilities and understand what I need to work on.

This trip taught me that no matter how good you are, there is always someone better and more experienced than you. Therefore, you need to give all the best to the maximum and not stop training.
I came to basketball after my older brother. For me, basketball is a game that you can enjoy. A game in which you can show your character and yourself. In the 2019-2020 season we will try to become the winners of the regional stage of the IES-BASKET SBL Championship. In addition, I play for Team Astrakhan State University (“Caspian Wolves”). I hope that this season we will be stronger than other teams of the ASB championship in the Astrakhan division and go to the qualification in the Sergei Belov league.

Ilya Loktionov, head coach of the men's team "Samara-DYuBL":

- Saipudin has a lack of a basketball school in many ways, but his desire, character and physical abilities allowed him to compete with other guys in training. I note that the basketball player has a good throw.

Saipudin came to the training camp for experience, he wanted to get the most out of training. He listened to every word and absorbed what the second coach and I tried to convey to the players in the exercises. For further development, I think he needs to find exercises to improve his gaming and technical skills, now everything is publicly available on the Internet, and, of course, go to the gym and work hard. In addition, Saipudin needs to develop those physical abilities that he already has.

Saipudin is a decent and well-mannered guy who has a great desire to develop in basketball. I hope he will make every effort and try to get into the team of the VTB United Youth League next year.

I would like to note that the activity of the IES-BASKET SBL is very important for Russian basketball. The league is growing, developing in the right direction and giving players from regular schools the opportunity to try their hand at training experience in professional basketball clubs. This is the next stage of player development. Perhaps, thanks to this particular project, someone will have a chance to get into a professional team.

Elizaveta Korshunkova (ShBK "Phoenix"):

- In Samara, I was met and received well. The coaches explained in detail what I should do, and the girls supported and prompted. I am glad for the new experience, the opportunity to visit a professional club and see my strengths and weaknesses. Of course, the camps in the club are more busy and stressful in training. But I think I got the job done.

This year I graduated from school and entered Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation named after V. Ya. Kikot . I would really like to continue to train and play, but, unfortunately, our university does not have a basketball team.
I have been playing basketball for 10 years. In the second grade, my coach Alexander Anatolyevich Mishurov came to my class and asked who wants to play basketball. I decided to give it a try and started going to workouts with my sister. Basketball and the team mean a lot to me because we've been through a lot together. I really fell in love with this sport, and now it’s very hard for me without it at the university, but I’m sure that I didn’t say goodbye to basketball forever.

Head coach of the women's team "Samara-Junior Junior" Olga Ovcharenko:

- Firstly, I want to say that the participation of children from the IES-BASKET League in the training process of professional clubs is a good idea. I support this project, as it gives children a chance to try their hand outside of school basketball. Moreover, I know cases when children from school and student sports got into professional teams.

Liza Korshunkova from the Ivanovo region came to our club. I note that the basic skills of the girl are very good. She is well prepared physically and technically - she knows how to drive and throw the ball. If she got into professional sports a year or two earlier, I would not doubt her sporting future. But now I’ll say that the competition in teams is very high, and if Lisa wants to connect her life with professional sports, she needs to find a team, train with girls stronger than herself and, of course, work extra individually. I wish Liza to strive for her goal and achieve high results!

Artyom Starostin ( Palestra ):

- I would like to note the professional approach of the club's coaches. After getting to know me, the coaches specified what I was doing now, what injuries I had and what period had passed since the recovery.
Club training is different, of course. First of all, the amount of load. This is professional basketball and the players face completely different tasks. After training at BC PARMA, I concluded that I need to devote much more time to working in the gym in order to become stronger and more resilient.
I love basketball and would like to try my hand at professional sports. Season 2019-2020 – this is my last season in the IES-BASKET SBL Championship. After graduation, I will try to break into a professional club.

Roman Dvinyaninov, head coach of the youth team of BC "PARMA":

- Unfortunately, Artyom got injured during training, after which he trained in an easy mode, so he could not show himself to the fullest.

In general, I want to note that Artyom's data is good. He may well join the ranks of some youth team or CYBL team, and then the main team of a professional club. To do this, he needs to work hard individually, improve his physical qualities and technical skills.

I would like to wish Artyom further development in the chosen direction and, of course, good luck not only on the basketball court, but also in life!

Alexandra Pilyaeva (ShBK "Kometa"):

– The main difference between training with professionals, of course, is the number of training hours and their intensity. But since I had a good coach at school, and we worked hard, I did not encounter any special difficulties.

I started playing basketball in the 4th grade. Thanks for this to my coach Mikhail Mikhailovich Altukhov, who invited me to the first training session. From the very first training, this sport interested me, and I realized that it was forever. This year I graduated from high school and entered the Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sports, Youth and Tourism, which is located in Moscow. I devote a lot of time and energy to training, so I really want to become a professional player and connect my future with basketball.

My goal for the 2019-2020 season – get into a professional club and achieve the highest results with it.

Igor Kocharyan, General Director of PBC "MBA" :

– Even at the Superfinal of the IES-BASKET SBL Championship, it was noticeable that Sasha stood out from her peers. Of course, in a professional club, she had to get used to the high intensity and competition. Here, the team almost always prevails over the individual, the defense is tougher, and any mistake is punished by the opponent's points scored.
I note that Sasha almost immediately joined the team, became part of our team and went almost all the way to prepare for the season. The fact that she withstood it speaks, at least, of the excellent physical preparation of the basketball player.
We wish Sasha to develop and progress. This is what every player needs, especially the young ones. She only touched professional basketball. We are convinced that the athlete understood that nothing is impossible.

The practice of sending young players from the high school league to professional teams deserves special attention. Firstly, becoming a "pro" is the dream of every schoolboy playing basketball. And secondly, it is the motivation for further work. Young athletes have the opportunity to learn what is hidden from the eyes of ordinary fans. We have been cooperating with the IES-BASKET SBL Championship project for several years, it is a pleasure to be a friend of the League. We always have great respect for the path taken by the organizing team. Good luck in your chosen direction!

Alexander Kuznetsov ( Oreshki ShBK):

– A professional club creates excellent conditions for progress. Professionals are provided with a hall, meals, accommodation, a doctor and several coaches work with the players, who are responsible for various aspects of player development. While training at the Nizhny Novgorod sports club, I made a very important conclusion for myself - you need to devote time to working on concentration and spend even more time in the gym.

I started playing basketball in the 6th grade. At first I did not pay much attention to it, and then I realized that I would definitely connect my life with this sport, and began to work on myself. In the 2019-2020 season I will continue my performance for the Oreshki team in the IES-BASKET SBL Championship. I am sure that we will be able to show a result higher than last season. Roman Gorelovsky, head coach of the youth team of BC Nizhny Novgorod0102