How to Start Scoring More Buckets – Basketball Star Shooter
Basketball Shooting Tips: How to Start Improving Your Shot
December 28, 2015
How to Get Better at Basketball Warm Up Drills
January 29, 2016
There is a lot that goes into getting better at basketball. Players work on conditioning, they work on their strength and agility, and they practice basketball’s fundamentals. Playing basketball requires a very particular set of skills and qualities. It’s not something anyone can walk in off the street and perform.
The best way to score more on offense is to make more baskets. But there are other great ways to contribute, some of which lead to more buckets as well. Some of the greatest players in the history of the game scored a lot because of their other abilities besides just shooting the basketball.
Ways to Starting Score More NOW
Earn the Trust of Teammates
In order to score more, a person is going to need to get passed to. In order to do that, a player needs to earn the trust of their teammates. A team needs to trust and know that a player is more concerned about the team and about winning than they are their own stat sheet. Of course, making shots and scoring is important, but it is important because it helps the team, not just because it makes a player look good. The best way to earn the trust of teammates is in practice.
If a player practices hard and demonstrates the ability to pass and include teammates during a game, the team is going to trust them more and be willing to support them.
Offensive Rebounds
The next great way to score more in basketball is to get more offensive rebounds. When a player gets an offensive rebound, many times they are in a great position for a put-back shot. Sometimes even right under the rim. Great technique in boxing-out opposing players is a great skill to develop and many times can lead to easy buckets for a team. A surefire way to start scoring more.
Make a Better Percentage of Shots
Basketball shooting tips and drills are some of the best ways to go about improving a shot percentage. It is very difficult for a player to improve on their own, because bad habits are difficult to break. It’s the same reason that golfers will watch videos of their swing; it helps them see what they are doing wrong and improve it. That is why those striving to improve their shot percentage on the basketball court frequently enlist the help of a coach or a basketball training program.
A great basketball training program is going to do wonders for the shot of a player as well. The Shooting Strap is a tool used to improve the form of players. It’s the little things that make all the differences, like keeping the shooting hand in complete control of the ball while the other hand doesn’t touch or interfere with the shot. Improving the mechanics in this way is the number one way to improve accuracy and start scoring more points and winning more games!
Get Buckets Summer Showcase Exposure Series – Get Buckets Showcase
Nijuan Harris 2028 Harris is DIFFERENT and right now today potentially the best player in his class! He already has a grown man body, and he isn’t quite a teenager yet. Harris has been blessed with size and strength well beyond those in his age group. However, you can tell that he has put a ton of work into his game and doesn’t solely rely on just being big. He competed a division up with the class of 2027 & 2026 and he was the most unstoppable player in the group. He plays with poise and a good understanding of where his advantage is against his defender. The highest compliment to Harris is “He plays the game the right way.” He understands how to toe the line between dominating and keeping his teammates involved. He has great feet, good post presence, good handle, the ability to rebound and push, good outlet passes, and will burn you from the perimeter with jump shots if you don’t respect him.
Xavier Kirkpatrick 2025 Kirkpatrick is a dynamic prospect. He came in and competed at a high level in ever drill and every game. He is an athletic slasher who puts a ton of pressure on the defense at the rim. He also has a smooth effortless mid-range jumper that allows him to be a solid threat on the floor no matter what position he is playing. He is crafty at the rim and has potential to be a high level scorer. Kirkpatrick is a solid defender who covers a lot of ground laterally with his feet and wingspan. He can also block shots with good technique and exceptional timing when he jumps. Kirkpatrick is a good teammate who looks to keep everyone involved and engaged and is looked at as a leader.
Jaiden Martin 2028 Martin has the potential to be one of the best players in his class nationally at the point guard spot. Martin is aggressive, athletic, and confident. His ball handling is phenomenal. He is shifty, fast, and quick, playing with the ball on a string. He is a score first point guard with a high-level shot creator skill set. His layup package and finishing with either hand always gives him the ability to put up a good shot attempt. He is an exceptional on ball defender with good instincts. He is always a threat to get a steal rather as an on-ball defender or from help side position. Martin is also smart and has an above average IQ for his age and plays with joy & passion every time he takes the floor.
Chase Weismiller 2027 Weismiller is the type of guy who can give a team scoring without having a high usage rate. He is a catch and shoot savant. Weismiller was consistently one of the best shooters in games and drills at the showcase. He is the ultimate floor spacer and can put up threes in bunches. He keeps his hands ready and understands how to relocate in the half court set. If you over play him, he will catch you off guard with a timely backdoor cut. Weismiller is the type of player who makes his teammates life easier because he put pressure on his defender to be disciplined and be slow to help defensively because you do not want to give up the easy three.
Brady Western 2029 Western at this stage in the game is Mr. easy does it. His game is not over complicated. He is fundamentally sound in all phases of the game. He isn’t going to blow you away with his skill set but he will more than impress you with his decision making and consistency. Western is quiet but has a confidence about him. Whatever the defense gives him he takes it. He can finish layups with either hand, in the open court or under duress. Western is an above average shooter for his age, with a good understanding of how to get his shot off. He is always in the right spot defensively. He competes in every drill and every play.
Devin Hayes 2023 Hayes is a solid prospect. He is an undersized all everything 2- way guard who can do whatever his team needs. It is rare that a kid impresses you so much on both sides of the ball. Hayes only stands at 5’9” but his tenacity, strength, aggressiveness, paired with his athleticism literally allows him to effectively guard 1-4 at the high school level. Hayes has great defensive technique and great timing when going for steals and blocking shots. Offensively he attacks the rim has a nasty layup package an equally nasty spin move and a solid jump shot to go with it. He has the making of a 3-level scorer who can take and make tough interior and mid-range shots. He also rebounds exceptionally well for his position. Hayes has a never back down attitude. He is the type of player every coach wants.
Jason Jack 2023 Jack was the most impressive player in the upper high school division. He is 6’2” combo guard with a strong sturdy build. He has a great understanding of how to uses his strength to his advantage. He handles the ball well. Jack see’s the floor well and is a willing passer event though he can get to the basket at will. He constantly attacks defenders downhill and takes high percentage shots that are under control. He can finish well with both hands and through contact. He has a descent jump shot and scored over 20 points in each of his showcase games. Defensively he is smart and really doesn’t take unnecessary risk. Jack also showed flashes of being a great rebounder at his position.
Ethan Moore 2025 Moore is a certified sniper. His shooting motion is exceptional and has little waisted motion. He can be a high-level scorer or a great compliment to an elite level offense. Moore also has range and is a great floor spacer. Moore was only 1 of 4 players that we seen come in and go through a shooting warming up. Moore is in constant motion relocating even if it’s in limited space to make himself available on kickouts. He has good size some sneaky athleticism and competes on the defensive end.
Brendan Brown 2030 Brown was the youngest prospect in the building and played up into the futures division with 2029 & 2028 prospects. Brown’s tenacity and toughness was on display in every drill and every game. The young man has a never back down disposition and a polished game to go with it. Brown attacks the rim with purpose using a combination of east and west dribble moves before getting downhill. He isn’t afraid to initiate contact. He will take the right open jump shots, so he is a consistent threat on the offensive end. He hustles every play every possession. He has good defensive awareness and ball hawking mentality.
Kane Smith 2024 Smith is a feisty tempo pushing guard who looks to be a playmaker first and a scorer second. He can really wear his opponent down with his relentless movement on offense and consistent ball pressure on defense. Smith has good athleticism, solid handle, good court vision, and is a willing passer. He did a great job of being a floor general and getting his teammates the ball in spots where they could be successful. Smith can finish with either hand around the rim. He has great body control and impressive hangtime. When he locks in on defense, he can be a pest. He does a good job of sliding his feet and beating his man to the spot.
Craig Thomas Jr 2026 Thomas is a lanky athletic prospect with a high motor. He is very active around the rim on both sides of the ball. He is the type of player you do not have to run plays for, and he would still be a walking double double. Thomas makes a living as a rim runner. He provides a good target and looks to score off limited dribbles. He rebounds well on both ends. He registered some big blocks as a primary defender and as a help side defender. He showed flashes of being a break starter pushing off defensive rebounds.
Kade Corbly 2028 Corbly is a solid versatile prospect with a high IQ that plays at his own pace. He has learned at an early age how to slow the game down regardless of how fast it is moving. His decision making is stellar for his age. Corbly can play multiple positions and regardless of his position you can facilitate your offense through him. Corbly rebounds the ball well looks to make advances passes but can push and make the right play. He is a solid screen setter, finishes at the rim, and takes high percentage shots.
Jeremiah Brown 2027 Brown has a scorer’s mentality. He can score from all 3 levels. Brown can play the 1 thru the 3. He can score in bunches. He is also one of the players who came in with a warmup routine. He has a solid jump shot, a sneaky handle, reads screens well, finishes well around the rim, has a solid floater, and consistently boxes out, and is an exceptional rebounder. He gets easy putbacks off offensive rebounds and can go coast to coast off defensive rebounds. Defensively he competes. He isn’t afraid to guard bigger stronger players. He gets his fair share of steals and isn’t afraid to get on the floor for loose balls.
Andre Willis 2026 Willis showed that he can be a great lead guard. He made easy passes, he made difficult passes. He kept the ball moving finding open teammates and passing them into easy looks. Willis is a past first point guard, but he can also get a bucket when it is necessary. He uses ball fakes and his eyes to beat defenders to the rim. Willis isn’t afraid of contact and finishes around the rim strong. He shoots sparingly but he jump shot looks good. Willis is a good on ball defender, but he is most effective help side jumping passing lanes to get out in transition.
Adrian Llamo 2025 Llamo is a good spot up shooter. In catch and shoot situations he never missed two shots in a row. Llamo knows how to find open space, he balances the floor well and keeps his hands ready. Llamo is primarily a shooting guard, but he showed flashes of being a good secondary ball handler. He doesn’t over dribble makes the right reads and can be a good facilitator when asked. Defensively he showed he can guard his position, and he talks on the defensive end.
Curtis Walton 2026 Walton looked like a complete player. He plays with a high motor. He takes comfortable consistent jump shot of the catch and off the dribble. He is a tough defender and crashes the boards well. He rebounds above the rim. Walton has good hands. He can get to his spots with ease. Walton showed flashes of being a pure scorer that can score from all 3-levels and with a fair amount of range.
JJ Fuller 2028 Fuller is a man determined to put the ball in the basket. Fuller can score in a multitude of ways. He is crafty around the rim; he shoots the ball well for his age. He is always looking to push in transition, and he is very aggressive, when he has the ball in his hands. His handle is above average especially in the open court. Fuller plays with a lot of confidence, and joy. DaCorey Bennett 2026 Bennett sees the court well. He can score and pass at a high level. He is explosive to the rim. Bennett has complete control of his body and the ball thru contact. He posses a quick first step. He reads where the help is coming from and makes the proper pass to the open man. He uses his size and strength to his advantage on defense and puts a lot of pressure on the ball handler.
Ethan Knox 2028 Knox plays the big, but he certainly has some guard skills. He rebounds well on both sides of the ball. He goes back up strong to finish putbacks. He makes good outlet passes off defensive rebounds but can also impress you running the break on his own. He dribbles with his head up looking to make the right read. He shoots well enough to keep the defense honest in the half court set, which helps his teammates spread the floor and takes his matchup away from rim protection. Knox guards his own position and defends the rim at an elite level. Knox is also athletic enough to switch off and guard perimeter players, He is one of the few players who can guard 1-5
Robert “TICO” Smith 2028 Smith is someone who can play multiple positions. He has a great understanding of how to use his body. Smith is a great rebounder on both sides of the ball. He sees the floor well when he has the ball in his hands and is a willing passer. He takes on defensive challenges and does not shortchange you on effort. He showed that he can be a reliable scoring option with the ball in hands and without it with good cuts and proper floor spacing.
Izaiah Lewis Thompson 2026 Thompson has attributes. Standing at 6’5” with a standing reach of 8’ 6” the man is long and athletic. Thompson was a walking double-double during the showcase. He does all his damage around the rim. He hunts the ball on offense, and tracks shots well in flight to get in position to rebound. Defensively he is an athletic rim protector who looks to make plays with big blocks.
Jackson Bird 2028 Bird is a score first guard. He was showing off his bag the entire showcase on the offensive end. He has a solid jump and a descent in between game. He runs the floor well and has good hands. Bird is a good offensive threat in both transition and half court set. Bird got his fair share of steals with good anticipation shooting thru passing lanes on defense.
Jace Jreisat 2024 Jreisat shot the ball well all showcases. He plays the game the right way for his skill set. He is a 3-point specialist with good range. He doesn’t over dribble and makes early passes to keep the ball moving. He will occasionally put the ball on the floor and go to the basket with some crafty inside the paint finishes. Jreisat is a solid man to man defender.
Devin Ossinac 2024 Ossinac is small quick athletic guard. Ossinac can do a little of everything. He can be a lead guard who gets his teammates good looks. He can be a pest on defense using his speed to stay in front of his man. Ossinac can score when needed. He can get to the basket off the dribble drive. When he can’t get to the basket he is a willing shooter, that can knock down an open shot.
Basketball rules for schoolchildren: clear and concise
Few people know, but it was in one American school that the first basketball appeared. One teacher challenged himself to come up with an intense and fun game, and his students really liked his idea. Many years have passed since then, but basketball remains one of the most popular sports in physical education classes. The rules and refereeing have become a little easier, but for the students and schools it has only benefited.
Brief history
Rugby was the most popular sport in the United States until the 20th century. It was a good relaxation and load for the students, but it required a lot of strength and heavy build of the players. James Naismith, a schoolteacher at one of the schools, set himself the task. He needed to come up with a game in which agility and speed would be the most important attributes of the players. Thus, James in 1891 came up with the first basketball prototype.
The PE teacher set up two baskets on opposite sides and told the students to throw the ball into someone else's basket. In the beginning, the basketball score might not differ much from the football score. The players pushed hard, and it rarely came to throws. However, with the help of word of mouth, the game suddenly began to gain popularity.
James began to come up with new rules and make basketball stricter and more spectacular. He placed the rings at a certain height and fastened them to metal shields. Wooden buckets now have a bottom cut out so that the ball can quickly fall to the players.
For about 50 years, basketball has evolved unevenly. He had bad moments, which were dictated by the Great War, the depression of the 30s, the Second World War. But at the same time, the game is starting to gain popularity in colleges and universities. In parallel with this, basketball came to the USSR. George Dupperon popularized this sport, and also held the first official games in 1906 year.
In 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA) was formed. From now on, the game goes to a new level. Now basketball receives accreditation from partners and states that began to compete in the World and European Championships. Since the middle of the 20th century, millions of spectators have been riveted to the matches of this game.
NBA Logo
The 10 Basic Rules of Basketball
The rules of basketball have been the same for years. In order for the game to be as fair and interesting as possible, the main ones are:
No more than 5 players from each team can be on one field. Each team has 7 more members in reserve. The stock can change with the base at any time.
The main goal is to shoot the ball into the enemy basket as many times as possible. Throws from longer distances give more points.
The game consists of 4 parts, the break between them is 2 minutes. Between the two halves of the match, the break is longer - 15 minutes.
The game starts with a jump ball. The referee throws the ball up, and the two players in the center try to knock it into their own half of the field.
The technique of moving with the ball across the field is important: it is imperative to run with the ball, hitting it on the floor, and deliberately hitting it with your foot or fist is a violation.
The team with the most points in the limited time wins. If at the agreed time the score is equal, then an additional time of 5 minutes is played. It will run until one of the teams wins by points.
Game time limits must be respected. So, 24 seconds are given for an attack in the opponent's half of the field, and no more than 8 seconds for taking the ball out of one's own zone. The three-second rule says that you can stay under the ring for no more than 3 seconds, then the ball is out of bounds.
Basketball is a non-contact game in which physical pressure cannot be exerted on the opponent. If the contact of the players was too rough, then such a violation is punishable by free throws.
If the ball goes out of bounds, it must go to the opposing team.
You cannot return the ball to your own half of the field after an attack. This is a violation.
How many points are given for what
As already mentioned, in basketball, different numbers of points are given for different shots. In total, there are three options for accruing when the ball hits the basket:
1 point. Given on a free throw. The team throws the ball into the basket from a line close to the ring.
2 points. For hitting from medium and close range. The most frequently scored points in basketball.
3 points. The ball hit the basket from a distance. Usually such throws can be made from a distance of more than 7 meters.
Although long-range shots are the most valued, the score in the game is gained mainly due to 2-point shots. This is due to the fact that even for professionals such hits are complex and rare.
Is it possible to play by simplified rules?
For schoolchildren of all ages, playing basketball according to the official rules can seem quite difficult, so schools do not penalize so much for violations. It is possible to play by simplified rules, but for this you will need to agree among yourself on what can and cannot be done. Most often, the rules remain unchanged: the ban on physical contact, match on points, hitting the ball in touch, the rule of the "middle" line.
To simplify the game, teachers in grades 5-6-7 most often forget about time limits. So for an attack, an unlimited amount of time is given (instead of 24 seconds), and for defense, you can pass passes in your own half for quite some time. Since students rarely throw the ball further than 7 meters from the ring, three points during the game are rarely awarded.
Rules of the Seconds
There are times in basketball that all players and both teams must play. Violation of these rules will be regarded as a foul:
3 seconds. The athlete spent more than three seconds in the “paint”. In order to "reset" the timer, you need to go with both feet over the line. Otherwise, the violation will be punished with an out and the transfer of the ball to the opposite team.
5 seconds of passivity. When closely guarded by the opponent (less than 1 meter), the athlete does not pass or throw for 5 seconds. This is a violation and is punishable by an out and passing the ball to the other team.
8 seconds. If the players of the team do not remove the ball from their own half of the field during this time, then a violation is counted. After the lead athlete has entered someone else's zone, the ball cannot be returned back.
10 seconds. The free throw must be taken within this time. Otherwise, all additional attempts will be canceled and the other team will receive the ball.
24 seconds. The attack must be carried out within this time. If the players did not have time to complete it due to some circumstances (foul or out), then their stay time can be increased to 14 seconds. If this time the attack is not completed, then the team is declared a violation.
30 seconds. A throw attempt must be made at least once during this time. Otherwise, the ball will go to the other team.
The rules of seconds are quite strictly observed in professional basketball, but they are not followed in school. Otherwise, the game turns into an endless violation of the rules and the imposition of penalties because of this.
Fouls and Penalties
If the seconds rules are eliminated, there are two areas for fouls - physical contact and loss of the ball. If one of the teams plays too rough, the referee may issue a warning. If such warnings were given to one player 5 during one match, then this person is removed from the field.
Do not grab the opponent by the arms or enclose him in tongs. You need to play mainly by covering the partners of the enemy team and blocking the passes and throws of the player. If the violation is gross, the referee will award free throws. Their number may vary depending on the severity of physical contact.
A special role is given to how to dribble the ball. You can not pick it up and walk around the field. You need to lead it rhythmically, hitting the floor every time you take a step. Otherwise, the player is credited with a "run", and the team passes the ball to their opponents. You cannot dribble the ball with both hands at the same time or purposely kick it with your foot. This is also considered a violation.
Playing basketball
Position of the players
Since there are 5 players in the team, the positions are the same:
Point guard. The main brain of the team and the "conductor" of its orchestra. The point guard tends to have the smallest physical attributes, but focuses not on speed or shooting, but on passing and dribbling. Such a player always has several options in his head for playing, as well as for carrying out an attack. In fast playing conditions, he never gets lost and helps his team by creating scoring chances.
Attacking defender. The person who is responsible in the team for successful long-range and medium throws. These players usually don't have any obvious strengths, but they need to be fast enough to cover the distance from their own ring to someone else's. The shooting guard has one of the most important roles in scoring goals.
Light forward. This player is higher than the previous ones, but his main task is no longer defense, but attack and score. A light forward will achieve results through good dribbling and speed. This player scores the most goals, and therefore he can be considered the main person responsible for the team's performance. Well blocks throws on the approach of opponents. Also, this player can move into the category of powerful forwards if he gains enough muscle and mass.
Power forward. One of the easiest roles in the team. Its goal is quite easy to understand, but only truly powerful and tall players will be able to achieve it. This player has the largest height and mass in the team. When attacking, he stands in the zone for 3 seconds and tries to pick up the ball. Usually in this area of the site the most intense struggle takes place, in which the power forward must pick up the ball and throw it into the basket. The number four has recently started to play as an attacking player, before that he played the role of rebounding the ball in defense under his ring.
Center. The main task is to recover the ball at the beginning of the match and in controversial moments. The center player is versatile in terms of his set of qualities, but at the same time he must be as strong and big as a powerful forward. This person picks up balls from the enemy basket and fights in the center of the field. Good free throws are important to him, as well as the ability to block opponent passes. He usually scores the highest number of blocks and successful rebounds per game.
Placement of basketball players on the field
Now the roles of the players are rather blurred and universal. Due to the great popularity of basketball in good teams, there is always a choice between a more enduring player or a taller one. Therefore, the roles are often mixed up, supplemented, and the coaches themselves say: the main thing is not your role in the team, but how much you benefit it.
Basic terms
To easily navigate the game, it is worth understanding some words. Players use them during the match, as they are shorter and clearer than their long counterparts. For example, there are such concepts:
Paint. This is the 3 second zone where 2-point shots are made and the main fight takes place.
Basketball red zone
Dunk. This is a way to shoot the ball when a small or power forward jumps to the ring and puts the ball in the basket. Looks very impressive.
Treshka. This is a throw worth 3 points. Sometimes it is called distant or arc.
Vi-cat. This is an opening for your partner to receive a pass or get out of pressure.
Brick. When thrown, the ball hit the ring and its metal rod, but the backboard was not hit.
Jogging. An offense in which a player with the ball in his hands took more than two steps and did not pass, did not shoot.
Lay-up. Throw from under the basket.
Assistant A pass to a player who immediately scored a goal after it.
Pick. After a throw or block, an attempt to reach the ball and take possession of it.
Of course, this is not the whole list of game terms, but if you list all the slang and concepts of basketball, then you can make a list of a couple of dozen A4 sheets. Here are the most common concepts that both professionals and beginners should know.
"Only he was beaten like that in the kidneys and balls." Vladimir Tkachenko - Chapaev of Soviet basketball, who beat Sabonis and drank vodka from a bucket
Few people in Soviet basketball have as many stories as Vladimir Tkachenko, the legendary center of Stroitel, CSKA and the USSR national team. One of the most physically gifted players of the 80s, together with his friend Arvydas Sabonis, became a symbol of the main confrontation of the era, was one of the most prominent participants in the victorious World and European Championships and lost Olympics, was immortalized in dozens of funny cases remembered by his teammates and friends.
More on all this below.
Hero of jokes
“Tkachenko is sitting at home in the toilet,” Ivan Edeshko told SE. - Doorbell. Doesn't open. Suddenly a key turns in the lock. A peasant flies in, starts rummaging through the cabinets, puts records in a bag. Tkachenko had a chic collection, his favorite band was Smokie. Volodya quietly finishes his business, leaves. Leaning against the jamb, silently watching the thief. He turns around, throws the bag and shouts: “Just don’t kill!” And Volodya beckons with a finger: "Go to your uncle ...".
In Russia, Vladimir Tkachenko is the hero of jokes. Perhaps not on the level of Stirlitz and Vasil Ivanych, but it would have been enough for a separate article in the Encyclopedia of the Hooligan Orthodox.
The phenomenon consisted of two understandable components: a frightening appearance and a shy character. From the very moment of his appearance in the national team, impudent partners made fun of the colorful center, who quickly unraveled his amazing nature: “Tkachenko is an amazingly kind person, surprisingly out of date even for that era, exceptionally decent” (says Vladimir Gomelsky).
This could be a problem on site.
“Despite the intimidating appearance (he always had a specific hairstyle with long hair), the kindest-hearted person whom we always asked to get angry, Sergey Tarakanov confirms in a conversation with Sports.ru (hereinafter, unless another source is indicated). . - The main problem for us was that he was always afraid of offending or hooking someone. I always remember the game with Hoventud for the Champions Cup. Usually they beat him on the arms, under the ribs, mercilessly, and the judges very often did not react, and Tkanya was always so not only dumb, but not malicious. And then he got somewhere in the wrong place, and we won one of the easiest victories. In general, we didn’t win so often on the road, but here everything turned out simply - they were simply afraid to approach him, and he dominated under the basket.
But outside the court it turned into endless pranks, grandiose adventures, unforgettable events.
“The centers have always had a special relationship: they always groomed each other,” says Sergei Tarakanov. - Belostenny and Tkachenko had especially close relations, Tkachenko and Sabonis - they always clustered together, always respected each other, they were always together. Together, it's phenomenal. When they went on a spree somewhere and, clasping their hands, as in the “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, where the “Coward” hung out, they caught a taxi on the Arbat. Tkachenko, 220 cm, Belostenny, 214 cm, and Kolya Deryugin, 207 cm, stood in the same way. The stunned taxi driver nevertheless stopped, but left instantly. How can you put 220, 214 and 207 in one car?!”
“I remember how already in the late 1970s Vladimir Tkachenko, who was a passionate music lover, was going through customs with a load of gramophone records with recordings of Western bands (I fully admit that he bought them not for sale, but for himself), wrote in Movement Up » Sergey Belov. - Tired of the claims of the customs officer about the next disk and protesting against the prospect of its seizure, Tkanya, hanging with his 220 cm over the poor woman, roared like from a barrel: "Fool, this is Smokey!"
“Once Petrovich was watching his favorite football on TV,” says Vasily Abramenko. - Volk (Alexander Volkov) and Miguel (Igor Miglinieks) entered his room with a remote control hidden under their clothes. For the guys then it was a discovery that each remote control was suitable for any TV in the hotel. They come in: “Petrovich, how are you?” “Okay, look what a cool game!” And at that moment, instead of football, a broadcast of some kind of opera appears on the screen. Tkachenko, cursing, clicks the remote control and returns the previous channel, but after some time the situation repeats itself. And then more and more! The apotheosis came when a penalty kick was appointed in a football match, the realization of which Petrovich did not see because of Volchka (it was he who quietly pressed the buttons on his remote control) . .. Oh, and then Tkachenko got the poor device. Not hidden, but the one that lay next to him. Petrovich did not understand that he was being played, and smashed the unfortunate remote control against the wall to smithereens.
“In the national team, Tkachenko got it from younger guys — Tikhonenko, Miglinieks, me,” Alexander Volkov added to SE. - They tried to pinch him, pinch him. Good, for laughs. It was like jackals attacking a bear. Tkachenko is a quiet, good-natured man. But if he catches it, it won't seem enough. Somehow he lifted Miglinieks by the neck. Everyone - hee hee, ha ha, Igor is also smiling. And after a couple of seconds I see: he has nothing to breathe, he loses consciousness. I didn't calculate Tkachenko's strength."
“Somehow Tkachenko was played,” Sergei Tarakanov recalled in an interview with R-Sport. They tied strings to his mattress and watched a horror movie. This big kind man, lying on the bed, was watching a horror movie, and they began to pull on the ropes that were tied, and it seemed that something was moving there. There were such screams that the whole hotel gathered. But then he almost beat Myshkin and Eremin when he saw these ropes.
“During the US tour, each city has its own sponsor,” says Vladimir Gomelsky. - In one of the cities, the sponsor was a jeans factory. The players of the USSR national team were invited to the factory, measurements were taken and jeans were sewn right in front of them. Jeans were sewn for Volodya, and he goes up to the manager and explains: “Sew me some more, I'll buy it. And how much? And how much?" They made seven pairs of jeans for him. He is lucky, satisfied, and provided himself with pants for many years. We had a tradition: to keep jeans from wrinkling, we folded them in half, rolled them into a tube, and so they didn’t wrinkle. And here's customs. And he does not know how to lie, he is decent. And then a customs officer comes up to him, like this, up to the buckle of his pants: “Vladimir Petrovich, how many jeans are you carrying?” "Seven". She rubs her hands: “And you can only carry three. ” And confiscates four pairs from him. Smuggling, please. But then, two days later, they figured out that two people in the whole country wear this size. And who the hell are you selling them to? He was allowed to pay the fee. And they returned."
“We are in Spain,” Sergey Tarakanov laughs. - We play a friendly tournament with the Spanish team. And we live in a small hotel. We, as always, washed the uniform with our hands and hung it on the balcony. We go to training, get on the bus, and then it starts to rain. Vova is undermined: "Wait for me." And run to the hotel. And there is a glass door, and he booms with all his might into this glass door. All to pieces. He's on the floor. The owner is shocked. Panic on the bus: what kind of explosion?
Vova almost lost consciousness, but the first thing he asks is:
– Do you have to bang?!
The first thought is not that he got injured, he killed himself. God forbid they will make you pay for this door.”
The general idea is clear.
Tkachenko is a grandiose (in the literal sense) phenomenon: monstrous strength and formidable appearance, combined with good nature and almost timidity, gave rise to an undoubted comical effect. Thanks to this, he turned into a national hero, at least in the world of Soviet basketball, where these qualities were often exaggerated. He took four bottles of champagne in one palm, drank vodka from a bucket along with Belostenny, refused to hand over Papa Gomelsky to the KGB officers, used his toe as a TV remote control, controlled the Volga 24 from the back seat and at the same time in the snow used his hand instead of stolen wipers...
Meek giant
Strange as it may seem, the same contrast of size/good-naturedness is characteristic of his basketball career.
Perhaps it is difficult to remember any other Soviet basketball player who would have had such pronounced extraneous hobbies. Tkachenko brought music records from the tour (although he could have taken something more practical) and adored football to the point of self-denial.
“I love sympho-jazz and bought records only in this direction,” explains Vladimir Gomelsky. - Volodya knows better than me about music and bought records of various directions. He knows the musical culture of the 70s and 80s well, he has favorite bands, favorite performers, favorite things. In his "24th" "Volga" the most important part is the radio.
“The main thing with him is hurricane modesty,” emphasizes Vasily Avramenko. - On trips, he did not go anywhere in the city, he stayed in the room, watched TV. And then often one TV was issued for the whole team. Now the teams have hundreds of managers, assistants, administrators, but then Gomelsky and I solved all the issues together. And Gomelsky invariably repeated: "If there is one TV, then only Tkachenko." Tkachenko did not go outside, because he was immediately surrounded by crowds. Especially in Spain, they ran after him: "Mr. Tachenko, Mr. Tachenko." It is impossible to take a walk: you go into the store, not like buyers, sellers leave everything, run for autographs. And so he always caught sports on TV: basketball is not his first sport, the first sport is football. He will sell his homeland for football. "I'm not going to eat, Antonych, close the door, it's all football."
Tkachenko started with football. Until the eighth grade, he lived in Sochi and played at the gate. But then basketball broke into his life in an uncontrollable way.
“I didn't choose basketball. Basketball chose me,” he seemed to always apologize.
And it is no coincidence that in the book about centers, Alexander Gomelsky talks about how character interfered with excellent data.
“Volodya still loves to play football, and he stands out among his partners with a better understanding of the game, dribbling (despite his height and weight), sees the field well, has a good pass, and there is no need to talk about hitting. Moreover, in football, he seems to throw off an invisible burden of problems and worries and frolic like a boy. And in basketball, it seems to me sometimes, he carries a heavy burden, performs a difficult duty . ..
Once we had such a conversation with him. I asked Volodya if he had any negative qualities, weaknesses. Not everyone will give a sincere answer. Volodya literally opened his soul. On the one hand, his words surprised me, but on the other hand, I realized that I was right in looking for the reasons for uneven play not on the court, but outside it. Volodya answered this way: “I lack courage, perseverance, patience. Apparently, I have a weak character...”
In the minds of most people who have ever seen Tkachenko, this giant must have looked formidable. But in fact, he was (and is) a shy, embarrassed, even timid young man who wouldn’t hurt a fly. But it didn't turn out right away...
After all, when criticizing Tkachenko for the fact that, with all the obvious trump cards, he manages to lose the shield to even shorter opponents, one should not forget about his human features. It seemed that in the fight under the shields, the center should do everything to become as if even higher than he really is. And Volodya, on the contrary, shrinks - again, so as not to stand out. He loses by no means because of an incorrectly chosen position. And his legs are working properly. But he places them very narrowly, foot to foot, also afraid to take up more space than others. And he almost never raises his hand. And when the opponent rushes to the ring, Volodya simply does not have time to raise his hands, he is late. This is such a purely psychological nuance.
But the data still prevailed: 220 centimeters, 140 kilograms, mobility, soft hand.
“At the end of the 70s, Tkachenko was the most physically gifted man in basketball, in my opinion,” Sergei Tarakanov notes. - I saw him as a boy. He already played in the national team, they made fun of him, but it was clear: a man with a height of 220, rather dry, athletic, running, jumping, there were very few of them in the world. Despite his size, he has an excellent shot, he often beat snipers in training, he easily handled the ball. At 79In the 1990s, he was recognized as the best player of the European Championship - he absolutely dominated, in that basketball his athleticism and size are priceless: the main thing was to deliver the ball to him, no one could hold him back. His coaches didn’t develop it technically yet, they said: in defense, stand in the center, insure everyone. Vova could have played differently, his data was not fully implemented.
Then he was one of the best in the team at the World Cup-78 in Manila. The outcome of the final game was a foregone conclusion when Radovanovic hung on the center's hand at the start of overtime, but that was the one who was given the fifth foul.
In 1979 he was recognized as the best player in Europe after the victory of the Union at the EuroBasket in Italy.
And still one of the best at the 82 World Championships in Colombia.
“Being a good-natured man in life, he played like a fighter on the playground: the way the southerners beat him in the kidneys and balls, they never beat anyone like that,” notes Vladimir Gomelsky. - He understood that they were trying to provoke him into removal. And he clenched his teeth and scored his own with them. And there was no victory more pleasant than to beat the Yugoslav national team. His biggest success is the World Cup-1982, when the final siren sounded, he hit the ball so hard on the floor that it bounced up to the ceiling. Volodya made a huge contribution then.
The Yugis were very afraid of him. There was a period when all positions in basketball were occupied by Yugoslavs. And the USSR national team after the victory in Munich was frankly judged. The biggest disaster is the 1978 World Cup in Manila. Then Volodya was given a foul when drawing a controversial one. The mind is incomprehensible. Vovka left in tears. Two people were crying: he and Gena Khazanov were on the bench.
I also remember the Gagarin Memorial of 1978. He played around. In the final, two teams met without defeat: the US team - the USSR team. The tournament was held in Vilnius. And then they sent a team with Magic, Darnell Valentine and Marvin "Bad News" Barnes. They did not have a nominal center, and Barnes then held Volodya: wow, what did he do with him, he was so tuned in. Volodya has a good half-hook from the right, but he scored his first three goals from above. An American from above is like a spit in the face. Dunk in er face".
Confrontation (and friendship) with Sabonis
Until 1982, Tkachenko played for Stroitel Kyiv and with all his might refused to move to the main team of the country.
How this happened is not entirely clear. But, obviously, the center had some problems that could only be solved in CSKA.
“Belostenny and Tkachenko from Kiev cannot be called drunkards,” Vladimir Gomelsky wrote in his book Papa. - These guys could drink, take a walk, buzz, but when the real work began - no, they never abused alcohol. Just having arrived in Kyiv after the victory and feeling the uncontrollability of the situation, Sasha Belostenny right at the restaurant "Rus", where they were walking, put Volodya Tkachenko in his "twenty-fourth" "Volga", drove down from the restaurant towards Khreshchatyk and had an accident. And since the driver was in a state of intoxication, a criminal case was initiated against him. A criminal case is an automatic recognizance. That is, the team loses the main center. Father couldn't let that happen. Of course, he did not justify Belostenny, who got behind the wheel drunk. But in order to return the player to the team, dad had to go all the way through the authorities to the first secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine Shcherbitsky.
“The team didn't have a decent center, while Zalgiris was already flourishing,” says CSKA head coach Yuri Selikhov. - I explained to the management: "If I have a center, then we will fight." Sabonis was already 19 at that time. And then I did my best to transport Tkachenko. A case helped us: he had problems at customs. He was stopped with currency and closed the exit. I sent an assistant there: invent whatever you want. Tkachenko was hidden from us for a long time: he did not spend the night at home. Then we explained to his mother that if he moves to CSKA, then CSKA will be able to make him travel, through the army, that he will play and earn money there. And she went to the Ukrainian leaders and got Tkachenko released. He himself did not understand what he wanted. That's how it happened that Volodya ended up in CSKA.
In CSKA, Tkachenko was drawn into the confrontation between the army team and the Lithuanian Zalgiris. The first few years (in the 83rd and 84th) he was able to restrain the gradually revealed Sabonis, although not alone.
“I was almost forced back into the men's team in 1982,” says Yury Selikhov. - Refused three times. Unsuccessfully. Then Kaunas were the first in the regular season, and we lost both times in head-to-head meetings. When we lost the first match of the final series at home, winning twice on the road seemed unrealistic, something outrageous. But, having received a center, able to “butt” with Sabonis and score from under the basket, I decided to bet on two “big” ones at once - Tkachenko and Ponkrashkin. We have never used this option before. This came as a complete surprise to Zalgiris.
It should be added that before the match they decided to remove me from all posts, official papers were prepared. However, we managed to win. Met us with the orchestra.
Sabonis is more diverse, but three meters from the ring he couldn't compete with Tkachenko. Volodya is a phenomenon, if you give him the ball, he just stuffs everything under the ring. He has a good shot. For some reason, I especially remember the series with Limoges in the Champions Cup. We then needed to win. We were warned that the judges would not let us do anything. And so it happened. As a result, we had to throw the ball in - we throw it to him, he catches at the top, they foul him hard, hit him, grab his hands. He fell along with his rivals. Once again, everyone saw: Tkachenko is a soft person, but a fighter in the game.
The struggle between Tkachenko and Sabonis turned out to be the symbol of the entire confrontation between CSKA and Zalgiris.
“It's not their confrontation with Sabas,” insists Vladimir Gomelsky. - And this is not even a confrontation between clubs, this is a confrontation between Moscow and Lithuania. It had political overtones. When Sabonis showed up, they believed they could beat CSKA. They also lost the first two finals. And not only Kaunas, but the whole republic was rooting for them. Their motivation was higher than ours. It was a spectacle, the most interesting basketball ever.
But they are friends with Sabonis. They wrestled, shoved, fouled, but then left together. They are still friends. Sabonis sends clothes to Tkachenko, although he is not specially ordered, he himself understands everything. Nobody talks about it, but it's true.
In 2008, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Olympic victory and invited everyone involved to the estate of Sharas Marciulionis. Sabas lives in Kaunas, he came to Vilnius on a tricycle. But Fabric loves any such technique: “Let me ride.” They rode together - more people gathered than for a basketball game. And then they gave a lap of honor along the main square of Vilnius ... Well, they drank, as expected.
Injuries and the specter of the Olympics
In fact, Tkachenko's career ended in 1986, when he was only thirty years old. And the most painful issue of the “legacy” was the lack of Olympic gold, which always dawned somewhere nearby, but he never got it.
At the age of 19, he was included in the national team for the 1976 Olympics. Then Kondrashin's team unexpectedly lost in the semifinals to Yugoslavia Chosic.
Before the tournament in Moscow, he unsuccessfully broke the glass of the house and badly damaged his throwing arm. “I cut my hand so much that the doctors suffered for a long time before they managed to save it,” writes Alexander Gomelsky. “But three fingers have completely lost sensation. As a matter of urgency, we began to practice dribbling and shooting, especially the left-handed shot.” After that Olympics, Tkachenko got it: the moment when he could not carry the ball from under the ring at the end of the game with Italy was too memorable.
The Soviet delegation ignored the Olympics-84. Although Gomelsky convinced everyone that he was ready to torpedo American basketball right in Los Angeles with the help of the Sabonis-Tkachenko tandem, which he planned to release together.
Tkachenko didn't make it to the 1988 Olympics. In the 86th, his back finally flew due to a herniated intervertebral disc.
“Tkachenko's drama was that he, as a professional athlete, could never refuse,” concludes Vladimir Gomelsky. - His back hurt, but he could not help but go out: he asked for injections and went to the site.
The fact that Volodya did not become an Olympic champion in 1988 is the biggest injustice. By that time, he could no longer straighten up. If he had treated himself more carefully, if various exploitative coaches had not fallen in his way, it could have turned out differently: big guys with such data play up to 40 years. Tkachenko not only deserved this gold medal, he suffered it.”
“I remember that they took him almost on a stretcher from a tour in Spain,” recalls Sergey Tarakanov. “His health was failing him all the time. This is natural, an extraordinary person with such overloads. He had no benefits - he ran and jumped on an equal footing with everyone.
However, ultra-high centers require special treatment. Loads had to be varied, treated more carefully. Now everyone plays much longer. We didn't have all of that. There was a streaming method. Plus, he didn't always know what to do. There was no understanding of how to prepare the body - it seemed that we were young, healthy in bulk.
When muscle mass increased, weight appeared, less flexibility, it left its mark. There were more injuries - now the arm, then the back. Plus, that story with customs, he was not in the 83rd ... When Sabas appeared, the role of Tkachenko decreased. This is his personal misfortune: a more talented competitor appeared in his position in the national team, who was both younger and healthier at that time, Tkachenko, given his kindly friend, resigned himself to this role.
“When he suffered from osteomyelitis, which is unbearable pain, he had to go to the playground,” said Nelya Tkachenko. - Then Volodya confessed to me that before the game he was stabbed with morphine. In Kyiv, at the airport, he vomited from an overdose. He also played with an open duodenal ulcer. At the commercial tournament, he held on for 40 minutes, clenching his teeth: the spinal disc flew out. Paresis of the sciatic nerve began, the husband lay on the floor and screamed in pain. Nobody had anything to do with it before. I went to the famous chiropractor Dr. Kasyan - it did not help. Valentin Dikul put Volodya on his feet "...
Naturally, even on this subject there is an anecdote.
“Another amusing incident happened to Tkachenko at the airport, when we flew together from Spain to Moscow to operate on his bad back,” says Vasily Avramenko. - Petrovich's pains at that time were tormented by terrible ones. He could neither sit nor stand. Therefore, they decided to transport it in the luggage compartment. However, that's not the whole point. While we were waiting for the flight, Tkachenko, the obligatory soul, remembered that he had promised his friend the butcher to bring a video deuce from abroad. I say: "Okay, now I'll go myself, I'll pick it up." But he flatly refused: "I have to look at the goods myself, I have no right to let my friend down." It was easy to understand him. A familiar butcher at that time in Moscow was quoted almost like a general secretary. It was undesirable to spoil relations with such a person. So we had to look for a video equipment store together. And although he was only 70 meters away, Tkachenko, who could barely move his legs, had to spend an hour and a half to cover this distance. Let's go a little bit, fall on a bench - rest. Finally, when the goal was reached, Petrovich in a wet white shirt - in Madrid there was a terrible heat - only managed to say: “Video, fell-secam!” Then he collapsed to the floor at the feet of the stunned salesman. He clearly did not expect to see Tkachenko lying in front of him.
Cult in Spain
Tkachenko is a cult figure in Spain.
After the victory in Seoul, the great generation dispersed all over the world. Despite health problems, Tkachenko also went abroad. He accepted an invitation from Guadalajara, a Spanish second division club.
Career in Spain turned out to be fleeting. For six months, Guadalajara was in first place, and Tkachenko averaged 15.7 points, 8 rebounds and a block. Then the center was let down first by his knees, and then by his back - the club rolled back to the middle of the table, Tkachenko went home for treatment.
Close acquaintance had no effect on the myth about Vladimir Tkachenko that had developed in Spain by the end of the 80s. There he was always more popular than in the Soviet Union: the locals did not let him pass, parody videos dedicated to him appeared on television, a musical group called Tachenko arose, and in general his surname became a household name, as in Spain it is customary to call high.
“Basketball became a regular TV show in Spain in the early 80s, when the generation of Josep Margall, Juan Corbalan, San Epifanio, Fernando Martin and others appeared,” explains Spanish journalist David De La Vega. - It must be remembered that until the 75th Spain was closed, and we were happy to learn information about others. We didn't know much about Russia then, and I don't mean exclusively politics, it was all about sports too. In the mid-80s, I was still a child and I remember that the USSR remained for us something colossal and, at the same time, unknown. And it seems to me that Tkachenko was the personification of the Soviet superpower, from which we were so far away. We heard a lot about the Cold War, but had no idea what it meant.
In Spain we have a habit of associating certain names with everyday occurrences and we often use the names of athletes in everyday life. Then (and even today) one could hear how a tall man was called Tkachenko. If you see a friend on a bike, you say to him: “Come on, Miguel” (from Miguel Indurain). If a friend rides a motorcycle, you call him Sito Pons. Bald people are still called Pantani. That is why tall people in Spain are called Tkachenko. And so even those who have no idea about basketball know him. He is a mythological figure from our childhood.
Of course, it is unfair to think of him only as a very high player. Tkachenko was an excellent basketball player, he even attacked well from medium and long distances, we saw this from him in Spain, when he came to finish playing for Guadalajara in the second division. He was already old, his knees were dead, he had not adapted to the hellish parquet of Guadalajara, but you know what? People filled the halls to see him. to applaud him. Spanish fans could not fail to note his human qualities. He was loved, and he responded to this love. In a sense, Tkachenko and Spain were destined to meet at some point.
We respect him very much. In Spain, this is a figure that goes beyond sports.”
The Spaniards seemed to be fascinated by the same obvious contrast: the appearance of the villain from the James Bond films and the kindness that needed no translation. Children came to stare at the mountain man who came every year to the Christmas tournaments. The adults didn't even need to explain that the elbow strike on the head of Panagiotis Giannakis was inflicted by accident.
Tkachenko was the embodiment of the USSR, something grandiose and incomprehensible. And for the Spaniards, it looked symbolic that the end of his career coincided with the collapse of the country.
After
For Russia, Tkachenko was the epitome of ruthless Soviet sports. It so happened that his partners in CSKA and the national team were just beginning their life in basketball, and he was forced to say goodbye to the game at 34. And then, when the rest got acquainted with the capitalist economy of the NBA and Europe, the center had to look for himself in the unfriendly world of difficult 90 -X.
“Unfortunately, over the years in basketball, I did not manage to earn at least a small fortune for myself,” Tkachenko told the “Championship”. - So that the soul does not hurt about, for example, what to study for the son .
It is very difficult for a player to improve on their own, because bad habits are difficult to break. It’s the same reason that golfers will watch videos of their swing; it helps them see what they are doing wrong and improve it. That is why those striving to improve their shot percentage on the basketball court frequently enlist the help of a coach or a basketball training program.
Harris has been blessed with size and strength well beyond those in his age group. However, you can tell that he has put a ton of work into his game and doesn’t solely rely on just being big. He competed a division up with the class of 2027 & 2026 and he was the most unstoppable player in the group. He plays with poise and a good understanding of where his advantage is against his defender. The highest compliment to Harris is “He plays the game the right way.” He understands how to toe the line between dominating and keeping his teammates involved. He has great feet, good post presence, good handle, the ability to rebound and push, good outlet passes, and will burn you from the perimeter with jump shots if you don’t respect him. 
He also has a smooth effortless mid-range jumper that allows him to be a solid threat on the floor no matter what position he is playing. He is crafty at the rim and has potential to be a high level scorer. Kirkpatrick is a solid defender who covers a lot of ground laterally with his feet and wingspan. He can also block shots with good technique and exceptional timing when he jumps. Kirkpatrick is a good teammate who looks to keep everyone involved and engaged and is looked at as a leader.
He is always a threat to get a steal rather as an on-ball defender or from help side position. Martin is also smart and has an above average IQ for his age and plays with joy & passion every time he takes the floor. 
easy does it. His game is not over complicated. He is fundamentally sound in all phases of the game. He isn’t going to blow you away with his skill set but he will more than impress you with his decision making and consistency. Western is quiet but has a confidence about him. Whatever the defense gives him he takes it. He can finish layups with either hand, in the open court or under duress. Western is an above average shooter for his age, with a good understanding of how to get his shot off. He is always in the right spot defensively. He competes in every drill and every play. 
Offensively he attacks the rim has a nasty layup package an equally nasty spin move and a solid jump shot to go with it. He has the making of a 3-level scorer who can take and make tough interior and mid-range shots. He also rebounds exceptionally well for his position. Hayes has a never back down attitude. He is the type of player every coach wants.
Jack also showed flashes of being a great rebounder at his position. 
He isn’t afraid to initiate contact. He will take the right open jump shots, so he is a consistent threat on the offensive end. He hustles every play every possession. He has good defensive awareness and ball hawking mentality. 
He is very active around the rim on both sides of the ball. He is the type of player you do not have to run plays for, and he would still be a walking double double. Thomas makes a living as a rim runner. He provides a good target and looks to score off limited dribbles. He rebounds well on both ends. He registered some big blocks as a primary defender and as a help side defender. He showed flashes of being a break starter pushing off defensive rebounds. -Step-5.jpg/aid43486-v4-728px-Play-21-(Basketball)-Step-5.jpg)
Willis isn’t afraid of contact and finishes around the rim strong. He shoots sparingly but he jump shot looks good. Willis is a good on ball defender, but he is most effective help side jumping passing lanes to get out in transition. 
Walton has good hands. He can get to his spots with ease. Walton showed flashes of being a pure scorer that can score from all 3-levels and with a fair amount of range. 
He showed that he can be a reliable scoring option with the ball in hands and without it with good cuts and proper floor spacing. 
He plays the game the right way for his skill set. He is a 3-point specialist with good range. He doesn’t over dribble and makes early passes to keep the ball moving. He will occasionally put the ball on the floor and go to the basket with some crafty inside the paint finishes. Jreisat is a solid man to man defender. 
Many years have passed since then, but basketball remains one of the most popular sports in physical education classes. The rules and refereeing have become a little easier, but for the students and schools it has only benefited. 
In total, there are three options for accruing when the ball hits the basket: 
Most often, the rules remain unchanged: the ban on physical contact, match on points, hitting the ball in touch, the rule of the "middle" line. 
When closely guarded by the opponent (less than 1 meter), the athlete does not pass or throw for 5 seconds. This is a violation and is punishable by an out and passing the ball to the other team. 
Otherwise, the ball will go to the other team. 
You can not pick it up and walk around the field. You need to lead it rhythmically, hitting the floor every time you take a step. Otherwise, the player is credited with a "run", and the team passes the ball to their opponents. You cannot dribble the ball with both hands at the same time or purposely kick it with your foot. This is also considered a violation. 
These players usually don't have any obvious strengths, but they need to be fast enough to cover the distance from their own ring to someone else's. The shooting guard has one of the most important roles in scoring goals. 
Usually in this area of the site the most intense struggle takes place, in which the power forward must pick up the ball and throw it into the basket. The number four has recently started to play as an attacking player, before that he played the role of rebounding the ball in defense under his ring. 
Therefore, the roles are often mixed up, supplemented, and the coaches themselves say: the main thing is not your role in the team, but how much you benefit it. 
One of the most physically gifted players of the 80s, together with his friend Arvydas Sabonis, became a symbol of the main confrontation of the era, was one of the most prominent participants in the victorious World and European Championships and lost Olympics, was immortalized in dozens of funny cases remembered by his teammates and friends. 
And then he got somewhere in the wrong place, and we won one of the easiest victories. In general, we didn’t win so often on the road, but here everything turned out simply - they were simply afraid to approach him, and he dominated under the basket. 
- Tired of the claims of the customs officer about the next disk and protesting against the prospect of its seizure, Tkanya, hanging with his 220 cm over the poor woman, roared like from a barrel: "Fool, this is Smokey!" 
.. Oh, and then Tkachenko got the poor device. Not hidden, but the one that lay next to him. Petrovich did not understand that he was being played, and smashed the unfortunate remote control against the wall to smithereens. 
There were such screams that the whole hotel gathered. But then he almost beat Myshkin and Eremin when he saw these ropes. 
” And confiscates four pairs from him. Smuggling, please. But then, two days later, they figured out that two people in the whole country wear this size. And who the hell are you selling them to? He was allowed to pay the fee. And they returned." 
And so he always caught sports on TV: basketball is not his first sport, the first sport is football. He will sell his homeland for football. "I'm not going to eat, Antonych, close the door, it's all football." 
.. 
And Volodya, on the contrary, shrinks - again, so as not to stand out. He loses by no means because of an incorrectly chosen position. And his legs are working properly. But he places them very narrowly, foot to foot, also afraid to take up more space than others. And he almost never raises his hand. And when the opponent rushes to the ring, Volodya simply does not have time to raise his hands, he is late. This is such a purely psychological nuance. 
Despite his size, he has an excellent shot, he often beat snipers in training, he easily handled the ball. At 79In the 1990s, he was recognized as the best player of the European Championship - he absolutely dominated, in that basketball his athleticism and size are priceless: the main thing was to deliver the ball to him, no one could hold him back. His coaches didn’t develop it technically yet, they said: in defense, stand in the center, insure everyone. Vova could have played differently, his data was not fully implemented. 
- He understood that they were trying to provoke him into removal. And he clenched his teeth and scored his own with them. And there was no victory more pleasant than to beat the Yugoslav national team. His biggest success is the World Cup-1982, when the final siren sounded, he hit the ball so hard on the floor that it bounced up to the ceiling. Volodya made a huge contribution then. 
And then they sent a team with Magic, Darnell Valentine and Marvin "Bad News" Barnes. They did not have a nominal center, and Barnes then held Volodya: wow, what did he do with him, he was so tuned in. Volodya has a good half-hook from the right, but he scored his first three goals from above. An American from above is like a spit in the face. Dunk in er face". 
Just having arrived in Kyiv after the victory and feeling the uncontrollability of the situation, Sasha Belostenny right at the restaurant "Rus", where they were walking, put Volodya Tkachenko in his "twenty-fourth" "Volga", drove down from the restaurant towards Khreshchatyk and had an accident. And since the driver was in a state of intoxication, a criminal case was initiated against him. A criminal case is an automatic recognizance. That is, the team loses the main center. Father couldn't let that happen. Of course, he did not justify Belostenny, who got behind the wheel drunk. But in order to return the player to the team, dad had to go all the way through the authorities to the first secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine Shcherbitsky. 
A case helped us: he had problems at customs. He was stopped with currency and closed the exit. I sent an assistant there: invent whatever you want. Tkachenko was hidden from us for a long time: he did not spend the night at home. Then we explained to his mother that if he moves to CSKA, then CSKA will be able to make him travel, through the army, that he will play and earn money there. And she went to the Ukrainian leaders and got Tkachenko released. He himself did not understand what he wanted. That's how it happened that Volodya ended up in CSKA. 
When we lost the first match of the final series at home, winning twice on the road seemed unrealistic, something outrageous. But, having received a center, able to “butt” with Sabonis and score from under the basket, I decided to bet on two “big” ones at once - Tkachenko and Ponkrashkin. We have never used this option before. This came as a complete surprise to Zalgiris. 
He fell along with his rivals. Once again, everyone saw: Tkachenko is a soft person, but a fighter in the game. 
They are still friends. Sabonis sends clothes to Tkachenko, although he is not specially ordered, he himself understands everything. Nobody talks about it, but it's true. 
- His back hurt, but he could not help but go out: he asked for injections and went to the site. 
There was no understanding of how to prepare the body - it seemed that we were young, healthy in bulk. 
Nobody had anything to do with it before. I went to the famous chiropractor Dr. Kasyan - it did not help. Valentin Dikul put Volodya on his feet "... 
It was undesirable to spoil relations with such a person. So we had to look for a video equipment store together. And although he was only 70 meters away, Tkachenko, who could barely move his legs, had to spend an hour and a half to cover this distance. Let's go a little bit, fall on a bench - rest. Finally, when the goal was reached, Petrovich in a wet white shirt - in Madrid there was a terrible heat - only managed to say: “Video, fell-secam!” Then he collapsed to the floor at the feet of the stunned salesman. He clearly did not expect to see Tkachenko lying in front of him. 
Then the center was let down first by his knees, and then by his back - the club rolled back to the middle of the table, Tkachenko went home for treatment. 
We didn't know much about Russia then, and I don't mean exclusively politics, it was all about sports too. In the mid-80s, I was still a child and I remember that the USSR remained for us something colossal and, at the same time, unknown. And it seems to me that Tkachenko was the personification of the Soviet superpower, from which we were so far away. We heard a lot about the Cold War, but had no idea what it meant. 
Tkachenko was an excellent basketball player, he even attacked well from medium and long distances, we saw this from him in Spain, when he came to finish playing for Guadalajara in the second division. He was already old, his knees were dead, he had not adapted to the hellish parquet of Guadalajara, but you know what? People filled the halls to see him. to applaud him. Spanish fans could not fail to note his human qualities. He was loved, and he responded to this love. In a sense, Tkachenko and Spain were destined to meet at some point. 
