How to protect the basketball when dribbling

Ultimate Hoops - Tips to improve your basketball dribbling

downloadable .pdf

Dribbling is a key skill to master in the game of basketball. The better you can dribble the more opportunities you have for you and your teammates to score. A great goal to have is to be able to dribble the ball with either hand without looking down at the ball. Keeping your head up gives you the ability to see where your teammates are on the court and look at what the defense is doing.

Step 1: Dribbling Basics

A. Low stance

Spread your feet should-width apart. Bend your knee, drop your hips back and get in a low stance. Make sure your body is balanced giving you the opportunity to move quickly or change directions. Avoid bending at your waist.

B. Bounce the ball

Start with your dominant hand first and pound the ball into the ground, extending your arm and snapping your wrists to send the ball to the ground. Each time the ball returns to your hand, don’t catch it, push back towards the ground. Placement of your bounce should be in front of your body slightly to the side of the foot that is on the same side of your body as the hand you are using. You want your dribble to be quick, steady, and controlled.

C. Use your fingertips, not your palm

When you dribble it’s important to have good ball control. Using your fingertips gives you more control over the ball and the more control you have the less strength needed to keep it bouncing. Using your fingertips also allows you bounce the ball faster. Spread your fingers out across the surface of the ball for a wider, more even contact area. Try to keep the palm of your hand directly over the ball so it bounces up into your fingertips.

D. Ball height low

Do not bounce the ball too high, keeping your dribble low will improve your control but also makes it harder for the defense to steal it.

E: Protect the ball

Keep the ball safe by using your body and your non-dribbling arm to keep the ball shielded from defenders. Keep your body between your defender and the ball, never dribble the ball on the same side of your body as the defender is on.

F. Dribbling equally well with both dominate and non-dominate hands

A basketball player needs to develop dribble equally well with both hands. This increases their opportunities on offense and makes it harder for the defense to stop.

Step 2: Next Steps

A. Keep your head up

This is important skill in basketball, you need to be able to look at the defense and also see where your teammates are on the court. Practice dribbling without looking at the ball.

B. Know the rules

Know what you can/can’t do with the basketball while you are dribbling.

Traveling: Moving the ball without dribbling

• Taking an extra step or shuffling your feet

• Holding on to the ball while you walk or run

• Moving or changing your pivot foot when stationary

Double Dribble: Two separate meanings

• Dribbling with both hands at the same time

• Dribbling, stopping your dribble, and then starting to dribble again

Carrying: Catching the ball with one hand and then continuing to dribble (without stopping the dribbling motion). Your hand makes contact with the bottom of the ball, then turns the ball over while dribbling.

C. Court awareness

Know where you are going to go and who is around you. The way you dribble the ball should change based on where other people on the court are. If you are in an open court (dribbling the ball down the floor with no defenders) you can dribble the ball in front of you. If a defender is close, you will want to protect the ball and dribble it to the side of your body so the defender cannot steal it. Good court awareness is also important to avoid dribbling into trouble. Look out for dribbling into double teams (two defenders), or into your own teammates.

D. Think ahead

Know what you are going to do with the basketball before you pick up your dribble. If you stop dribbling your options are to shoot or pass the ball. Remember once you stop dribbling you cannot start dribbling again.

E. Dribble with purpose

Reasons to dribble

• To advance the ball up the court

• To open up a passing lane, increased chance of pass completion and to help a teammate get open

• To drive to the basket

• To get open to shoot

• To get out of trouble (defensive trap)

• To run out the clock at the end of a game

Step 3: Advanced Moves

Here are a few moves to practice to give you separation from your opponent on the basketball court. We will break these down in future tutorials.

• Crossover

• Behind the back

• Through the legs

• Hesitation dribble

• In-and-out dribble

• Spin move

Trainer Tips

• Start with stationary drills and work your way up drills that include movement around the court

• Improve the strength in your hands, squeeze a stress ball or tennis ball to give you greater control while dribbling

• Dribble with two basketballs

• Setup a dribbling obstacle course using cones or props from your garage

• Practice both hands

• Practice dribbling with a tennis ball

• Implement only the moves you have mastered into a game

• Have a friend or parent guard you when practicing

• Don’t worry if you mess up, get out of your comfort zone by pushing hard to try new things

• Check out more tips from Ultimate Hoops Trainers here.

Share your workout on social with hashtag #KeepPlaying

Learn to Keep the Ball Secure with the Dribble Tunnel Basketball Drill

Skip to content

Use this drill to help improve your ability to advance the ball up the court before your next game.

Strong ball handling and ball security on the court puts you in possession of the ball for as long as possible, which means more opportunity to score. To work on those techniques, try the Dribble Tunnel basketball drill.

Basketball camp director and college coach Donnie Arey says that he personally uses this drill to evaluate his players and see if they have the ability to be great ball handlers in a game situation.

To begin, place three cones on the sideline and space them about 4-5 feet apart. Place three more cones on the volleyball line (the closest parallel line from the sideline) and align them with the ones on the sideline. This will be your “tunnel.”

When you’re ready to begin the drill, start at one of the end cones and dribble to the next cone on the opposite line. Once you reach that point, perform a crossover and head toward the cone closest to you diagonally. You’ll basically be attacking the cones in a zig-zag pattern. Get as close as you can to each line without crossing.

At the beginner’s level of the Dribble Tunnel, all you have to do is perform a basic crossover when you reach each cone. Try to create a rhythm by keeping a steady pace as you move diagonally from cone to cone.

To make this drill a bit more challenging, try performing a between-the-legs or behind-the-back crossover at each cone. Try to work on your exchanges so that they’re quick and fluid.

The advanced-level Dribble Tunnel will have you performing three separate moves at each cone: spins, pivots and retreats. During your first go, use all the space you have when you’re performing a spin.

When you perform a pivot, keep the ball tight against your body as you pivot back and forth at each cone. You don’t want a defender stripping the ball from behind during a game.

To start performing retreats, head to the first cone, hit the brakes and bounce back. Make sure these are quick stops and bounces; you’ll lose momentum if you take your time.

“Match the Move,” another advanced-level Drill Tunnel, requires multiple players. It’s just like follow the leader. The starting player will perform a crossover and the player behind them has to follow suit. The faster you’re able to mimic the move, the better.

This drill is great because it replicates the short space you’ll have between you and a defender. If you’re able to keep control of the ball and pick up speed as you move, you’ll be better equipped to get around your opponent and set up a scoring play with ease.

Related Articles

Basic Basketball Dribbling Rules: Brief and Clear

In modern basketball, dribbling and dribbling are the basic principles of moving around the field. The player cannot take the ball in his hands and run to the ring. This will be considered a violation. And what other nuances of dribbling and dribbling exist? It turns out that you can’t put your other hand forward and take more than two steps with the ball. But it was not always so.

In the early to mid-20th century, basketball was more like rugby with hanging hoops. Players often pushed, abused mass and strength, played for time. At 19In 1954, the rules were updated, and the game became much stricter about various physical contacts. Now the players had to learn to dribble and not to fight with the opponent. Basketball has become more beautiful and spectacular.

Definitions

Dribbling is the way a basketball player moves around the court. Only with the help of this technique is it possible for the player to move independently. Otherwise, dribbling can be called dribbling. But this definition is more often used when it comes to beating opponents, outplaying them in a one-on-one fight. Now good dribbling has become an integral part of any basketball game.

Despite the high demands placed on players by coaches, almost no one succeeds in turning the ball into their forte. The fact is that basketball is a very fast game in which a big bet is placed on team play. If a player thinks that he will be able to pass 5 opponents using dribbling, then in just a few seconds he will be disappointed. In the NBA, goals in which only one athlete took part are a rarity.

Dribbling technique

To get out of pressure you need to learn good dribbling technique. It is worth saying that there are several ways of dribbling:

• One hand. The most common way. There is a ball chasing on the ground with one hand, and the second can control the balance of the body. This is the most energy-saving and quiet way to drive.
• Two hands alternately. Also a common technique. It should be mastered by all those who want to increase their level of play to professional players. By changing two hands, you can confuse the enemy, as well as find a more profitable option for an attack.
• Translations. These are hard hits on the floor that lift the ball up to shoulder level with the dribbler. In this way, you can swing the enemy and pass into the open space.
• Crossover. The essence of this technique is to chasing the ball between the legs. One blow in front of you, and the second - already behind your back. This helps protect the ball from the opponent and does not give him the initiative in the fight.
• Behind the back. This method is rarely used in the real game. Most often it is used to warm up or tease an opponent.

There is approximately one technique for all these methods. Basketball players learn the rules of dribbling for a reason. This is necessary in order to better control the ball and not get injured during an incorrect reception. There are the following rules and tips for dribbling:

• The ball must bounce off the field and bounce off the fingers. No need to grab it with a full palm or try to hit the floor as hard as possible. The main thing is that a little effort is spent on dribbling, and the player’s hands do not get tired.
• Get close to the ground and dribble the ball without letting it go too far. In this position, the opponent will have less time to snatch the ball. It is better to change the style of dribbling, sometimes rising to his full height, and sometimes crouching to the ground.
• Need to unlearn looking at the ball while dribbling. It is advisable to dribble the ball without looking at all. In this way, it will be possible to follow the movements of the opponent, concentrating on the situation in the match.
• It is worth learning how to cover the ball with the body, preventing a player from the enemy team from reaching it. This is quite difficult to achieve, as blind dribbling means that the athlete will blindly control the ball without hitting it against other parts of the body.
• Take into account the angle of the ball rebound is also worth with active dribbling. If you stand and mint at an angle of 90 degrees, then there will be no progress. If the angle is too large, then the ball may not be in time, and if it is too small, then the progress will be too slow. Dribbling is very important to professional basketball players as it is the second most important aspect of moving around the field (passing is the first).

Double dribble

This is the term used to describe a violation when a player starts dribbling again after picking up the ball. This is prohibited by the rules. If an athlete receives the ball from a partner, then he can take the ball with both hands and start dribbling, but only once. Let's say the player stopped dribbling. He takes the ball in his hands and begins to look around the court. Now he has only two options:

1. Pass to a teammate.
2. Throw into the ring.

All this can be done after two steps with the ball. It will not count as a run. It is worth saying that jumping with the ball in this situation is prohibited. In case of violation of the rules, the player will be declared out of bounds, and possession will be transferred to the other team.

Common Mistakes

Leading is a difficult technique that takes a lot of time and effort to master. But to increase the value for the team, you can study the most common mistakes:

• Individualist. If you get carried away with dribbling, it will be difficult to achieve a result. Basketball is a team game where passing is more important than dribbling. You need to look at partners more often and see good moments: both for driving and for assists.
• Flirting. Of course, all professional players have excellent ball possession, so they can afford some tricks and tricks right next to the opponent. Ordinary players will not benefit from such “tricks”. It is better to always control the ball, because underestimating the opponent is the main mistake of basketball.
• Pushing the opponent away. When dribbling, don't pay too much attention to the opposing team. If a player starts to make close contact, then there is a high probability of earning a foul or losing the ball. It is better to go around the opponent or look for an opportunity to pass.
• Do not exercise. Some players think that possession will develop during the game, but this is a strong misconception. Like any other technique, dribbling requires attention and diligence. You need to devote a lot of time to this in order to progress and feel more comfortable during the match.
• Prefer dribbling over throwing. Let's say the player is near the paint line, but decides to get close to the ring and dunk. This decision may result in a loss of the ball or a foul in the 3-second zone. If there is an opportunity to shoot from close range, then it is always worth doing it, and not switching to dribbling.

Practice Drills

To learn how to dribble well, you need to practice more. The following exercises will help with this:0003

• Hold the ball in your hand, drop it down in a smooth motion and hit the ground. Only one hand works. This will help develop wrist strength.
• One player picks up the ball, and the second grabs it in a way that suits him. Now task number two is to try to get the projectile out. The first player must tense all the muscles to prevent the ball from popping out. Develops strong hands.
• Long dribbling. Everything is clear here. You need to go into dribbling and mint the ball for 3, 5, 10 minutes. After the noticeable wobble disappears, and the athlete has a better feel for the car, control over the ball will begin to feel better.
• Dribbling the ball between the legs with a crossover will also help you better feel the speed and angle of the ball. This exercise can improve not only control, but also dribbling skills close to the opponent.
• Alternately dribbling the ball first with one hand and then with the other will also help you feel the game better. A player who knows how to control with both hands will always feel confident on the court.

Important nuances in the game

Keep in mind that successful dribbling requires strong and powerful hands. Basketball players practice a lot off the court as well. It is advisable to visit the gym, where you can increase the grip strength and leg power. High jumps and strong arms are the hallmarks of any professional basketball player. It is also worth developing endurance, because dribble is the same run, but with increased concentration.

A strong corps will help in clashes with even the biggest opponents. Of course, now players with good stamina and fast running are more valued, but this does not mean that opponents will always be slower or weaker than the team.

5 Basketball Exercises to Move the Ball with Passes

There is nothing better than watching a team move the ball quickly and efficiently around the court without greed.

Overcoming the defense with smart passing the ball to each other, creating situations for open shots and passes is one of the great offensive techniques.

Would you like your team to be able to do this?

Basketball passing exercises in this article will help you with this.

But first let me explain something very important...

There are two types of training exercises:

1. Technique for passing the ball.

2. Decision making during transfers.

Unfortunately, most coaches only focus on the "technical" aspect of training and forget how to train their team's decision-making ability when it comes to sharing the ball.

Your players will not improve their game passes by doing thousands of repetitions of chest passes.

While technical drills have their place, they are far less important than passing drills with decision making.

We must let the players learn how to read the defense and make the right decisions.

In addition, ball passing exercises are great for starting a workout to warm up your team and get them to communicate and work together.

5 ball passing exercises.

1. Advance

How the exercise works:

Players form 3 columns evenly distributed along the end line. The two outside players start with the balls.

3 players advance across the court passing the ball back and forth to the middle player and then finish the exercise with two shots from under the basket.

Purpose:

A fun passing exercise that works on catching and passing without running, with communication, timing, and shooting from under the basket at game speed.

Formation:

Players form 3 columns behind the end line.

Two players on the outside lines have balls.

Instructions:

3 players (1, 2 and 5) begin to move forward on the court. The 1st outside player passes the ball to the 2nd player in the middle line.

Immediately upon receiving the ball, the center line player returns the ball to the same player on the touchline.

The 1st middle player then turns to the other side and receives a pass from the 5th outside player and immediately returns the ball to him.

Outside players may use 1-2 steps to avoid running.

The drill continues until the players reach the opposite 3-point line. When this happens, the two outside dribblers go to the basket and shoot.

The group then waits at the opposite end for the rest of the groups to complete the exercise before starting the exercise on the other side. On the right scheme at the top, the three players (4, 3 and 2) continue the exercise according to the scheme described above.

Options:

Medium or 3-point shots. Instead of ending with a run to the basket, players may end with mid-range shots or 3-point shots.

Back and forth - Instead of waiting at the other end, the troika can complete the drill both ways. Only now the threes are placed on both end lines and begin the exercise when the three from the opposite side return to their half of the court.

One Ball - If you are coaching very young players, you can run this exercise with one ball until the players understand how it works.

Coach's notes:

Passes must be passed on the move in front of the player using proper passing technique.

The receiver must hold his hands at goodie level, showing 10 fingers and calling for the ball to be passed to him.

The middle player must catch the ball and quickly pass the ball to a running partner. Don't run!

Shooting technique while moving from under the basket is very important in this exercise. Watch your footwork and make sure all players are doing it right.

2. Monkey in the middle

How the exercise works:

Players are divided into groups of three. Each group has one ball. The two transmitters lined up 12 to 15 feet apart. The third player in the group is the "monkey in the middle". He tries to hit or steal the ball. The two outside players must pass the ball to each other without using cross passes or dribbling. Simply turning and using feints to open up the passing line and pass the ball past the defender.

Goal:

A fun exercise that works on defense at the same time. This exercise will teach players how to use feints and turns to create a passing zone and also to protect the ball.

Lineup:

• Groups of 3 players.

• Each group has one ball.

• The passers are lined up 12-15 feet apart with the third player (back) in the middle.

Instructions:

1. The drill starts with the defender attacking the player who starts the drill with the ball.

2. The attacker uses feints and steps to pass to another attacker while the defender attempts to parry or intercept the pass.

3. After each pass, the defender rushes towards the ball carrier and tries to press the ball again.

4. When the defender recovers the ball or kicks the ball, the players change positions.

Variations:

Change after a certain time - Players can change positions

after a certain period of time (depending on the age of the players, their strength and stamina), and not after each interception and elimination. For example, 30-40 seconds.

One dribbling available. Let the attacking players hit the ball once to the floor to open up the passing corner. It will be tougher for the defender.

Only bounce passes allowed - in order to make it more difficult for attackers, allow them to only bounce passes.

Notes:

• It is very important for a defender to have active arms and legs at all times. This is the best way to intercept.

• Passing players must wait for the defender to recover before making the next pass. The purpose of the training is to learn how to pass and create passing angles.

• If there is no set time, the offensive player must not hold the ball for more than 5 seconds without passing the ball.

• No passing in an arc! They make the drill too easy for the attackers and will not lead to improvement.

3. Swing passes

How the exercise works:

The team is divided into 4 groups in the corners on half the court. The players make a pass to the player on the right, who start running along the sideline towards the endline. The sender then joins the end of the column into which he passed the ball.

Purpose:

A drill intended to be used primarily with young players or as a warm-up. This training will improve passing the ball on the move, as well as improve reception and passing without dribbling.

Lineup:

• The team is divided into 4 groups. One group located in each corner.

• The first player in one of the groups has the ball.

Instructions:

1. The drill is started by ball carrier 02 passing the ball 01 to the player on the right.

2. Before passing the ball, the receiver must start running in the direction of the next group, where he will make the next pass of the ball.

3. 01, having received the ball, passes it to player 05, who starts a dash towards 03.

4. After each pass, the passer joins the end of the group where the ball was passed.

5. The exercise continues according to the same scheme with passes and jerks of the players along the square in the same direction.

6. After a certain period of time, the coach changes the direction of the passes.

Options:

Turn on the second ball. If the players perform confidently, then you can enter the second ball in the opposite corner.

Various types of passes - The drill can be performed with one or two hand passes, bouncing, etc. One Dribbling - Players are allowed to make one dribbling before passing to the next player. This can be useful if you are passing with one hand.

TIPS:

• The receiver does not need to slow down or speed up to catch a transmission. Transfers must be accurate, timely and forward.

• The receiver must initiate the snatch in a timely manner with arms outstretched to assist the passing player in making a timely and accurate pass.

• It is very important that you do not make any mistakes during the exercise. Don't let them fall into this bad habit.

• Begin the exercise at medium speed at the beginning until the players understand it. Then increase the intensity.

4. Bronze gears.

How the drill works:

Starting at the end line at the edge of the penalty area, pairs of players pass the ball back and forth using various passes as they run across the court to the other end line. When they get there, they move closer to the touchline and come back using various passes over the players in the middle of the court.

Purpose:

An excellent warm-up that provides many passes in a short amount of time. Including passes of various lengths and types for players in training.

Line-up:

• All players find a partner.

• Each pair has one ball.

• Pairs split into two columns behind the endline at the edge of the SR.

Instructions:

• 1. The first pair move to the opposite side at a slow pace in the middle of the court, passing the ball from the chest to each other.

• 2. As soon as the first pair is closer to the 3-point line, the next pair starts.

• 3. When the first pair of players reach the opposing endline, they move to the touchlines and return, passing the ball over the pairs of players moving in the middle of the court.

• 4. When the players return to their starting position, they rejoin the pairs in the middle of the court and continue continuous training.

• 5. Every couple of minutes, change the type of passes players make for middle pairs and outside pairs.

Options:

Gears for pairs in the middle. For the mid lanes, there are several types of passes that I recommend: from the chest, with a rebound, one-handed from the chest, and one-handed with a rebound.

Outline Passes - For outside lines there are several types of passes that I recommend: chest passes, overhead passes, one hand passes.

Remember to consider your team's age, strength and skill level when deciding which passes they should use during practice.

Tips:

• Follow the pace of the exercise; especially if it is used as one of the warm-up exercises. Walking should not be allowed, but too much traffic should also be avoided. Accurate transmission is the main focus of training.

• Players on the outside lines must not make too many passes in an arc and with a very high trajectory on their passes. They should be at a height that is safe enough not to hit the midlines, but straight enough to reach your partner quickly.

• The ability to pass the ball with either hand is an important skill to develop. Expect mistakes when your players first perform a drill, but make sure you train them properly.

• Footwork is very important during this workout. Players must be able to catch the ball and pass back to their partner in two steps. If you are training young children and they cannot pass the ball at speed yet, slow down the pace of the exercise.

• After each run around the court, the players must switch to the sides so that they practice passing short and long passes from both sides of their body.

5. Netball

How the exercise works:

regular battle without dribbting the ball is allowed at any time. Games can be played 3 on 3, 4 on 4, or 5 on 5.

Target:

An excellent exercise that improves not only passing the ball, but also moving without the ball, positioning, jerking, etc. This exercise will lead to less use of dribbling in games and fewer losses.

Lineup:

• Divide the players into two teams based on the number of players available for training.

• Try to make teams of the same height and skill level.

• Only one ball is needed for training.

Instructions:

1. Teams play normal full game - no dribbling!

2. The exercise is performed within the time specified by the trainer.

3. Start with the arrangement shown in the diagram.

Point system:

• The game is played up to either 5 or 11 points.

• Each 2-point roll is worth 1 point.

• Each 3-point roll is worth 2 points.

• Must win by 2 points.

• In the event of a shooting foul, the offensive player throws one free throw for 1 point.

Variations:

One Shot Allowed - Players are allowed 1 dribbling when they gain possession of the ball. This is not a requirement, just an option.

Only bounce passes allowed - Restrict your players to only use bounce passes.

3 teams. The exercise starts by dividing your team into 3 groups of 3 to 5 players. Two teams start defense in each half. The third team is in the middle of the court on offense. The offensive team chooses one side and tries to score the ball without dribbling. Same scoring system as above. After a goal is scored or the possession of the ball is changed, the defensive team receives the ball, attacks in the opposite direction. The previous offensive team may play defense up to the center line of the court. Play until one team reaches 5 or 11 points.

Tips:

• It's very important to give players instructions on how to set up wide and run smart to get the ball.

• If you need to step in to make adjustments or re-emphasize the most important points of the exercise (distance, snatches), step in but keep it short.

• All passes must be at least 3 feet long. Don't let the players run up and pass the ball from each other's hands.

• Footwork is important in this exercise.

---

Learn more

• 
  How to improve your vertical leap for basketball
• 
  How to score 20 points in a basketball game
• 
  How to get a steal in basketball
• 
  How good is purdue basketball
• 
  How many square feet is half a basketball court
• 
  How much does it cost to make a indoor basketball court
• 
  How to not get tired when playing basketball
• 
  How much does an nba basketball cost
• 
  How to improve my basketball shooting accuracy
• 
  How much does a basketball stadium cost
• 
  Basketball how to dribble between the legs