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How to protect the basketball while dribbling


Ultimate Hoops - Tips to improve your basketball dribbling

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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

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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

    How to improve dribbling at home?

    6 tips that will help every basketball player

    Sometimes you look at Irving's highlights, you want to practice dribbling, but they don't let you into the gym. It's winter outside and you can't knock the ball either. What to do at this moment and how to be, we analyze in this article.

    Often players say dribbling but don't know what it means. Let's take a broader view and break down possession in general, because basketball isn't just about hitting on the spot and crossovers. Our main goal is to score more than the opponent, and for this we need to be able to move around the court from one point to another with the ball under pressure from the defender and bring the ball into a comfortable position for a shot or pass. It's all ball possession.

    Can ball possession be improved at home? Yes, but the effectiveness depends on the level of your training. Work at home is very limited, so if you have no other choice - it is better to try to do at least something than just sit.

    What to do? Hold 6 points:

    1. If you have a couple of square meters and no neighbors below, or they are not disturbed by your hitting the ball, then you can fully train.

    For example, you can work on these things:

    All this and more, we are working on the LVL UP course in the online school. A couple of square meters and 15 minutes a day is enough to progress.

    2. If you can't hit the ball, you can work on your hand speed and ball feel.
    Do various rotations around the head, legs and body. You can do the same in the lunge and other basketball positions. Try different combinations and stance changes.

    3. In continuation to the second point, the ball is thrown with straight arms.
    Start simply with your arms outstretched in front of you, then try with up and down movements, and in the most difficult variation, add a chest rotation.

    4. Visualization.
    Close your eyes and imagine yourself moving around the court with the ball. It is important to fully immerse yourself in the moment and live it, and not be an outside observer.

    5. Visualization in life, or I don't know what else to call it.
    Start repeating the movements as if you were hitting a ball and making transfers. Take a video and see how it looks from the outside. It probably won't look like cool dribbling. Try to fix it.

    6. Work on the body.
    By developing your body, you will open up opportunities for skill development. Regular dribbling requires a mobile hip, strong glutes, a mobile chest, and a strong core to better deal with defensive pressure. You can work on this at home too.

    Examples of the importance of the body in possession of the ball.

    You can always work on yourself and become better. Everything depends on your desire. Hope this article helps you.

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Basketball Dribbling Basic 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 rings. Players often pushed, abused mass and strength, played for time. In 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 name given to the violation when a player starts dribbling again after taking the ball in his hands. 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.
  • Push off an opponent. Don't pay too much attention to the opposing team while dribbling. 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 that the player is at the border of the "paint", but he decides to come 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.
  • Alternating dribbling first with one hand and then with the other will also help you feel the game better.

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