For the first time since 1993 both number one teams from the NFC and AFC have made it to the Super Bowl. The Indianapolis Colts were able to comeback from an 11-point deficit to win the game 30-17 despite stars Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark being shut out of the game. The New Orleans Saints were able to take down the Minnesota Vikings on a 40-yard field goal in overtime for a final score of 38-21. The Vikings had their chances to win but to many turnovers cost them the game. This years Super Bowl XLIV is looking like a high-powered event that features two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL today. The game will be held at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium on Feb 7 6:25 pm.
AFC
Quarterbacks — Matt Schaub Houston, Vince Young Tennessee, David Garrard Jacksonville Running Backs — Chris Johnson Tennessee, Maurice Jones-Drew Jacksonville, Ray Rice Baltimore Fullback — Le’Ron McClain Baltimore Wide Receivers — Andre Johnson Houston, Brandon Marshall Denver, Chad Ochocinco Cincinnati Tight Ends — Antonio Gates San Diego, Heath Miller Pittsburgh Centers — Nick Mangold N.Y. Jets Guards — Alan Faneca N.Y. Jets, Logan Mankins New England, Kris Dielman San Diego Tackles — Ryan Clady Denver, Jake Long Miami, D’Brickashaw Ferguson N.Y. Jets, Joe Thomas Cleveland AFC Defense Ends — Mario Williams Houston, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Tennessee Interior Linemen — Haloti Ngata Baltimore, Vince Wilfork New England, Casey Hampton Pittsburgh Inside-Middle Linebackers — Ray Lewis Baltimore, DeMeco Ryans Houston Outside Linebackers — Elvis Dumervil Denver, James Harrison Pittsburgh; Brian Cushing Houston, LaMarr Woodley Pittsburgh Cornerbacks — Nnamdi Asomugha Oakland, Darrelle Revis N.Y. Jets Champ Bailey Denver Strong Safety — Brian Dawkins Denver Free Safeties — Ed Reed Baltimore, Jairus Byrd Buffalo, Brandon Meriweather Patriots AFC Specialists Punter — Shane Lechler Oakland Kick Return Specialist — Joshua Cribbs, Cleveland Placekicker — Nate Kaeding San Diego Special Teamer — Kassim Osgood San Diego NFC
Quarterbacks – Aaron Rodgers Green Bay, Donovan McNabb Philadelphia, Tony Romo Cowboys Running Backs — Adrian Peterson Minnesota, Steven Jackson St. Louis, Frank Gore San Francisco, DeAngelo Williams Carolina Fullback — Leonard Weaver Philadelphia Wide Receivers — Larry Fitzgerald Arizona, Steve Smith N.Y. Giants, DeSean Jackson Philadelphia, Miles Austin Dallas, Sidney Rice Minnesota Tight Ends — Vernon Davis San Francisco, Jason Witten Dallas Centers — Andre Gurode Dallas, Jonathan Goodwin New Orleans, Shaun O’Hara New York Giants Guards — Jahri Evans New Orleans, Steve Hutchinson Minnesota, Leonard Davis Dallas Tackles — Bryant McKinnie Minnesota, Jason Peters Philadelphia, Jonathan Stinchcomb New Orleans NFC Defense Ends — Jared Allen Minnesota, Julius Peppers Carolina, Trent Cole Philadelphia Interior Linemen — Darnell Dockett Arizona, Kevin Williams Minnesota, Jay Ratliff Dallas Inside-Middle Linebackers — Patrick Willis San Francisco, Jonathan Vilma New Orleans, London Fletcher Washington Outside Linebackers — Lance Briggs Chicago, Clay Matthews, DeMarcus Ware Dallas, Brian Orakpo, Washington Cornerbacks — Asante Samuel Philadelphia, Charles Woodson Green Bay, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Arizona, Terence Newman Dallas Strong Safety — Adrian Wilson Arizona Free Safeties — Darren Sharper New Orleans, Nick Collins Green Bay, Quintin Mikell Philadelphia NFC Specialists Punter — Andy Lee San Francisco Kick Return Specialist — DeSean Jackson Philadelphia, Percy Harvin Minnesota Placekicker — David Akers Philadelphia Special Teamer — Heath Farwell Minnesota
There are millions of reasons why we will probably never see a college playoff system and they all relate to money. Just from Boise State and TCU making it to a BCS Bowl game their entire conference will earn a profit. The Mountain West Conference which TCU belongs to will split $9.8 million, the Western Athletic Conference which Boise St belongs to will share $7.8 million. But the real winners are the big major conferences like the Big Ten and the SEC conferences each earning $22 million, while the other four Big Twelve, Big East, Pac 10, and the ACC each earning $17.7 million. While a playoff system is what many fans want to see, the bowl games bring a lot of revenue for all the schools even if they don’t qualify for a bowl game.
Things just don’t seem to get any better for the NY Knicks who lost yesterday to the Dallas Mavericks 128-78; the 50-point loss was the worst loss in team history. At the beginning of the game the Knicks looked like they were going to make a good game out of it by only being outscored by the Mavericks by two points in the first quarter. But after that the game quickly turned into a blowout as the Knicks got outscored by at least 9 points in the remaining three quarters.
In other NBA news the LA Lakers got the chance to meet president Barack Obama today. The Lakers were invited to the White House in honor of winning their 15th NBA title last years NBA championship.
7:00 PM ET Indiana at Philadelphia FOX MIDW COMCAST 7:30 PM ET LA Clippers at Boston FSN Prime Ticket 7:30 PM ET Cleveland at Miami Sun Sports NBA TV 8:00 PM ET Orlando at Memphis Sun Sports Fox South – Tenn 8:30 PM ET Atlanta at Houston SportSouth Fox Sports Net Houston 8:30 PM ET Chicago at San Antonio Comcast Sports Chicago FOX SW 9:00 PM ET Charlotte at Denver SportSouth Altitude Sports 9:00 PM ET Phoenix at Utah KUTP 45 FOX ROCKY 9:00 PM ET New Orleans at Portland
Dallas 128, New York 78 LA Clippers 92, Washington 78 Toronto 106, LA Lakers 105
After losing to both Connecticut and Kansas St the Texas Longhorns dropped from 1st to 6th place in the current college standings. With the Longhorns out of first place the Kentucky Wildcats takeover the Number one spot and remains the only team in Division 1 with no losses.
9:00 PM ET Missouri at (2) Kansas ESPN 7:00 PM ET (11) Georgetown at (4) Syracuse ESPN
Seton Hall 64, (11) Pittsburgh 61 Florida State 68, (18) Georgia Tech 66 (19) Wisconsin 79, Penn State 71 (22) Northern Iowa 67, Indiana State 58
Former Olympian Nancy Kerrigan father passed away this weekend at their home in Stoneham MA. Kerrigan’s mother originally told authorities he passed away from a heart attack, but police still arrested Kerrigan’s brother Daniel for assault on a person over 60 years old.
Paraguay’s World Cup Soccer star and lead striker Salvador Cabanas was shot in the head and is in critical condition after being at a bar in Mexico with his wife. So far two suspects have been detained but no formal arrest have been made. Cabana was currently playing for the Mexican team Club America where he has become one of the top strikers in the Mexican league.
By: Frank Bilotta
If you are one of the many interested in playing on a good basketball team, then you will in all likelihood find the observations which we will outline below to be amazing to say the least. What if i told you that anyone who plays basketball can easily and quickly make great progress on the basketball court in less than a month, without the grueling training process, and endless practices.
No doubt that sounds like just a lot of talk, but wait just a minute – not only is this a valid program, it has served many young athletes from all across the country in their quest to improve their game skills by at least 30% in just a matter of few weeks. There is one thing you must understand – being the basketball player of each and every coach’s dream is about how well you know the techniques and strategies of the game of basketball and the power to correctly guess what your rivals are planning next.
I know you were probably just interested about playing on a good basketball team, and no doubt have other ideas about what you want to achieve with basketball, but i wanted to share with you the notion that it is possible to be able to unlock your potential to play like a professional – being able to think faster than others, make the right decisions under pressure, make accurate steals, and even accurate shots. Coaches from teams spread out across the country, from memphis to connecticut, already discovered this unbelievable secret method that empowers individual players as well as their teams to make incredible strides in their basketball abilities in less than a month.
Although you might simply be interested in getting information about playing on a good basketball team, i want you to be familiar with this specialized new method that gets your game off the ground and to a professional level and get you going towards your basketball goals, whether you’re hoping to be a better team player, a varsity stand-out, or letting your game take you to your chosen university. Still a bit skeptical? Just give it a try and see!
For the ultimate basketball fan wanting to go beyond watching basketball games on television or going to live basketball games, going online and joining a online basketball betting website could be the perfect choice to further enjoy your basketball fandom. Getting the chance to meet new people and exchange information on all of the latest basketball news is readily available on a number of online basketball betting websites. Today instead of just betting with the locals at your favorite sports bar, going to an online basketball betting site allows you to have at your advantage a wider pool of more games to bet on. Having a vast number of games to bet on provides more chances to win more frequently. Of course before you can get to that point, making sure you’ve picked the right online basketball betting site for your enjoyment is very important. The desire to find the perfect online basketball betting site that is user friendly is an exciting challenge. The ideal online basketball betting site is set up for the beginner basketball better to have everything they would need to excel at the games offered. Among the top online basketball betting sites with a variety of games include the website http://sports.legendz.com. Make sure you pick an online basketball betting site that is free and easy to join and if you have any questions or concerns, someone is available to assist you. Most offer tips and analysis that as a player can be useful in improving your stats. The goal is to profit and in order to do that as a basketball better you want to be on a site that is fun and continues to test your ability every time you log in. Also keep in mind that your online basketball betting site choice will offer up cash bonuses and other incentives to keep you interested in their website for the long term.
If you are curious about making a junior varsity basketball team, then you will surely consider the news which this article will reveal to be just plain astonishing. What would you do with the knowledge that absolutely anyone can easily and quickly make great progress on the basketball court in less than a month, without any extra on-court practicing, drilling and training.
You’re probably saying to yourself, “yeah, right,” but hear me out – not only is this a proven program, it has a track record of helping thousands of young basketball players to better their basketball skills by an impressive 30% within a period of less than a month. In order to succeed, you must know that turning into a basketball player that every coach will want on his team is a question of being able to quickly and accurately plan your next move or being able to anticipate your opponent’s moves for example.
It may be the case that you just seek for some info about making a junior varsity basketball team, and perhaps you simply want to satisfy your curiosity, but it is important for you to understand that you could very well realize your hidden skills and talents in the game of basketball – to attain a new level of thinking, decision-making, and even improve the physical part of your game, such as stealing, assisting, and shooting. Head basketball coaches and top trainers nationwide – from tennessee, connecticut, etc. – have experienced impressive results from this solution which enables specific players and even their entire teams, to dramatically improve their game intelligence in just few weeks.
Even if it happens that you are just interested about making a junior varsity basketball team, i want you to be familiar with this specialized new method that will rapidly increase your game know-how and abilities and get you on the road to your future in basketball, whether it’s being the star of your school’s team, or dramatically improving your statistics, or letting your game take you to your chosen university. Sound too good to be true? Just give it a try and see!
If you find yourself wanting to know more about how to be a better basketball player then by all means listen to what i have to say – it will have the effect of revolutionizing everything you know about playing basketball. Just imagine that you were to learn that you can quite quickly elevate your abilities in the game of basketball by a whopping 30%? And that’s not all, it can be done from the convenience of your own pc. If this sounds unlikely, or might think it’s just not possible, continue to read this brief report – it is going to shock you.
Before we get into details, you need to know a basic but significant fact – in the game of basketball it is not about who runs faster or jumps higher, but also about making the right choices and the right moves. The power to know your rival’s game strategy, and when to wait for the perfect shot, or take a chance on one, has to do with cognitive abilities, in a nutshell: brain skills. Many incorrectly think of these skills as instincts or born talent, while in fact, they are not just something athletes are born with, but rather entirely learnable brain skills.
It doesn’t really matter if you are only interested about how to be a better basketball player, or whether you are a basketball player in junior high, highschool, or college – it became possible to really better your capacity to compete at a high level by learning some valuable pointers. A team of professionals has produced a specialized solution which helps you to do just that; using the very user-friendly format of a “video game”, the user simply “plays” it for a half hour or less, just once or twice a week, for only several weeks – the outcome is astonishing. Head coaches from across the usa (memphis, uconn, connecticut and others) have reported dramatic improvement after one-on-one coaching sessions with players, and even entire teams, with this exceptional product.
Before finding out more about how to be a better basketball player, it is possible to experiment with this unbelievable groundbreaking software. And now the once unlikely goal of becoming a professional basketball player for a wide range of school and college players has never been realer or more reachable; those who used the system reported an impressive upswing in their game with just a few weeks of “playing.”
When we hear the word camp, the first thing that comes into mind is assembling a tent and sleeping under the starry skies. For most, it is a form of adventure in the woods or anywhere conceivable. But for teachers and organizers, this is the act of teaming up to learn about something in particular. One good example for this is basketball camps. This kind of a camp is not something like a deed of a camping.
It is a season or like a course where a teacher which is usually a coach held in the hope of training basketball fanatics and enthusiasts to become somebody worth to join important teams in different associations. Some are just for the fun of it while others are formal trainings for highly potential players in the future.
Usually, basketball camps are paid trainings although there are some that are not. Paid trainings are usually held by clubs, coaches, and top players in the industry. While those free trainings are usually held by schools, government institutions, and for-a-cause organizations. These camps are usually attended by different types of people but there are camps that make a distinction, like for example women basketball, men basketball, and kid basketball camps.
In basketball camps, there are three people most important all through the camp duration:
1. The attendees. These are the people that enroll into the program. They are usually gauge by age and sex but will depend on the organizers. If it is a paid program, there are certain requirements asked before they can enroll like fees and certifications. They also provide for their food and clothing.
If it is a free program like in school, the organizers are free to choose and the attendees are required to pass some important sifting processes. The organizers may or may not provide food and camp clothing, depending on the budget provided by the sponsoring institution.
2. The lecturers or teachers, also coaches or instructors. They are the group of innovative, aggressive, and highly skilled individuals knowledgeable of the game and of the entire course in the camp. These people are the ones who will teach and motivate as well as share valuable core attitude to the attendees. They have the pressure of ensuring that their attendees learn and become professionals after the training. It is also expected that they are the authorities in the said camp and the discipline of the entire group will depend on them.
3. The organizers. These are a group of people or entities that spearheads the entire vision and mission of a specific camp, which in this case is a basketball camp. They may be government owned or private institutions that wishes to help nurture future talents through a series of trainings or basketball camps. These can also be a group of people who wants to earn and train through promoting skills and knowledge of the game.
These three are just the basic foundation of basketball camps as well as other types of sport and non-sport camps. There are still many people who belong to backroom staffs and personnel. These are the nurses, doctors, attendants, cleaners, caterers, and many others who can be in the camp depending on the budget of the camp organizers.
In the end, the camp is supposed to train and discipline every attendee to have a winning attitude not only in the camp but after the camp.
Its NCAA basketball season once again, and its not gonna be long until tournament time. The NCAA basketball tournament rivals any sporting event in the world.. During March Madness you will get to see the classic powerhouse’s and the fan favorite cindarella story.
Watch College Basketball Online
If you enjoy watching sports, you might want to start watching the action live on your laptop. With “Basketball Live” software you can watch all of your favorite sports straight to your PC regardless of where your at across the planet. With this software you get instant access to over 3500 satellite stations. One of the great things about this technology is that there are no monthly fees of any kind. The only payment you will ever make is the initial installation fee.The way March Madness is set up, the 64 teams are split up into four sub-brackets (16 teams in each). In the 1st round of the tournament, the first seed of each sub bracket squares off against the 16 seed; the second seed faces the 15 seed; the 3 seed faces the 14 seed; and so on down. When the bracket is cut to 16 teams, they are regarded to as the “Sweet Sixteen”. The top eight teams are dubbed the “Elite Eight” and the last four teams are dubbed called the “Final Four.”The tournament begins with the very anticipated Selection Sunday official picks on March 14 when tournament team match-ups are finally announced – followed by the opening round matchups on March 16.
Watch College Basketball Online Free
The national champion will be determined during a month-long battle of skill, determination, and amazing performances by top competing college teams leading up to the final four games played April 3 – 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.College basketball itself is an important part of the history of March Madness. The 1st college basketball matchup took place in Madison Square Gardens where Pittsburgh University and Fordham University played. This first game was televised and college basketball was an instant hit. Both men’s and women’s teams were widely accepted. Further, throughout the history of March Madness, there have been many storied teams, for example, the men’s UCLA team won ten national titles between 1963-1975. More recently, teams like Duke have become synonymous with March Madness.The NCAA basketball tournament is almost here, and if you are like me, and hate missing the action. “Basketball Live” is the sports package for you.With “Basketball Live” PC technology, you will have access to over 3500 stations and hundreds of live sports stations, if you enjoy watching sports, this is something you may want to look into, as you will be able to view live sports directly on your PC. I have followed sports for many years, and as a huge fan, I know how agitating it can be not having access to certain sporting events All that is needed is your PC and an internet connection – no extra hardware is required. After an easy, 5 minute installation process you can start surfing through thousands of channels Just order our software and begin your online TV experienceLive sports on TV has never been more portable. Start watching all the games, highlights and interviews live on your computer! “Basketball Live” is perfect for the frequent traveler in long airport waits and train rides. Get instant access to the premiere sports coverage on the net straight to your laptop from any location with an internet connection.
NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament
Its college basketball season once again, and its won’t be long until tournament time. The NCAA basketball tournament rivals any sporting event in the world.. During the NCAA tournament you always get to watch the classic powerhouse’s and my favorite the cindarella story.If you love watching sports, you might want to start watching sports live on your laptop. With “Basketball Live” technology you can watch all of your favorite sporting events directly on your PC regardless of where your at across the globe. With this software you get instant access to over 3500 channels. One of the great things about this product is that there are no monthly payments. The only thing you pay is a one time set up fee of 50 dollars.
Watch College Basketball Online
The way March Madness is set up, the 64 teams are split into four sub-brackets (16 teams in each). In the 1st round of the tournament, the first seed of each sub bracket squares off against the 16 seed; the 2nd seed goes against the 15 seed; the 3 seed faces the 14 seed; and so on down. When the bracket is cut to 16 teams, they are regarded to as the “Sweet Sixteen”. The top eight teams are dubbed the “Elite Eight” and the final four teams are fittingly called the “Final Four.”The tournament kicks off with the very anticipated Selection Sunday official picks on March 14 when college basketball team match-ups are finally announced – followed by the opening round games on March 16.The national champion will be determined during a month-long clash of skill, determination, and dazzling performances by top NCAA basketball teams leading up to the final four games played April 3 – 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
NCAA Basketball Live Online
NCAA basketball itself is an important part of the history of March Madness. The first college basketball game was at Madison Square Gardens where Pittsburgh University and Fordham University competed. The first game was televised and college basketball was an instant hit. Both men’s and women’s teams were widely accepted. Further, throughout the history of March Madness, there have been many storied teams, for example, the men’s UCLA team won ten national titles between 1963-1975. More recently, teams like Duke have become synonymous with March Madness.It’s almost time for March Madness, and if you are like me, and hate missing the action. “Basketball Live” is the sports package for you.With “Basketball Live” PC software, you will get to watch thousands of channels and hundreds of live sports channels, if you enjoy watching sports, this is something you may want to look into, as you can watch live games on your computer. I have followed sports for many years, and as a big fan, I know how agitating it can be not having access to certain sporting events All you need is a PC and an internet connection – no unnecessary hardware is needed. After an painless, 5 minute installation process you can begin hours of entertainment with tons of sports channels to choose from. Just order our software and begin your online TV experience
Live sports on TV has never been more portable. Watch all the big games, highlights and interviews directly on your laptop! The Online TV Player is perfect for the frequent traveler in long airport waits and train rides. Get instant access to the premiere sports coverage on the internet straight to your laptop from any location with an internet connection.
NCAA Basketball Live Online
UCLA basketball tickets have long been special for many, many reasons. When you think of sports dynasties, you think of Lombardi’s Packers, Auerbach’s Celtics, the Yankees of several eras and the Montreal Canadiens. Wooden’s Bruins can stand up to every one of them and then some. Listing all of the legendary players of UCLA lore would be too numerous for this forum, but rest assured that an entire wing of the Hall of Fame could be filled with UCLA alumni.However, in recent decades, the Bruins, compared to the almost unattainable standard history had set, was not achieving at their historic levels. They did break through for an NCAA title in 1995, but other than that, Westwood’s trophy case has not had any recent additions in recent times. That could all be changing right before our eyes, as the 2007 Bruins are beginning to look like the great Bruin teams of old. They advanced all the way to the NCAA Final last year before losing a tough game to Florida, and so far this season, it looks as though they haven’t missed a beat. There are reasons for this resurgence, and we’ll examine a couple of them below.Ben HowlandWhen Howland took over at UCLA in 2003, the Bruins had officially fallen on hard times. They had become one of those teams that always seemed to recruit well, but they were at best a hit-or-miss bubble team for the NCAA Tournament. UCLA basketball tickets were actually quite easy to find for most games, and the Bruin faithful were down in the dumps.Howland came aboard and instilled several things that the program had been missing. The first element was discipline. Howland’s teams never give a game away, and that was a hallmark of his teams at Pittsburgh before he came to Westwood. He also put together a roster that actually played hard-nosed defense, which was not something UCLA had been known for in recent years. There were even whispers that UCLA was “soft,” and that was unacceptable for everyone involved with the program.The Right Kind of TalentUnder Howland, the program stopped simply chasing all the five-star recruits it could gather and began to build a team that together would become a unit that covered all the moving parts a successful squad needs. They added scoring and athleticism, of course, but they also added defense, rebounding, guards that could dribble and distribute, and several role players who take care of all the “little” things that win games in the end but may not show up on the stat sheet. What it All MeansWhat this all means is that with the talent, consistency and stability that once again exists at UCLA, the team will be able to sell its own tradition and history to recruits, and it’s beginning to look like every year should be one when UCLA should contend for the Final Four. The fans in Westwood wouldn’t expect anything less, and UCLA basketball tickets are once again nearly impossible to find.
Defense is just as important as offense. Any basketball player that only thinks about scoring points, is only half a basketball player. Likewise, any basketball team that only emphasizes offensive plays without being equally committed to playing defense is only half a team. The reasoning behind this is simple: It does you no good to score 20 points in the first five minutes of a basketball game, if your opponent scores 35. In order to win a basketball game, you want to get ahead in score and stay ahead. You can only do this consistently by emphasizing defense as much as offense. The purpose of this article is to highlight some fundamental principles about playing defense in basketball that every basketball player, regardless of level, should know.
You need to have the “right attitude.”
When playing defense in basketball, you cannot layback and let the team with the ball do as it pleases. You must get very aggressive, outfight the offense. At every opportunity, take the initiative away from the offense, break up and disrupt their offensive attack. As you know, to score in basketball, you have got to have the ball. To get the ball, you have got to battle for it. A few ways that you can prevent the opposing team from executing their offense is by stealing the ball, by interception of passes, by controlling the backboards, by fighting through screens, by forcing held balls, by putting constant pressure on the offense. Without pressure, the offense will easily run one play after another. With pressure, it will make bad passes, commit walking violations, miss easy shots and lose confidence. This forcing of the offense is at the very heart of good defensive play. And that applies to any basketball team or to any individual basketball player.
Establishing the correct stance on defense.
When on defense, you should have your feet a little better than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead, heels off the floor slightly. Your knees should be flexed, and your trunk inclined forward. To move sideward, you should never cross your legs. At the end of the movement, your feet should be at the original width.
If an opposing player fakes a shot, you should never, never leave your feet. If he fakes a drive, simply drop straight back a step until you are sure of what he is going to do. Should the offensive man-and we still assume he has the ball-be a faster player than you, play him looser than usual. If he is slower than you, close in a bit. An outside shooter wants to be played closer than a player whose best weapon is a driving layup.
Study your opponent
When you are assigned to guard an opposing player, study him carefully. Find out where he is strong, where he is weak. Take advantage of your opponent’s weaknesses. Force him off the strong part of his game. This is not as difficult as it sounds. For example, you will find that many players can only dribble or shoot with one hand (right-handed, or left-handed.)
If you are playing a man who does everything with his right hand, favor that side with your defensive position. In other words, if he dribbles with his right hand, force him to go to his left. When you constantly force this player to go to his weak side, you are hindering his play considerably; and,consequently, you will probably cause him to lose his composure.
When you are playing an offensive man who does not have the ball, try to be in a position to intercept passes, but do not be so close as to give him a chance to get behind you.
Guarding the Dribbler
As a defensive player you should try not to slap at the dribbler as he goes by. You should turn and go with the dribbler, get one step ahead and deflect or steal the ball by reaching underneath the dribbler’s hands with the inside hand. If this tactic fails, you should wait for the dribbler to either shoot or stop before you make another defensive move. If the offensive player attempts a jump shot, close with him as he puts both hands on the ball–stop the shot before it gets started.
On a layup, reach over with the outside hand and try to block the shot at the top of the offensive player’s jump. Do this without making contact. If you make contact, the shooter may get the field goal and a free throw. If you don’t make contact he will only have the opportunity for two points. The other alternative, of course, would be to block the shot.
Stopping the Give-and-Go
A pass and an immediate cut to the basket is the oldest maneuver in offensive basketball. Called the “give-and-go,” it sometimes causes a defensive player trouble.
The difficulty usually stems from two faults:
• The guard turns his head to watch the ball. When he does that the offensive man cuts behind him and easily takes a return pass.
• The guard remains flat-footed as the cutter goes by.
On the give-and-go, you as the defensive man should take a quick step backward and keep your eyes glued to the cutter’s midriff. The step back will give you a chance to find out which way the cutter is going to go–the ball side, or the far side. By watching the cutter’s midriff, the guard can’t be faked out of position. Despite tricky head, shoulder and hand movements, a cutter’s stomach will indicate his direction.
If the cutter goes to the ball side, you should turn and go with the cutter. If you can get one step ahead, you will have a chance of intercepting the pass, or getting a held ball.
If the cutter goes to the far side, you should turn that way, stay half a step ahead of the cutter and look for the pass. He is now on the inside and can easily be intercepted.
Blocking out after a shot
Defending after the shot is similar to defending against the give-and-go. If you are guarding the shooter, you should anticipate a drive for the rebound.
As with the give-and-go, you should take a step backward and watch the shooter’s midriff. As the shooter begins to break in for the rebound, you should turn directly in front of him. You do not hold the shooter off physically until about 10′ from the basket. Then you hold your ground and hope that the ball rebounds your way. Naturally, if all five defensive men “block out” on shots from long or medium range, they will have the best opportunity to catch rebounds because each will hold an inside position.
Blocking out should be attempted whether you are playing a man with, or without the ball. If your man does not drive to the basket, however, do not stay on the outside too long. Go in and help out. Since you will out number the opposing team, you will have a good chance to get the ball.
Defending after a foul shot
There is one positive rule about attempting to recover a foul shot from the defensive basket. Someone must always cover the shooter. If this rule is not followed, the ball may hit the outer rim, bounce right back into the shooter’s hands and present him with an easy field goal attempt. Instead of losing a point, he is apt to gain two.
So, as you line up with your teammates, be sure someone- usually the last man on the line-steps directly in front of the shooter as the ball hits. If the ball bounces straight back, your team will have it.
When lining up on the foul line at either basket, be certain the man next to you-especially if he is taller-does not hook his arms over yours. If he does, you will never have a chance at the ball.
And remember, when at the defensive basket, do not tap the ball on the rebound, catch it. And, do not pass across the lane to start the offense up court. Go directly forward, or to the sideline.
Switching on defense
Switching is one way to prevent cross-court screens. In the man-for-man defense, it is smart to point to the man you are guarding since switching is a possibility. When there is an easy and obvious opportunity to change assignments, the players should yell “switch” and point to the man being picked up. Remember, switching can only be effective against lateral movement. It will not work against direct cuts to the basket.
There is one obvious danger to the switching tactic: If one of the two defensive players involved fails to switch, two men are going to be guarding the same offensive player, while one offensive man will be running free. Do not yell “switch” unless you are sure your teammate can and will make the switch with you.
Take-Home Defensive Tips
• Never stop pressing the offense. In other words, don’t quit!
• Never tip the ball as it comes off the defensive basket. Always catch it.
• Never pass the ball across the back lane. Take it away from the lane. First, by a quick pass out to a breaking teammate. Second, by dribbling.
• When playing in the man-for-man defense, always stay between your opponent and the basket.
• If you think you are being screened, close up on your man and fight through. If you are being used to screen out a teammate, loosen up and let your teammate slide through and be alert to the possibility of a switch.
• If your man gets one shot and misses, do not let him get a second attempt.
• When playing two men, remember that the man closest to the basket is the most dangerous.
At all times, “help out” the rest of your teammates on defense.
If the man you are guarding has the ball, you should stretch one hand up (with fingers spread) to block a possible shot. The other hand should be stretched sideward. (Usually the sideward hand is the hand that is to the “inside” of the court. In other words, if you are located to the right of the court, your right hand is up, left hand sideward. )
The position of your head as a defensive player when guarding an opponent is extremely important. You want to see the ball and as much of the basketball court and offensive players as possible. To do this, you should make full use of your peripheral vision (sometimes called “split” vision).
How important it is for you to learn the fundamentals of playing defense as a basketball player cannot be emphasized enough. Remember, offense win games but defense win championships. Visit http://www.basketball-drills-and-tips.com to find more information on this topic, and to download a FREE copy of our Basketball E-Book ($29 Value) titled,”The Fundamentals of Basketball: A beginner’s guide for coaches and players.”