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Developing a Post Player

The post position is a key position in any basketball offense. Domination of the paint is critical to controlling rebounds, put backs, and loosening up pressure on a guards and forwards.

The post position is defined as the location within the paint area close to the rim. Post players are usually larger than outside players and by necessity more physically aggressive. A post player who can gain an advantage by out-positioning an opponent will have a greater chance to score, rebound, and assist other teammates.

Post Player Responsibilities

Rebound - a good post player is an expert rebounder.
Score - post players can become integral to helping a team add points.
Assist - insider players can pass to open players for shooting opportunities by drawing them inside.
Create Opportunities - post players can set screens, create defensive confusion, and create position opportunities where the offense has scoring opportunites.
Defense - On defense a post player should be able to control the offensive opponent and minimize the impact they have by disallowing ball contact and position play.

Post Player Training

Offensively, post players should work significantly on rebound drills, position advantages, close proximity scoring, and shooting free throws. They should be constantly looking for ways to secure the ball, score and create opportunities for teammates.

Defensively, they should rebound, limit the impact their opponent has in the paint, and not foul. They should play aggressively, wisely, and carefully all at the same time. Smart defense can really rattle the opponent.

Post players are key to a teams success. Good post players make a huge difference.

Rebounding the Basketball

Basketball rebounding is an exercise in position play. A good rebounder knows where a ball is going to be after it is shot and knows how to box out his opponent sto gain the best advantage in securing the rebound.

Know Where the Ball Will Be

There's a science to rebounding and the top rebounders know it. When a basketball is shot and missed it is going to come off of the rim or backboard. The angle the basketball is shot has a lot to do with where the ball is going. It's a percentage game.

Post players should look at the court around the key as thirds of a pie radiating from the center of the rim. Perimeter players should see the court outside the key in quarters with the center at the rim. With each shot, one of the sections is more likely to have the ball drop into it after the shot.

For example, if the ball is shot from the free throw line, the odds are great that the ball is coming straight back to the center third (from the perspective of a post player) as opposed to shanking off to one side or the other.

Box Out the Opponent

An opponent should have no chance to get to the ball regardless of where it drops. However, during game play many factors are at hand. The key is to ALWAYS think to rebound when the ball is shot.

The best rebounders are box out experts. Boxing out is putting your body between you opponent and the rim as the ball is coming off. The farther out the box out occurs, the more likely to secure the ball.

These steps should occur immediately when the ball is shot:

Find an opponent to box out
Squat into the opponent with your hips and butt creating space and legally throwing the opponent off balance
Hold hands and arms up creating more space and improving reflex for when the ball makes contact with the rim or backboard.
With backside, hold the opponent back until the ball is secured

Excellent Rebounding Drill

Rebounding instincts can take time to develop. The best rebounders spend considerable time practicing so the activity becomes automatic.

A coach or player sets in a location on the court prepared to shoot the ball
3 offensive players and 3 defensive players set up in a natural location around or in the key
Defense must set up in position as if they were guarding the ball during regular play
Shooter shoots the ball
Defense must box out and secure ball before offense secures it
Reward or discipline losers on best of 5 series
Rotate

Successful rebounding can limit opponent shots significantly decreasing their opportunities to score. The team who owns the boards often wins the game.

Sacramento Kings Choose Jimmer in 2011 Draft

The Sacramento Kings chose the former Brigham Young guard, Jimmer Fredette, during the NBA draft. The national player of the year became a huge hit while leading the nation in scoring last season. The Kings struggled last year, finishing second-to-last in attendance last season in the NBA.

Fredette said, “I hope the fans come out and support us. I hope they like our team. I think we will have a very exciting team and I hope we can get more wins."

Will be interesting to see what happens in Sacramento this year.

Basketballs

A basketball is an inflated ball which can be of different sizes for different teams and organizations. They may range from a few inches to 1 foot in diameter. A standard ball used in the game of basketball is 29.5 inches in circumference which is specified by NBA. All the balls used in basketball game are made up of inner rubber bladder. Outer cover is made up of leather or rubber. It may be made up of synthetic material. There is a valve in the ball to increase or decrease the pressure inside the ball. There is a rib like structure on the surface of the ball having different color other than the color of the ball. Generally, a basketball is orange in color which has black ribs. The color of the ball may vary.

Balls are designated as indoor balls and outdoor balls. Indoor balls are usually made up of leather or any absorbent material. Outdoor balls are made up of rubber of any other durable material such as synthetic. In the game of basketball a ball is necessary equipment in addition to court and the baskets. It is rule that the ball must keep bouncing all the time and be thrown to other players. That is why the ball in the basketball game is durable. In free styling, the ball is used to perform tricks. The famous brands of basketballs in at present include Molten, Nike, Rawlings, Wilson and Spalding.

Backboard and other equipment

A backboard is equipment used in the game of basketball. A basket is attached to it. It is made up of materials like wood, fiber, plexiglass etc. It is rectangular and vertically placed. The backboard may also be oval in shape. However, in NCAA and NBA only rectangular backboard is used. Oval backboards are used mostly in non-professional games. Basketball hoop is installed on the backboard is attached with the help of a loose connection allowing the absorption of the shock caused by the ball. Beach basketball and netball do not use backboards. The size of the rectangular backboard is 6 feet by 3.5 feet.

There is a uniform code in the game of basketball. The players wear a pair of shorts and a sleeveless shirt with a particular number printed on both back and front side. The numbers of players range between 4 and 15. Clothes are generally loose fitting so as to allow greater mobility. Basketball players wear shoes with a sole of rubber designed to protect ankles of the players and worn with towel shocks. The basketball attire is designed to be comfortable and also serve as a indicator for other players to recognize their team mates on the court.

Shoes worn by basketball players need to have an extra grip on the court, which is made up of polished wood. Players should be easily able to maneuver on the court without slipping and falling. Basketball shoes are nowadays designed to help players jump higher, by adding spring action.

Passing in Basketball

During passing, the basketball is moved between different players. It is used to ensure accuracy as it increases the power. Chest pass is the main passing technique in which ball is passed to the chest of a player who receives it. Outward snap of the thumbs is involved so as to add the velocity of the ball leaving little time for the defense to react.

Another technique in passing is the bounce pass, in which a player bounces the ball from his own chest to another player. In this type of pass the ball takes longer time to pass but it is hard to intercept the ball. This type of pass is mostly used in crowded situations. Another type is overhead pass which is made by a player when he wants to pass the ball over a defender.

There is another pass which is called outlet pass. This pass is used when the team gets a defensive rebound. A pass is said to be a successful pass when it is difficult to be intercepted by the defenders. A good player knows very well where he can pass the ball to his teammates with great accuracy. He does not look towards the receiver.

If he looks towards him, the pass cannot be successful as the defenders will intercept it. He has to pass it secretly without looking at the receiver. This is called non looks pass. Another important technique of passing is behind the back pass. In this type of pass, the ball is thrown from behind the receiver.

Basketball Court

Basketball court is the surface on which game is played. It includes a rectangular floor with tiles on both the ends. The floor of an indoor basketball court is made up of wood which is polished. The floor of an outdoor basketball court is usually made up of asphalt or concrete. At both of the ends of the court hoops are installed.

In the initial stage of game when it was invented, peach baskets were used by Dr. James Naismith. The goal is scored when the ball is thrown in the basket without passing it. So, the ball had to be retrieved from the basket. It was a hectic task, which is why they were replaced with metal hoops. The metal hoops in modern day baskets have a net hanging around it, which allows the ball to pass through the hoop and the ball comes down automatically after scoring the goal. These hoops are attached to the backboard which is rectangular and is made up of fiber, wood or metal etc.

Basketball courts are different in sizes and shapes. As per the FIBA rules, the court is 28 meters by 15 meters. In NBA, the court is slightly bigger measuring 28m by 15m. The size of the basketball court can be minimum 26m by 14m smaller than that is not allowed among the national federations. The baskets or rims are placed at the height of 10 feet or 3.05 meters. At school level, a smaller court is allowed.

Dribbling and Blocking in Basketball

Dribbling is a game technique in basketball in which ball is kept bouncing continuously by a player with one hand. He pushes the ball down to the ground with fingers so as to gain better control of the ball. The player dribbles the ball with the hand which is farther from the defending player so as to make it difficult for him to snatch the ball from him. While dribbling, the player has to move forward. A dribbler has to be expert in dribbling with both hands so as to save the ball from opponent. A good dribbler keeps the ball low reducing the distance of the ground and the hand. A low ball is difficult to be snatched by the opponent. An expert dribbler even can dribble the ball while moving the ball around his body while moving forward. This technique is known as a crossover.

Blocking is another technique of basketball in which a defender blocks a shot by touching it. The ball is allowed to be touched by the defender before it comes down from its arc. The ball can be touched while going upward and not when it is coming down towards the basket. A player has to reach a higher point by jumping. Taller players score more blocking points than the shorter players. So, a player with a greater height is used as a blocker since he or she is at an advantage for his team. But shorter players can be successful by performing higher leaps at accurate moments and are great for in court passing.

Shooting in Basketball

Shooting is one of the major basketball techniques in which a player attempts to score points by putting the ball into the basket. Shooting methods differ from player to player and in various situations. In shooting, a player is face to face with the basket and keeping the ball on the finger tips shoots the ball in the basket. The wrist is kept stationary for a few seconds and the ball is then released by jumping towards the basket. The ball's impact with the rim is reduced by the player by a steady backspin on the ball.

A player may use two methods to put the ball in the basket. He can shoot by aiming directly at the rim without touching the backboard or he may use the backboard to redirect the ball into the basket.

Basketball Shot Types

There are multiple shot types:

Jump Shot - The jump shot is taken in mid-air releasing the ball while jumping. A jump shot is effective allowing the player to shoot above the head of the defender.
Layup - A layup is type of shot in which a player remains in motion toward the basket. reaching toward teh rim while laying it in.
Dunk - A slam dunk in which a player takes a very high jump throwing the ball straight through the hoop.
Set Shot - A set shot is taken while standing on the floor without jumping in the air.
Circus Shot - A circus shot is a low percentage shot. It is taken when the player is somewhat out of controll or in an awkward position.

Learning to Jump Shoot with B.E.E.F

B stands for Balance - Place feet shoulder-width apart. Put the foot of the shooting hand slightly forward. Bend and flex legs to produce bounce during the shot.
E stands for Eyes - The eyes should be locked on the spot of the rim or backboard where the ball should land. Typically, the back of the rim (relative to the position of the shooter) should be the target unless the backboard is the target.
E stands for Elbow - The shooting arm should be bent initially in the form of a 90 degree angle. The elbow should be nearly straight below the wrist.
F stands for Follow through - With the shooting hand positioned above the arm with the 90 degree angle, place the ball on the palm and 5 fingers. The ball should be able to sit on the hand without any other support. Now gently add a support hand to the side of the ball. When the ball is shot, the arm extends nearly straight up as the legs straightent, the wrist of the ball hand snaps forward. Most good shooters will leave the arm and hand extended temporarily as if reaching inside a cookie jar on top of the cupboard.

A shot should occur fluidly and with strength.

Jimmer Mania

Jimmer Fredette, now an NBA basketball player with the Sacramento Kings, gained national fame during his collegiate career at Brigham Young University, where he was the leading scorer in all of NCAA Division I basketball during his senior season and earned every major National Player of the Year honor.

"It's been quite a ride and it's been a lot of fun and I wouldn't take anything back," Fredette said. "I had quite the career at BYU. There were a lot of ups and downs, but there were a lot more ups this year."

"To see Jimmer progress and become a leader of his team, that will be his basketball legacy," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "He is driven not just to be the best player he can, but it was how he helped his teammates to win. He always found a way. That's what I'll remember most."

"I just feel like as long as I can get into the right situation I can be successful, but it's all about the situation," he said. "Hopefully when I get in that situation I'll prove that I can play and earn the respect of my teammates, coaches and general manager, everybody involved, and hopefully play well for them."

Fredette is the first BYU player to win the award and the first from the Mountain West since Andrew Bogut of Utah in 2005.

Next up for the 6-foot-3 Fredette is the NBA draft.