Article by William Crow – Former Professional Basketball Player / Chairman Springbak Inc.

When you drive to the basket you must normally beat two people. The first is the man that is guarding you. The second is the big man guarding the basket. How to beat the man guarding you was covered in a previous blog. The concentration here will be how to beat the big man guarding the basket. Remember driving to the basket is the best way to get to the foul line!

Here are some tips on driving to the basket:

1.  Accelerate your last two steps.

2.  Remember that your momentum will carry momentum on the basketball toward the basket – so flip the ball straight up in the air when accelerating to allow your momentum to carry the ball to the basket.

3.  Accelerate toward a spot on the backboard away from the big man defender.

4. Flip the ball HIGH on the backboard with soft backspin so the basketball will drop down into the basket, not careen the ball off the backboard.

5. Put the ball up quick, before the defender can react. Our Springbak Springsoles will give you quicker reaction time and a quicker release. Keep a short shooting stroke, this technique was covered in a previous blog post as well.

6. If the defender is near the basket you have the option to drive past the defender and bring the basketball back to the basket off the backboard with spin.

7. Remember you have obstacles on your side:

a.  One obstacle is the basket itself. If you can jump high enough to extend the basketball above the basket, the rim will act as an obstacle to the defender.

b.  Also, use your body often as an obstacle. Keep your body between the basket and your defender, controlling the basketball with spin off the backboard. If the defender goes through your body to block the basketball, you will most likely get to the foul line.

c.  A third option is to make contact with your body to the body of the defender going up to block your shot. After contact, regain your balance then shoot. This is another trick that will probably get you to the foul line.

Have fun and enjoy the basketball tips – William Crow / Chairman Springbak Inc.

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For more tips and information:

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Article by William Crow – Former Professional Basketball Player and Chairman Springbak Inc.

* Outside Foot Stance:
1) Always have one foot forward in a driving stance.

2) Have the same foot forward as the shooting hand and at the same time have the basketball up to your chest.

Why? This way the offensive player has created three options.

a) He or she has put themselves in a driving position. This will cause the defender to back off to protect against a drive to the basket.

b) The offensive player option two is to shoot directly off the front leg with one upward shooting motion from the chest.

c) The offensive player can step back to create space from the defender and jump off both legs for a jump shot.

* Inside Foot Stance:
Same principal as the Outside Stance, always have one foot forward, never parallel. Why?

1) The offensive player can better hold his or her ground against a defender, because he or she can push back with the forward leg.

2) The offensive player can step away from the defender and half pivot at the same time to create space for a jump shot.

3) If forward foot position is set before receiving a pass THEN EITHER FOOT CAN BE A PIVOT FOOT. This has tremendous advantages in that the inside player can pivot either away from the basket and the defender to create space or pivot toward the basket on a drive. The defender has a much tougher time defending these two options.

4) Again, never have your feet parallel, why?

a) The option of pivoting away to create space is lost.

b) Power is lost on a drive to the basket.

c) It is much harder for the offensive player to hold position.

Have fun and enjoy the Foot Work Tips!

- William Crow, Chairman – Springbak Inc.

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For more tips and information:

Visit the Official Springbak® Website at www.springbak.net
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Article by William Crow – former professional basketball player – Chairman Springbak Inc.

* The key to any shot, especially a jump shot is balance, you must have the basketball up to chest level as you begin your jump.

* At this point, your Springbak Springsoles will further help your balance by aiding in stopping your momentum as you set your feet to begin your jump. The Springbak Springsoles will also increase your shooting range and give you much more balance and stability when shooting the basketball.

* The key to having the basketball at chest level and in control of your hands as you start your leap on a jump shot, is coordination between your footwork and your dribble.

* As you approach a defender before going up for your jump shot, the basketball should hit the floor between strides. Your last dribble before going up for your shot should be a quick, hard dribble in order to get the basketball to your hands as quick as possible.

* As the last quick dribble is made, do a skip step with your push-off foot. A skip step means pushing off horizontally close to the floor and simultaneously landing on both feet after pushing off with one foot. With that quick last dribble in mid-stride, the basketball should be in your hands and up to your chest as you land on both feet to begin your jump shot.

* This is the key to timing and balance on your jump shot. Have the basketball in your hands at CHEST LEVEL BEFORE YOU LAND ON BOTH FEET TO BEGIN YOUR JUMP SHOT! Before bringing your dribble into your shot approach, hold the ball at chest level while you do your foot work approach. Then take your shot and notice how good your balance is when starting your shot from chest level.

* After you get this down, then practice incorporating your dribble into your approach move. Our Springbak Springsoles will aid every step of the way, both in quickness, strength, spring and balance.

Enjoy these basketball tips and practice that jump shot.

Have fun!

William Crow – Chairman Springbak Inc.

______________________

For more tips and information:

Visit the Official Springbak® Website at www.springbak.net
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Article by William Crow – Former Professional Basketball Player – Chairman Springbak Inc.

Great footwork skills are necessary to beat a defender on a drive to the basket. Why? This ability is extremely important because the more the ability the offensive player has to drive past a defender, the more a footwork skills come into play. Great footwork skills will cause the defender to play further off the offensive player making it easier to get off a jump shot.

How do I beat a defender on a drive to the basket?

Step one: Create a driving alley either left or right.
Step two: The first movement if driving to the left is to first (as quickly as possible) plant your right foot onto the floor for a quick push off to the left. The entire inside length of your right shoe should hot the floor at the same time (to take any stress off your ankle).

As soon as the shoe hits the floor, spring to the left. If you are wearing Springbak Springsoles in your shoes, the spring effect of the Springsoles will quicken your push off to the left. Your cut to the left is in effect a low lateral jump to the left, to move your body into that driving lane before the defender can react and get there before you do. If you get there at the same time and collide, the foul is on the defender. If you get to the alley before the defender, you have a drive to the basket.

As you spring off your right foot, you should simultaneously step out with your left leg and lean your shoulder to the left. When you left ankle hits, push off hard towards the basket. To drive to the right, (and you need a move in both directions) just reverse the move to the left instructions.

Have fun and practice great footwork to improve your game tremendously.

William Crow – Chairman Springbak Inc.

______________________

For more tips and information:

Visit the Official Springbak® Website at www.springbak.net
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The best basketball shooters all have an extremely quick release with no more than two motions. Here are tips you need to incorporate into your shot.

1) Straight up to the shooting stroke position off a pass reception or a dribble.

2) Never take the ball down to start a release, this just creates extra motion that slows the release

How long should the power stroke be? Only 3 to 4 inches max. Why?

3) This short quick explosion of the arm: upward push of the shoulder, quick extension of the forearm, all done at the same time

4) A quick release activates the elastic whipping action of the wrist and fingers.

How does a shooter get proper backspin on the basketball?

5 ) Backspin comes from the basketball rolling up the fingers at release.

The ball should be released off the middle finger. Why?

6) This allows the wrist to break directly at the rim

Should my elbow be in when I shoot the basketball? No. Why?

7) If your elbow is in when you shoot the basketball, this causes the wrist to be out of line with the basket.

Article written by William Crow – Former NBA Basketball Player * Chairman, Springbak Inc.

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