Archive for November, 2007
Thursday 29 November 2007 @ 8:22 pm
Basketball training needs to be carefully designed based the movement patterns that exist within the game. This understanding allows players to train using dynamic movements that promote function. For example; an exercise that includes a movement application is favored over one that is stationary. In addition, movement training primarily increases a human beings capacity for functional strength and conditioning.
* Are individual basketball skills important in training?
Yes and all individual skills must be mastered or in the progress of mastery for completion as a player. Individual basketball skills include but are not limited to shooting, passing, cutting, rebounding, defending, awareness, and helping.
Daily practice requirement for the pursuit of skill mastery is to the point of execution failure. For example; chest pass to a partner as explosive as you can. Have the partner throw the ball back quickly and then repeat the rapid chest pass. Once you are no longer accurate to your partner, the passing fundamental is over.
It is very important to develop correct habits so that the motor patterns can be remembered properly when you need them the most. At the end of a game when you are exhausted, you will not have to worry about a pass getting to a teammate. You know it will since you practiced diligently in your training.
* Should basketball players concentrate on flexibility before training?
Attaining an optimal level of flexibility is a precursor to lifting with weighted resistance of any kind. This is because dynamic movements greatly reduce the possibilities of injuries and safely increase maximum strength. A fine example of a dynamic stretch is jogging. Within a few minutes of jogging, the soft tissues (muscles) within the body become fuller due to their usage. This is that general feeling of being warm or what most coaches call a warm up. At this point, it is time to divulge into sensible physical training.
Movement stretches or dynamic stretches allow an athlete to develop flexibility without attempting to force flexibility. Improper stretching techniques can lead to sports injury and adequate health is the ticket to achieving true athletic potential and more importantly, reaching it.
* Do basketball players need to lift weights?
No they do not. Basketball players are advanced movers and need to condition themselves as such. The human body is comprised of a unique blend of levers (bones/joints) that have differential properties containing mechanical advantage and disadvantage. The primary goal of a player is to increase his entire bodily leverage to ensure performance during a rapid, high pressure, reactive based environment such as the basketball court. All players have natural weakness and those need to be assessed, and tended to through adequate training. In time and with patience, a player improves. Prior to lifting with weighted resistance a player must master his own bodily movement.
* What should basketball players focus on to get results?
First, layers need to focus on developing their peripheral vision to the highest possible level. This ability greatly enhances awareness and leads to prowess. In the early days of basketball, coaches would put their players in a circle and have them pass balls to each other without looking. Each player would look straight ahead yet still see the ball quickly approaching them with there peripheral vision. This is the type of basketball training that represents similar anxiety to that of an actual game.
In addition to visionary development each basketball player needs to improve wrist and ankle strength. Both joints hold an overwhelming responsibility to our movement and manipulative capability. Properly training the wrists and ankles reduces the possibilities of strains, sprains, and pain all together.
Wrist training benefits include but are not limited to longer shooting range, explosive passing, ball control, shock absorption, etc. Ankle training benefits increase speed, movement, acceleration, vertical leaping, bounding, running, stopping, changing direction, shock absorption, etc.
Thirdly, a basketball player needs to concentrate on developing a perfect core balance. Sometimes trainees have abdominal muscles that are much stronger than their back muscles. This is due to basic overwork and neglect and it creates muscular imbalance which may lead to future injury.
Additionally postural strength is paramount and serves as a primary injury preventive attribute. Improved core strength allows a player to move his body quicker, faster, and stronger in unpredictable environments where any movement may occur. This type of conditioning is developed through unique dynamic functional tasks that require concentration and mental toughness.
* What is basketball strength?
Basketball Strength is the power to score, dominate, and defend anyone at anytime on the basketball court. It is a no fear demonstration of skill mastery and ability. Consider this a honed skill set that can not and will not be denied.
Wednesday 28 November 2007 @ 4:36 am
In terms of sheer numbers, no sport matches the opportunity, intrigue, depth of quality, or endless variety involved with college basketball betting. Nearly every day of the week, from mid-November through March, bettors and sportsbooks match bankrolls on the hardwood fortunes of 235 teams in more than a dozen conferences.
While number crunching and detailed analysis always are essential tools in college basketball betting, a degree of “art” compliments the “science” and is helpful, too. The successful bettor understands that subjective analysis of a number of other factors also must be considered.
Let’s look at a number of these elements:
Teeming with teams: Competition all but mandates that a sportsbook posts prices on over 200 teams, (as compared to 30 NBA clubs) providing the gambler with many more options. For bettors, it’s a lot easier to find a bad number among 100 games than it is to find one among 13 or 14.
Home, sweet home: Sure, the home court is a factor in NBA play but it’s the tiresome travel associated with getting to a road game that puts the visiting team at a disadvantage in the pro ranks. For that reason, NBA spreads are affected more by schedule than by actual home court.
Since NCAA teams only play about 30 games a year, lengthy road trips aren’t a factor in college play. Nevertheless, with its requisite contingent of chanting, sign-waving students, the home court really does matter in college basketball betting. In fact, the home court can be such an advantage that there may be as much as a 10-point swing in home-and-home series pointspreads.
Morale: A shorter schedule and more heated rivalries, particularly within conferences or states, all but guarantees that emotion, especially when you’re dealing with impressionable teenagers, will play a greater role in college basketball than it does in the NBA. For that reason, assessing a team’s motivation can be a crucial factor in college basketball betting.
Revenge: Another factor unique to college basketball is revenge. A team that lost to an opponent once often is troublesome to tame the second time around. This is a scenario that plays itself out in conference play, where splits are more common than sweeps.
Freshmen: Time was that first year recruits sat on the pine and waited their turn. Nowadays, if you’re good enough to play, coaches put you in the game.
Interestingly, the emergence of freshmen as major contributors has required sportsbooks and bettors to track the careers of high school seniors, monitoring their college choices and assessing the impact they may have on those programs. Ohio State, which landed prized center Greg Oden, North Carolina, Texas, Connecticut, Duke, Tennessee, Washington, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Wake Forest, Stanford and Kansas are among the schools whose recruiting hauls could have a sizable impact on their fortunes this season.
Since no sport is more affected by a single player than basketball, every new addition–freshman, junior college or transfer–has the opportunity to alter the dynamic of the team.
Three-for-all: Further complicating the oddsmaking and betting equation is that college basketball is much more like a three-act play than a seamless season.
Act I begins in mid-November and extends through the end of the year when teams play most of their non-conference games. For teams still seeking an identity, this is a chance for experimentation with different lineups and strategies, a time of growing pains that often are reflected by the pointspread. Other teams, ones with experienced players, have an obvious advantage in cohesiveness. After all, basketball is a team sport.
Act II begins with the tip-off of the conference schedule, which starts in January. Teams have worked out the kinks by now and, for the most part, are ready to face a series of opponents with whom they have some familiarity. The teams may play each other as many as two or three times each season–twice in conference play and perhaps again in the league’s tournament–and coaches know each other and their preferred style of play. There are few surprises and, except for those occasions when the very best teams are playing the very worst teams, close games are common.
For the fortunate, the curtain will rise for Act III, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, in March. It is the unpredictable nature of the “Big Dance,” the convergence of teams that have as much in common as Rick Majerus and hair spray, which makes “March Madness” the oddsmaking and sports betting challenge that it is.
Because of its uniqueness, bet makers and bet takers approach the tournament both respectful and wary of an entirely different set of factors that rarely come into play during college basketball’s regular season. We’ll examine that aspect of college basketball betting next spring.
Tuesday 27 November 2007 @ 2:14 am
The game of basketball has wide appeal among all ages. A pick-up game at the park is a common occurrence all over the world. With the right equipment, you can play a fun game of basketball by yourself or a challenging game with your friends. Teach your children the qualities of sportsmanship and the excitement of competition. The key is acquiring the best equipment you can afford. With JumpUSA.com, you have access to the best and the most affordable basketball equipment available from your own home computer.
When selecting the right basketball equipment for your needs, it is important to look for quality brands to deliver the value you want. JumpUSA.com carries the brand name basketball hoops and basketball goals you want. Leading brand names like Spalding, Lifetime, Mammoth, and Gared are available at many price points and many include free shipping. JumpUSA.com offers a variety of accessories so that you can enjoy basketball inside, outside, and even in the pool. JumpUSA.com serves a worldwide clientele.
When you shop for basketball hoops and basketball goals, there are important features you need to look for. You want to find equipment that is easy to assemble, easy to set-up, well constructed, and durable. When shopping for portable basketball hoops, be aware that pole gauge can range from 3.5” to 4.5”. Thicker is better for setups, more solid, and less prone to sway. Adjustable height is recommended for portable hoops. For in-ground basketball hoops, height adjustable mechanisms tend to add sway. Of gas assisted lifts and crank lifts, gas is more convenient and lasts about 6 years. Crank lifts are simpler, last forever, and offer a finer degree of control. For maximum stiffness, get a non-adjustable mechanism. You want to be assured that the hoops will not break or bend. You want rugged shatter guard back boards and stable bases. Backboard material can range form stamped opaque plastic to clear acrylic to clear glass; glass is the best material as it is 33% stiffer to allow for truer bounces. Backboards range in size form 44” to 72”, the bigger the better to allow for more backboard shots. It is important to purchase durable, weather resistant, quality sports gear for your basketball hoop and basketball goal equipment to insure years of fun for you and your family and friends. Look to JumpUSA.com for all your sports equipment needs.
JumpUSA.com is the #1 Basketball hoops and Basketball goals dealer on the web. Free shipping on top brands such as Spalding, Lifetime, Mammoth, and Gared.
Monday 26 November 2007 @ 1:28 am
Playing basketball isn’t all about relying on one’s skills and knowledge of the game. It further requires teamwork. A player will be unable to score for the team if the rest fail to cooperate in the venture. More so, basketball coaching is an integral ingredient in bringing success for the team. Can just anybody do the coaching? If one has no talent for it, he won’t be able to be an effective coach.
It is significant that playing basketball should focus on the offensive and defensive sides. As coaches, they become the responsible individuals for setting the tables for these routines. Both the training in the offense and defense will not only mold the players to look their best and bring the ball to the basket but enough knowledge in these arenas as emphasized more by basketball coaching will retain the team’s being organized and composed as well as make use of tactics that will work up the opponent’s weaknesses for their own advantage.
If you take an interest in basketball coaching, you’ve got to educate yourself with the proper timing and tactics. Achieving a certain expertise on these elements will heighten your own team’s chances of scoring and eventually winning the game. Take note of these pointers when coaching:
Ensure a solid commitment to basketball coaching. If you aren’t directed by your commitment and determination, then your basketball coaching goals will remain a dream that floats around never to be realized.
Get the proper training for yourself. It will be advantageous for you to undergo training from a reputed basketball coach who can instill in you the values and necessary tips for coaching.
Get a grip on the system. Basketball coaching means learning the ropes of the game. With a keen understanding of it, you will soon be geared towards the procedures that will make everything easy and possible for you and your team.
Keep an eye on your goals. Focus, perseverance, confidence, and acceptance are the key elements to acheiveing your goals when coaching.
Dream, plan, and work on it. Your dreams can materialize if you have the willpower to do so.
There is no other being who can direct the team towards success other than you. Your basketball coaching techniques and pointers when embedded into the hearts and minds of the players will surely inspire all of them to bring victory home.
Sunday 25 November 2007 @ 2:54 am
kordonouris asked:
Do you think Diamantidis deserved the final four MVP award?How about Siskauskas or Batiste?Does anyone believe that if CSKA won the final Papaloukas wouldn’t be MVP?
Do you think Diamantidis deserved the final four MVP award?How about Siskauskas or Batiste?Does anyone believe that if CSKA won the final Papaloukas wouldn’t be MVP?
Saturday 24 November 2007 @ 11:02 pm
Boise, Idaho’s 1st Annual Jamaal Al-Din’s Hoops 227 Summer Basketball Camp was a huge success. With community support from local area businesses to coverage of several media outlets, this could be a possible foreshadowing of things to come in the city of trees! Over 30 area sponsors support Jamaal Al-Din’s Hoops 227 which boasts a creative agenda of having 5 different countries represented in it’s 1st annual summer basketball camp which was held at Boise’s Owyhee Elementary.
Coach Jamaal had kids dancing on the court during the later part of the day, which, at many youth basketball camps is unheard of, especially in Idaho. Yes, as evident by the coverage shown by local ABC television affiliate KIVI Channel 6 News this basketball camp and Coach Jammal Al-Din, himself, was able to keep Boise’s youth entertained and excited about Naismith’s game of basketball, one of our countries national past times, for the duration of his two-day basketball clinic.
Countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Columbia, and the United States were represented by the kids who attended the 1st annual Jamaal Al-Din’s Hoops 227 Summer Basketball Camp!
Coach Jamaal’s participants, 3rd-6th grades, shot an astounding 80-85% from the free throw line, as Jamaal Al-Din taught lessons attributed to Baden’s “Smartball” system advertised on ESPN and NFL Network and developed by his former high-school coach, Ed Palubinskas, the former Olympic record holder, LSU great, and former free throw tutor of the NBA’s 4-time World Champion, Shaquille O’Neal who now hosts a series on ABC television promoting healthy kids!
During the summer of 2007, there were are more than 50 youth sports camps presently advertised for youth in Boise, Idaho and Jamaal Al-Din’s Hoops 227 holds acclaim to media coverage given as result of a giving nature which should be modeled by our nation’s AAU coaches and business owners alike!…His camp participants attended for free as a result of such great community support! How else would a group of talented refugee students take part in camp which charged an entry fee of $75-$225 as most do? This was a model structured basketball camp for ada county aau and others to immulate. Why, because kids who are extremely athletic and gifted, recieved the opportunity to participate in a sporting venue that otherwise they would not have been able to attend. The self-esteem generated by such an event is immeasurable.
Coach Jamaal Al-Din will not stop there. These same camp participants will be invited back, in late August for a FREE School Supply Giveaway, sponsored by Boise area businesses! Now, in my mind, this solves two issues. Number one, kids from other contries or cultures may have a difficult time with studies and the english language, resulting in summer school, FREE school supplies will help that cause. And number two, refugee children, etc, attend the first day of school with new books and pens similar to those students who later end up attending our nation’s Yale and Harvard Universities. Hey, the self-fulfilling prophecy is alive and real and maybe these kids will end up doing the same…become Ivy League graduates!
Coach Jamaal is quickly opening doors for Boise, Idaho’s youth, and hopefully others will be inspired, as evident by, get this, you open up the Boise newspaper (Idaho Statesman) and the community events section, this week, now lists an organization as ”Hoops 101″ hosting its own free basketball clinic in late July, hey Coach, you’ve done it!
Lastly, the community and media support has been a true compliment to the people of Boise. Randy, of local ABC television affiliate KIVI Channel 6 News did an outstanding job with coverage. Get this, the guy even went so far as speaking with each participant of the camp, individually! These kids had the time of a lifetime. And the original date scheduled for an interview with Coach Jamaal was changed from June 13, 2007 to June 14, 2007, which could not have been better timing, as the newscast ended up preceding game 4 of the NBA Finals aired on June 14, 2007 day of this particular newscast! Great job KIVI Channel 6, prime exposure of a great cause, thank-you!
Jamaal Al-Din’s Hoops 227- the everything basketball website, is off to a great start! For questions or comments call (208) 340-1839.
Wednesday 21 November 2007 @ 3:42 am
Learning how to play basketball is learning its fundamentals. Here are those:
1. Dribbling - is important to penetrate to the hoop, move the ball across the court, get away from the defense, and find a good passing lane. There are different types of dribbles:
• change-of-pace,
• crossover dribble,
• behind the back,
• pull back dribble,
• low dribble,
• basic dribble,
• between the legs dribble
2. Passing - A good offensive attack requires good passing from players. This helps find an open man, to find a good shooter or to get away from a defender. There are several types of passes you need to learn:
• Overhead Pass
• Chest Pass
• Push Pass
• Baseball Pass
• Off-the-Dribble Pass
• Bounce Pass
3. Shooting - The object of the game is to win by scoring the most points. Therefore, improving the team’s shooting is important to win a game. There are several ways to score in the game:
• Jump Shot
• Dunk
• Alley oop
• Free throw
• Layup
• Three-Point Shot
• Hook Shot
4. Rebounding - is essential to gain or regain possession after the shot. Usually, the team who has the most number of rebounds after the game has more shot attempts and chances to score.
5. Offense - is the only chance that the team has a shot at the basket and scoring. Playing a good offense requires coordination among players and individual skill to execute well plays.
6. Defense - To be able to get a chance to score and gain possession, the team should play good defense and try to stop their opponent from scoring. As said, “A good defense is a good offense.”
7. Moves - There are different kinds of basketball moves that are important in executing both a good offense and a good defense. Moves are helpful in finding an open man, make a good shot or create an amazing play.
8. Violations - Knowing the kinds of basketball violations improves your game.
9. Assist - is given to a teammate to help him score easily. Thus is it important to find an open man on the court
10. Foul - is often an accidental contact made by the defender to his opponent or an aggressive move by the ball-handler towards his defender. However, a foul is also used as a strategy to stop the clock or to keep the shooting player from scoring easily. Learning how to use your fouls well is important in the game.
Monday 19 November 2007 @ 10:18 am
Are you a member of a basketball team that has recently suffered a string of losses? Are you starting to feel hopeless and are considering quitting altogether? Don’t lose hope. If your basketball coach is scrambling for a play that would be guaranteed to work on your upcoming game, then be his pet by introducing these time-tested basketball plays that will surely be scores when executed correctly:
The Triangle Offense
On this offense, two players take the post positions. They three players distribute themselves on the side wings, point guard and corner positions. The post player would be the apex of the triangle as well as the corner man and the wing man. Whoever obtains the ball at the strong-side of the wing would be the play’s triggerman. Being the triggerman, he will determine what the result of the play. 2. The players who hold the post position should now stay at the elbows. The point guard will then go to the mid-circle bottom. When this happens, the point position players will downpick two players. When this happens, there should be an open pass in the wing area. 3. When the triangle offense is played with precision, what should be achieved is an easy open shot.
The Out of Bounds Play
Pinpoint a specific ‘passer’ that will handle the ball and pass it to a player who can openly shoot the ball. The success of the play will depend on this passer, although his position or size isn’t the main aspect to consider. Anybody who can do a ‘dual trick’ will do. And what is a dual trick? First, the chosen passer should pretend to go on the offense. Once the opponent buys the trick, the passer should execute, at a perfect timing, a move that will misdirect the opponent. When this becomes a success, the passer will be able to give the ball to any available player who can shoot the ball freely. 2. Your team should be familiar with this move before it is done on the court. When any one member of the team is unsure of the participation they will contribute, then confusion creeps in and down goes the play.
The Flex Offense (Man to Man Offense)
This offensive move is believed to be the most widely used offense in basketball history. There are several ways of executing this easy but highly effective move. One way of doing it is through the stack entry. At the start of the play, the players come in a stack. 2. The guard then chooses a side where he can go to the elbow. The forward should prepare himself to receive the ball while the guard is out doing this. 3. The center then moves to the three-point lane. On the other side, another player should do this move, too. 4. The guard then passes the ball to the team’s forward as the center flashes above the screen that has been previously set. 5. After the screen has been set, one guard should set a screen for his fellow guard. 6. The forward then passes the ball to the center (who should make sure that he showed his hand prior to the move) after the screen has been established. 7. The elbow should be the forward player’s destination after this pass, with the guard running to the rainbow area. 8. One center player should set the screen for the other center to take. 9. All you need now is practice and repetitions.
Here is a short list of other famous plays that you can research online. Remember that there are even some websites that feature animated plays so it will be easier for you to execute the moves:
· The Man Defense
· The Defense Press
· The Match-up Defense
· The Motion Special
· The Press Offense
· The Late Game Plays
There are so many ways of improving your team’s output. These famous plays are just some of them. Once you master each technique and execute them in precision, you will start to see an improvement-not only your team’s scoring but more so on your level of discipline. That’s a guarantee.
Friday 16 November 2007 @ 12:01 am
Fans who bought Indiana Pacers basketball tickets for the 2006-2007 season were disappointed with the team’s performance. The Pacers did not make it to the playoffs. The team has got a new head coach now- Jim O’Brien. Furthermore, the team has strengthened its roster by adding Travis Diener and Kareem Rush. So fans are hoping that the Pacers go on to win the 2008 NBA championship.
Home Ground
The Indiana Pacers have been playing their home games at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana since 1999. Before that they used to play at the Market Square Arena. Fieldhouse is a state-of-the-art facility which can sit around 18,350 people for a basketball game. The Pacers wear navy blue, gold, silver, and white as their colors. Boomer and Bowser are the team’s mascots.
Brief History
Indiana Pacers joined the NBA in 1976. Initial years were full of struggle. However, after a decade of poor show, the Pacers finally became a very competitive basketball team in the Eastern Conference of the Central Division. The period between 1994 and 2000 were especially good for the Pacers and Indiana Pacers basketball tickets. During this period the Pacers made it to five Conference Finals, won two Central Division titles and even made it to the NBA Finals in the year 2000.
Reggie Miller And Larry Bird
One player who constantly delivered for the Pacers during this period was Reggie Miller. He is one of the NBA’s all time greats. He is also one of the best three-point shooters in all of basketball history. Miller was good news for the Indiana Pacers basketball tickets. However, we cannot ignore the contributions of Larry Bird also. Bird became the head coach for the Pacers in the year 1997. During his very first season with the Pacers he guided the team to 58 wins against 24 losses. For his efforts he was awarded the Coach of the Year Award that same year. In his third year as coach, the Pacers made it to the NBA Finals.
Presently Larry Bird is the team’s President. Bird is known as the greatest player to come out of Indiana. In 2003, Bird hired Rick Carlisle to coach the Pacers. Carlisle was responsible for retaining Jermaine O’Neal and Ron Artest in the Pacers. The Pacers finished the 2003-2004 season with 61-21 score. Furthermore, both O’Neal and Artest made the All-Star team. Artest also got the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award that season.
Players like, O’Neal and Artest had a positive effect on the sale of the Indiana Pacers basketball tickets. Jim O’Brien will be coaching the team in 2007-2008 season. They would be up against some stiff competition with Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat.
2007-2008 season is going to be full of action, Pacers are working hard on their game. You can buy Indiana Pacers basketball tickets online and be there in person to support the team. tickets sold through online ticket brokers are priced above the face value; however, if you take time to shop around you can find a good deal. Yet, you must take care to only deal with authorized ticket brokers because you surely would not want to be stuck with fake tickets.
Thursday 15 November 2007 @ 9:12 pm
Mario K asked:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L7mw4AScm4&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L7mw4AScm4&mode=related&search=
This is from a Panathinaikos match in the Euroleague




























