Basketball 101 (Part 4)
Positions and strategies play an important part in the game of basketball. As a team manager, one must know which position each player would be more optimal in, even though, there is nothing in the rule book that specifies that there should be specific positions filled in a team. Positions in a team include the point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and centre.
The point guard is usually the fastest player on the team. He organizes the offense by making sure that the ball gets to the right place at the right time. The shooting guard is the one who makes the most amounts of shots during offense. He also guards the best player whilst on defense. Small forward is usually responsible to score points by dribbling through the defenses of the other team. When on defense, he gets the rebounds and steals the ball. Power forwards often play offensively. When on defense, they play directly under the basket or against the opposing team’s power forward. The centre is the tallest person in the team. He uses his height to score points. While on defense, he guards the basket closely. Choosing the right player for the right position is a major part of strategy used in the basketball games.
Strategy is an essential and important part of basketball. As the game evolved, so did the strategies that were being used. During 1999-2000, teams were using their best player to run the defense while the other four players would move out of his way. This tactic was known as the “isolation tactic”. Now the teams are using more teamwork. There are two main defense tactics used in basketball. The first one is called “Zone defense”. In this tactic, the players defend a specific zone rather than just one single person. The other type of tactic is called “man to man defense”. This is when a single player is defended instead of a specific zone. There are many offensive tactics in basketball as well. Offense involves more planned passes and movements of players (including those who do not have the ball). The pick and roll tactic involves two plays called the “cut” and the “pick”. A cut is when a player moves to a position which has more advantage without the ball, and a pick is when a player stands in the way of the defender from the opposing team. In a pick and roll, the player with the ball (ball handler) moves towards a teammate who sets up a pick. The defender is forced to decide whether he should guard the ball handler or the “screener”. If he decides to pursue the ball handler, the screener can move towards the basket and is open for a pass and a shot. If the defender chooses to guard the screener, then the ball handler has an open route to the basket and eventually the shot. It takes a lot of teamwork for the “pick and roll” strategy to work.
Shooting the ball, and knowing which type of shot is required for a certain situation is also an important part of tactical planning for basketball play. There are many different types of shots, but the two most commonly used ones are the “set shot” and the “jump shot”. A set shot is when the player does not remove his feet from the ground while taking the shot. This shot is usually used for free throws. The jump shot is one where the player is in the middle of the air. The player lets the ball go at the top of the jump. The advantage of this shot is that there is a lot more power and range in it. It also allows the player to be higher than the defender. Although, if the player taking the shot comes down from the jump without letting the ball go, it is considered a “travel violation”. Another commonly used shot is the layup. In a layup, a player is moving toward the basket and rolls the ball off the backboard and into the basket. The most accurate shot is the “Slam dunk”. This is when the player jumps over the hoop and throws the ball directly into the hoop. This shot is also a crowd pleaser and a chance for the players to show off their skills.
Basketball is one the world’s most popular sport. So much that there are more than 20 different variations that requires the same type of skills including “21”, “around the world” and the ever popular “H.O.R.S.E”. Unlike some other games that died out over the ages, like jousting and hunting, basketball will always be around. Like superman, the game will never die.
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