When basketball season rolls around, you’ll see many obsessed players and fans. One thing to do if you wish to keep people cheering is to do well at basketball. Each teammate is important to the team, so you need to do what you can to improve your abilities. Read on for great tips which will help you win more often.

Having a good foundation is key when shooting the ball. Falling when you make a shot is not the right way to shoot. They are not doing it right. Good balance while shooting will lead to landing more baskets.

TIP! Make sure that you’re dribbling the ball correctly. Don’t use your palm, use your fingers.

Make sure to practice your layups whenever possible. Since layups account for the majority of scoring in a game. During practice you want to get up enough speed to quickly get to the rim then easily lay the ball towards the hoop. Practicing the running and jumping method will help you shoot better this way in a game.

Free throws require both mental and physical abilities. You can practice for hours on how to make the shot, but if you over think things or get distracted you will miss every time. Take a deep breathe, relax and block out all outside distractions before taking the shot.

Try playing basketball games alone before and during the season. While it’s a team sport, you may not be able to find others that will play. No problem. It is possible to get a lot done even when playing alone. Practice pivoting or you can practice doing free throws. There’s always some work to do.

TIP! Your balance is an important aspect to consider when you are shooting. We have all seen the professional basketball player falling out of bounds and making a basket from 30 feet away, but this is not proper technique.

When playing basketball, it is important to always keep your eye on the ball. You must always be prepared to receive a pass and you need to know where players are on the court. Also, you need to stay aware of areas which might open up and give you an easy basket.

It’s great to be quick in basketball. Developing speed and vision is vital to playing the game well. You have to be steady as you play quickly. However, don’t try to be faster than you’re physically able to be. Playing beyond your capabilities will lead to bad passes and lots of turnovers.

Create and stick to a routine each time you prepare to shoot a free throw. It could be that you dribble several times, bend at the knees, brush your hair out of your eyes or do something else. Just make your routine quick, so that it can be consistent, and your body is going to remember just how to nail free throws following your ritual.

TIP! Don’t spend all your time practicing how to confront a zone defense. You can count on quite a bit of the game being played in zone; however, you should not be surprised if it becomes one-on-one coverage just for the sake of confusion.

Practice passing while looking another way. You are able to confuse opponents with this technique. When you do this right, looking this way will make the opponents go to the wrong place so that when you pass the other person has a better chance at making a shot. If this is pulled off, then it usually has good results.

Give your layouts the most by launching from the foot that opposes the hand you are shooting with. Jump off your left foot when you shoot using your right hand. This balances your body when moving towards your basket. It keeps your body in between you and the defender.

Using a weaker hand helps improve overall dribbling skills. Utilizing both hands to dribble the basketball and switching effortlessly is key to advantage over an opponent. Tie your dominant hand behind your back and force yourself only to use your weak hand. Your weak hand won’t be that for long!

TIP! If you have a kid that wants to play basketball in high school, be sure they’re working on their core muscles. The core muscles are the hips, lower back muscles and the abdominal muscles.

Build up your forearms to become a better ball handler. For example, you can improve dribbling skills by adding wrist curls to your routine. Making a goal isn’t just standing there as the ball miraculously comes to you and then shooting it at the basket. The ball should always be in control and moving.

You need to take charge when the opportunity presents itself. Taking a charge allows you a chance to earn a defensive stop, take the ball for your team, and sets up one more foul against the opponent. This can make for good psychological warfare.

Stop Dribbling

TIP! Ask your fellow team members which of your skills that they admire. Find out what they perceive as your best skill.

Only stop dribbling when you are prepared to shoot or pass the ball. If you stop dribbling, then you don’t really have that many options. If you decide not to shoot or pass, all you can do is pivot on your rear foot. That will allow your opponents to double team you and potentially steal the ball.

Make your opponent change their path. It is irrelevant whether you are playing defense or offense; in both cases, your ability to control the direction of your opponent is critical. This enable you to make the choices on where you are going rather than letting them decide.

As you’ve read, there are several ways to better your game. Improved players lead to improved teams and eventually happier fans. Many people have a part in basketball, even if they are just cheering in the crowd. You are obligated to put forth 100 percent effort during every game. You’ll become a better team member if you use the tips in this article.