For any coach, the ‘junk’ defense is employed for one of two reasons. First, your opponent is looking to catch you off guard and use the element of surprise to interfere with your offensive rhythm. Secondly, an opponent might feel the bulk of offensive production might come from one (maybe two) players and regards the rest of the team as non-threats. Four years ago we had a player in our league out of Central Oregon that was leading the scoring average by a mile-scoring 32 points per game-we elected to implement a box and 1 defense to throw off our opponents rhythm as well as kennel the explosion of offensive fire power this player possessed.

Junk defenses come in two very distinct combinations. The box and 1 (sometimes referred to as the diamond and 1) and the triangle and 2. Teams often attack the junk defense using their regular offensive sets to force open opportunities for their scoring threats. This type of philosophy is what I refer to as the traditionalists. Tradition says, if you run your offense with precision no one will be able to beat you. These are also the coaches who can be found saying, “defense wins ball games”. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this approach. Yet, there are those who are opportunists like myself who rely on certain zone busting principles such as:

Attacking the Interior

Ball Movement

Spacing

Faking a pass to make a pass

to counter the junk. Offensive maneuvers like back screens, high/low situations, and on-ball screens are the most effective means of scoring points on an junk defense. Finally, it is important to practice and implement specific offensive sets your team will use against a box and 1 or triangle and 2 alignment.

Most children in this modern age enjoy playing with their advance technology gadgets inside the house or anywhere they want to play. They used to carry these gadgets as long as they can bring it with them or put it in their pocket and just grab it any minute that they feel like playing or using them.

We can say that those children who play, or hold some of these advance things are advanced intellectual kids which are a good sign. But we must remember that there are also disadvantages with these gadgets. Your children might play all the time and be lazy when you asked them to pack up or fix their bed.

Some children just sit on the couch the whole day and they also forget to take their meals. They may take their meals but eat less and play more, which is a bad thing because their health is affected. Also they might use eyeglasses in an early period time of their lives. If your child is one of them, you might want to do another trick which they will enjoy and may be of help with their health.

What will you do? Try to set up a backyard court. This trick will work with your child especially when you play basketball with them as a first step. There are varieties of basketball courts but make sure that you are going to get the highest quality court for your child.

In starting to build an outdoor court, consider your own yard. Backyard sport court is a great place for your kids to hang out. Beautify backyard with a gorgeous basketball court so your family will enjoy every minute of bonding in your backyard. You may also take advantage of your wasted driveway space by turning it into a great home practice basketball court.

Get your children off the couch and play with them for an hour or more or during your rest day. Your kids will definitely enjoy this game with you and sooner with their friends. This set up is great for your child’s health. If your child is lousy before, they may be able to have their reflexes back in time.

Having an outdoor or sport court will be of help to your child’s health without them knowing it. Basketball is one source of exercising all your child’s body parts and inner organs which will definitely make them more eager to do things in the future. With basketball as an exercise, your child will be more energetic.

By building an outdoor sport court, you have made the right choice. Because you did not just beautify your home; but you have built a perfect family spot for playing, bonding and one perfect place where you can share your precious moments with your child and your family.

Grab a pen and paper and write down the top 10 NBA players today. Once you’re done, try to determine what they have in common. Yes, almost all of them have high verticals. They’re consistent customers for the top 10 dunk video lists. In the videos, they’re either dunking over people or blocking shots towards the 3rd row. In addition, they can also do things that are not usually shown on highlight reels. For example, they average double figures in rebounding.

There’s a common misconception that a high vertical is only for dunking. What they fail to realize is a higher vertical can help you improve your overall game. Your offense is basically covered since you can easily explode to the basket for a poster dunk. No one can block your jump shot since you can jump high and you release the shot on the top of your jump. On defense, you can easily give your team extra possession with a rebound and you can deflate the opposing team’s morale with a few blocks.

This is the reason why you should learn how to jump higher in basketball. Fortunately, there are a lot of things that you can do. But here are the quick and practical tips in order to jump higher:

Find a program that can help you

There are a lot of jump higher programs available. It’s a good idea to just go for a trusted program instead of trying a lot of programs. Better yet, find a good trainer. Fortunately, there are jump higher programs that offer one on one training as well. Even if they’re miles away, they can still guide you as if they’re there.

Work out your whole body

The aim is to train your whole body in order to develop explosive muscles. You need dynamites in your legs. However, a good program should train you from all available angles. This way, your body will be working as one to give you a higher vertical.

Eat the right food

Since you’re in the process of building explosive muscles, you need to eat right. In addition, shedding a few pounds can also help you increase your vertical. In fact, losing 10 pounds will give you a couple of inches more even without training.

Visualize it

Visualize yourself jumping higher. That’s one of the most important things that you should learn if you want to know how to jump higher in basketball. That’s proven by sports psychologists. In addition, go check out a dunk video site. Watch how dunkers do it and visualize yourself doing it.

Use your arms

Extend your arms upwards while jumping as if you’re trying to reach something. Better yet, stand under the basket, visualize yourself dunking, and extend your arms and try to reach the basket.

It takes time. But with a right program, you’ll be dunking in no time. Just look for a program that offers a guarantee just to be sure.

Some people dream of becoming a doctor, a pilot, or a teacher while others dream of becoming a professional basketball player. If you are entertaining high hopes for yourself or your son in entering a professional league, you need to start practicing as early as possible and all the important basketball training in this world always start at the backyard.

There are two ways for you to build your own basketball court: you can do it from scratch or simply purchase a DIY basketball court kit.

Starting from Scratch

Skills – You need to have intermediate carpentry skills to successfully build your own basketball court from scratch. Firstly, you have to make sure that the ground you’ll be building your basketball court on has a smooth even surface to prevent accidents and decrease the risk of injury. Secondly, you’ll need to build your own basketball ring. Thirdly, you’ll need to paint your own court lines.

Costs – It’s possible that you’ll enjoy lower costs when it comes to building your own basketball court from scratch. Most DIY basketball court kits include flooring, which would just be an unnecessary expense if you already have an appropriate floor surface for your basketball court. You can also choose your own materials for your basketball stand and ring and even painting materials and ensure that you’ll pay less for them.

Production Time – Of course, building your own basketball court from scratch will take a longer time than it would with a DIY kit. This is because instead of simply having to assemble things only as is such the case with a DIY kit, it’s entirely a different procedure when you’re determined to build one from scratch.

Firstly, you’ll have to take appropriate measurements. Secondly, you’ll have to go shopping for the necessary materials and tools before you can finally get on to the building part.

Material Sources – You may have a difficult time procuring the required materials for your project especially if you’re looking for things that are only sold wholesale in the market.

Using a DIY Basketball Court Kit

Model – Make sure that you’re purchasing the correct DIY basketball court kit. Most DIY basketball court kits differ according to court dimensions and whether or not it adheres to NBA or collegiate standards or the likes. Check also if the kit is for half or full court models.

Skills – Basic or moderate building skills are all that’s necessary to get your basketball court assembled. You will need however to read instructions carefully and thoroughly because the assembly process leaves no room for errors. Skipping a step can spell danger for you in the long run as it compromises the safety of your basketball court.

Cost – Expect to spend a small amount of money on a DIY basketball kit, although this is certainly money well spent because DIY kits include absolutely everything you need to make your basketball court entirely professional and fit for the NBA!

Tips on Installing Poles for Your Basketball Court

Whether you’re building your own basketball court from scratch or using a DIY kit, you’ll basically undergo the same process in properly installing your pole.

Firstly, you need to dig an appropriately sized hole for the foundation of your basketball pole. At least one foot and three inches of your basketball pole must be set underneath to ensure its stability. Once you’ve secured the pole’s position, cover the hole with concrete. Make sure it’s completely filled and doesn’t have any air pockets. Afterwards, fill the pole with concrete as well. When that’s done, check if the pole is plumb positioned accurately.

Important Measurements for Basketball Court Building

The NBA and NCAA are both using the same court dimensions: ninety-four feet in length and fifty feet in width. High school basketball courts use the same width but a shorter length at eighty-four feet. Junior high basketball courts are seventy-four feet in length and forty-two feet in width.

Regardless of whether you’re using an NBA, NCAA, or Junior High basketball court, you should concentrate more on honing your son’s skills in basic basketball skills like dribbling and shooting if you want him fully prepared for a professional basketball career. But most important of all is to ensure that you and your son have fun playing. Shoot for your dreams!

Recently I attended a Junior College game that featured two of the best teams in the Midwest. As the stands filled up I noticed there were about a dozen college coaches in attendance. I will use this to explain how powerful your network can be and how it will grow exponentially.

Your network is only as strong as you make it and includes the strength of the coaches in your network. For example, you may know 30 coaches after a couple years in the profession. If none of those coaches are tied to bigger, more diverse networks then you don’t have much. If your group of 30 coaches has a few coaches who are hooked into bigger and stronger networks, then you are on your way.

The awesome thing about networking is that it can grow exponentially over a few years, from 1 to 100,001 coaches.

Here’s the make-up of my network as I watch the game last night. All of the following coaches were in attendance.

This is an example of Networking in Action:

Orv Salmon, Head Coach, DMACC. Orv and I have known each other for years and both worked for Gary Garner at Drake University.

Ben Jacobson, Head Coach, University of Northern Iowa. I recruiting Ben to play for the University of North Dakota.

Steve Krafcisin, Head Women’s Coach, DMACC. We have two schools in common. North Dakota and Iowa State University.

Bob Sundvold, Former college coach for 22 years. Bob and I worked together at Iowa State and are now business partners.

Matt Murken, Assistant Coach, Wayne State University. Matt works with Head Coach Rico Burkett at WSU. I recruited Rico to North Dakota and he joined my staff as an assistant at Stetson University.

Thom McDonald, Commissioner of Iowa Community College Athletics. Thom and I work for Championship Productions and he is also a former assistant at Drake University.

Spencer Esslinger, Assistant Coach, DMACC. Spencer worked our basketball camps at Iowa State University for many summers.

Dana Goodwin, Assistant DMACC Women’s Coach. Dana worked our basketball camps at Iowa State University for many summers.

B.J. McGinn, Assistant Coach, DMACC. B.J. has been a Junior college assistant in Arizona and an assistant at Wayne State University for Rico Burkett.

Jim Glash, Assistant Coach, Missouri-Rolla. Jim was a successful 9-year coach at Olney Community College. Bob Sundvold and I recruited a few of Jim’s players at Olney.

Rob Jeter, Head Coach, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Rob is a friend of Ben Jacobson’s and the two have played against each other. Because of their relationship, Rob is also then connected to all of the above.

Then, after the game Bob and I drove back to Ames and met the Iowa State University staff following their victory over the Missouri Tigers. The network continued with the following people:

Jeff Rutter, Assistant Coach, Iowa State University. Jeff worked our camps at Marquette, was an assistant on my Stetson staff, and then served as the head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

Greg McDermott, Head Coach, Iowa State University. Greg is tied in several ways to this group. He followed me as assistant coach at the University of North Dakota. There he coached Ben Jacobson and Rico Burkett. Next he was the head coach at Wayne State University, then North Dakota State. Burkett assisted him at Wayne State and Jacobson at NDSU. Before ISU, Greg was the head coach at the University of Northern Iowa. Two of his assistants were Jeff Rutter and Ben Jacobson.

T.J. Otzelberger, Assistant Coach, Iowa State University. T.J. has been an AAU coach and an assistant at Chipola CC, Florida. T.J. played for Jeff Rutter at Parkside for a year. He was on McDermott’s original staff at ISU.

Eric Henderson, Student Assistant, Iowa State University. Hendo played for McDermott and Burkett at Wayne State.

Josh Carper, Graduate Manager, Iowa State University. Carper played at Sioux City East for Jeff Vanderloo, a friend of mine and McDermott’s.

There were 16 connections to my network I saw last night. The amazing thing is that I did not plan on seeing any of those coaches. They were there just doing their job as recruiters.

Networking is essential for the health and productivity of your career. Once you are aligned with one coach, you are automatically connected to all of his connections, and all of their connections, and all of their connections……….that’s how you build from 1 to 100,001!

‘I love this game!’ This has been the famous tagline or motto the National Basketball Association uses to describe or express how players and fans a like respond to the excitement and entertainment the game of basketball provides. As a basketball enthusiast, one has a tendency to collect basketball paraphernalia from the simple basketball collectors’ cards to autographed jerseys of famous professional basketball players. Basketball’s influence or fad has in a way or another dictated fashion statement with regards to sports get up. Big time sports apparel manufacturers get endorsements from famous professional basketball players. That is how the game of basketball spells the formula in success of its market. To love basketball is to know the game.

The ‘Hard Court’

Watching a live NBA game is definitely one of the best experiences a basketball enthusiast could have. Nonetheless, as a fan, to be really ‘in the game’, it pays to know how big a standard National Basketball Association ‘hard court’ or ‘battlefield’. The area of this big rectangular space measures 94 feet in length and 50 feet wide. The basketball rim or ring stands 10 feet. The restraining circle gauges 4 feet in diameter. The Center circle of the court has 12 feet in diameter. The three point arc’s distance from the center of the basket measures between 22 to 23.75 feet. The shaded lane or the ‘key’ lane measures 16 feet while 15 feet is the distance of the free-throw line starting from the backboard.

Basketball is definitely one of the best sports that explain how winning is defined by team effort, moreover, team game. The usual basketball team is composed of five (5) players on each opposing teams and each player has special role throughout the game. The saying, ‘the best offense, is a good defense’ may certainly work well in prevailing a basketball game. There may be ‘off-nights’ or players cannot get to go with their offensive arsenal, but for sure, there is no so-called ‘off-nights’ in a defensive stance. Plays are executed or being called by their respective coaches greatly depends on the capability of the players in the court. Basketball is also a game of averages-meaning, momentum may shift from one team to the other based on how the game is being played with the plays being executed by the coaches and how players react to the plans. In playing basketball, one has to understand that winning also depends on the ‘breaks’ of the game.

Basketball uniforms develop a sense of pride, unity and team spirit among team players and fans. Uniforms are not only meant for distinguishing easily between teams on the court but also help in creating an identity for a team.

There is a large variety of basketball jerseys and uniformsavailable across the globe. If you have plans to buy a jersey then you have a wide range of options to select from such as specialized custom made basketball jerseys, wholesale specialized basketball jerseys, limited-edition basketball jerseys and off the rack jerseys.

A custom basketball uniform is the best way to create an identity for a team. Most teams prefer to design their own team uniforms with their respective team name, logo, colours, neck styles and numbers on the jerseys. Several sports outlet stores have basketball jerseys but offer limited design choices if you aspire to design your own uniform. The perfect choice if you want to design your own uniform is a custom uniform store, where you can convey the design, pattern and style for your desired basketball uniform. They will take the suggested design and will put it onto the uniform of your choice carrying all the relevant information you choose.

Any kind of basketball jersey you are in search of, you can find and design for your team. Most expensive uniforms are not necessarily better as genuine uniforms can be cheap as well. But before you proceed further to purchase, there are a several features that you should consider such as:

1) Fabric: The most essential aspect of uniform is fabric as most sports require a lot of physical activity which means intense sweating. So a uniform should therefore be made of soft and lightweight fabric that helps in proper air flow, flexibility and sweat absorption. If the fabric is soft it will not stick to the body and in return it will not affect the performance of the player.

2) Design and color selection: As far as design is concerned, a large variety of designs are available for sports wears. Custom Basketball uniforms are available in almost any color or design. There is a wide variety of colors ranging from dark shades like black, navy blue, purple to brighter shades like yellow, green, red are available. So choose what suits your taste, style, comfort and most importantly compliment your team’s theme and team name.

3) Fitting: Comfort of a uniform depends on the fitting, which enable free movement of the player. Well-fitted uniforms look great but also body movement should not be restricted.

4) Budget: Organize your budget as a first step as there are a wide variety of uniform choices and quality levels available and each has a different price point. You can get uniforms from your nearby sports store or shop but you might not end up getting exactly what you want.Your best option is to check out a professional online basketball uniform retailer so you can get high quality basketball uniforms at a reasonable cost. Moreover,you should be able to get a discount if you buy in bulk for the team or association.

For years many basketball experts have taught drills that only use 1 ball. Ball circles, figure eight dribbling, ball slaps are just a few of the 1 ball drills that make their way onto basketball training videos. More recently 2-Ball Dribbling has become the staple drill to increase your ball handling skills. You get twice the improvement in half the time! It also has the added benefit of catapulting your weaker hand to catch up with your strong hand.

Here are 5 drills that will help you master the art of 2 Ball Dribbling;

1. Stationary 2 Ball Dribbling – Stand low and balanced with both feet shoulder width apart. Be sure to keep your knees bent, butt down and head up. Try to stare at the rim or objects in the gym. Be sure to not focus your eyes down towards the basketballs. If you are just starting our try to get 10 simultaneous dribbles in a row. If that is too easy pound the basketballs into the ground as hard as you can for 50 dribbles and don’t let the balls come above waist high. You did the drill correct if your shoulders feel a little burn. Dribbling soft will make you a soft dribbler.
2. 2 Ball 5 Hi 5 Lo – Dribble 5 simultaneous dribbles waist high followed by 5 simultaneous dribbles below your knees. Emphasize a strong dribble form with bent knees and eyes up. Repeat this until you get to about 100 total dribbles.
3. 2 Ball V-Dribbling – Start off with regular stationary 2 ball dribbling. As you get into a good rhythm start to make 2 V’s with the basketballs. Begin with very skinny V’s and as you improve increase the width of the V’s. You will notice that as you improve you with begin to have better range of motion with the basketballs. The first part of this drill will be done with both basketballs making V’s in front of your body. Then do the second part of the drill with both balls creating V’s on your sides. Once you get a good feel with these drills you can combine 2 ball 5 Hi 5 Lo with 2 Ball V-Dribbling. Keep making V’s but make 5 Capital V’s followed by 5 lower cased V’s. Repeat this for about 100 dribbles.
4. 2 Ball 1 Hi 1 Lo – This one is tricky and will take awhile to master. Always start with good rhythm in Stationary 2 Ball Dribbling with eyes up and knees bent. Begin to dribble 1 ball to below your knee level while keeping the other ball bouncing waist high. Dribble the waste high ball 5 times and then reverse it to the other side. Be sure to keep both balls bouncing during the transition. Repeat this for about 100 dribbles.
5. 2 Ball Box Drill – Start at the block with both balls waist high. You will face the same direction for the entire drill. Dribble to the elbow directly in front of you. Proceed to the other elbow while facing the same direction. Then Dribble backwards to the other block and then dribble back to the original block. At that point you will have completed 1 box. Repeat this 5 times in each direction. Start out by going 50% speed and increase to going as fast as you can while still being under control. This drill really emphasizes pushing the ball out in front of you move laterally.

Master these drills and the basketball will start to become feel like part of you when you dribble. It’s a great feeling to navigate the basketball court with complete control of the basketball. It will help you become a better passer and teammate by being able to see the floor with greater court vision. Spending 5 to 10 minutes a day on these drills will go a long way. Repetition with intensity is the key.

Defense wins games, and one of the most exciting defensive plays you can make, is to block an offensive player’s shot. Blocking shots will force the opposing team to respect your defensive presence, and you will be able to create more scoring opportunities for your team.

Here are some tips to help you block more shots on the basketball court.

Increase Your Vertical Jump

When I was in High School I used to rely mostly on my athleticism to get blocks. At first I didn’t think much of it, but I realized that blocking shots will earn the respect of your teammates and your competition. The opposing team will think twice about throwing up a weak lay-up when you’re lurking around just waiting to send the ball to the other side of the court.

A high vertical jump allows you to get more blocks without having to focus too much on timing and patience. For the average guy, getting a block requires great timing and focus, but when you have hops, you can get blocks despite a lack of focus or timing.

When you can jump out of the gym, getting blocks becomes inevitable. As long as you take defense seriously, you will find yourself getting blocks left and right.

Timing/Patience

There are two ways to block a shot; in a 1-on-1 situation and in a help defense situation.

In order to get blocks in any of the two situations you need to have good timing. Good timing requires you to play disciplined defense and it requires you to be patient.

Don’t jump until the offensive player’s feet leaves the floor, or the ball leaves his hands. Don’t be a jumping machine, you can get blocks without jumping if you play good defense. I can’t tell you how many times I blocked somebody without even jumping.

Basketball rewards disciplined players who take defense serious, so if you want to get more blocks, you need to be patient and focused on defense.

Experience

Blocking shots requires you to anticipate what the offense is going to do. So basically, you need to be able to read and react to what the offense throws your way.

This means you need to get in the right place at the right time and rely on your past experiences and your opponent’s previous behaviors to dictate where you need to be in order to make a good defensive play.

Jump straight up and don’t lean towards the defender. After playing organized basketball for years, I realized that referees will call a foul almost automatically if you lean towards a defender as you jump up for a block.

The more experience you have the better. So, play 1-on-1 and lots of pick-up games and seek out opportunities to block shots and you will become a better shot blocker.

“Champions play as they practice. Create a consistency of excellence in all your habits.”

– Mike Krzyzewski

It requires hours of daily practice sessions to bring consistency of excellence in your performance. Practice is a virtue which needs to be incorporated from the time you develop interest in a game.

In words of Charles Barkley, “The only difference between a good shot and a bad shot is if it goes in or not.”

The best option thus is to have your own basketball hoop where you and your children can practice for hours ensuring that every shot of yours ends up as a good shot.

Having a basketball hoop in your backyard means you can go anytime and can shoot some baskets to relieve your stress, and stay fit and healthy. If you have a kid who develops interest in basketball, it will help you in shaping his career in this sport.

Installing an in-ground basketball system is not rocket science. However, the whole process takes some good amount of time and labor. Check out the following steps to get your own in-ground basketball goal installed at your home:

Arrange the Basic Supplies

Before you start the process of installation, arrange the basic supplies that include 850 pounds of dry concrete mix, level, shovel, wheel barrow, tape measure, large Phillips or flathead screwdriver (according to instructions), step ladder, wrench (size according to instructions), water, and marker.

Choose the Site

The next step is to select the appropriate site for your personal basketball goal. It should preferably be a flat cemented surface to avoid tumbling while playing. You can consider your backyard, a part of garden, vacant area around garage, or patio for the site.

Process of Installation

Dig a hole which is 36-48 inches deep and has a circumference of 18 inches. The depth depends on the position of frost line for your area. Place the bottom part of the pole in the hole and keep it straight (90 degrees to the ground). Take the help of friends and family to keep the post erect while you are working at the bottom of the pole.

Add gravel to the bottom of the hole to a level of 6 inches. Put a foot or two of dirt and tamp it down. When you are sure that the pole is precisely placed 90 degrees to the ground and is plumb, start adding concrete. Go for some extra inches with your concrete, if your basketball system is for heavy use.

Do not fill the complete hole with concrete as it will make it very difficult for you to remove the pole sometime in the future. You should also leave a dome of concrete at the base of the pole to prevent accumulation of water and rusting of bottom of the pole.

Allow the concrete to set for about 24-48 hours. Then, place the latter part of the pole over the base fastened into the ground. Bolt together, fix the basketball backboard and hoop, and get ready for hours of fun and excitement.