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WE are a
nation of relatively small men so I sometimes think that
basketball is a quixotic dream for us.
It has
always been said that a good big man is better than a
good small man. In basketball, height is everything,
particularly Philippine basketball.
As we
all know, the taller team has the advantage right off
the bat when it comes to rebounding, a very important
facet of basketball.
Rebounding enables a team to gain possession or retain
or deny opportunities to score or open opportunities to
capitalize.
A good
fast break starts with the defensive rebound off an
opponent’s miss. Unlike the inbound that allows the
defense to prepare, a rebound coupled with quick passes
downcourt allows the offense to capitalize on a lack of
defensive setup.
In the
case of offensive rebound, it allows the offense to gain
second-chance points. Plus the shooter from the outside
gains added confidence if he knows that there is a
teammate who would rebound after a miss and turn garbage
into gold.
I may
have said the taller team has the advantage, but not all
the time. In fact, even a medium-sized person can pluck
a few rebounds. The secret is not the high-leaping
activity or athleticism although it works for others.
One
secret is positioning.
What I
mean by positioning is being at the right place at the
right time. It’s knowing how a missed shot would bounce
off the ring and the most likely places it would fall on
the court.
The key
in this case is observation of shooting and how certain
shots touch off the ring.
Add to
this boxing out. A player with a clear position for a
rebound but fails to box out and secure his claim on the
ball will lose possession.
There
are small men who can grab a rebound from tall men with
this.
I
remember Chito Loyzaga, who is neither too tall nor a
high leaper but can pluck rebounds with ease due to his
positioning and boxing out.
Some
might say Loyzaga’s bulk also helps him out. But in that
case, how does a lanky Mon Fernandez get a fair share of
board clearing?
Rebounding may look like dirty work for some unlike the
fame accorded to scorers and shooters, but it made stars
out of the likes of Dennis Rodman. Minus the blonde
hair, earrings and tattoos, of course. |
