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WE
sometimes see this situation on court in which a
three-on-one fast break is consummated by a player who
takes an outside shot instead of taking it all the way
to the hoop or taking advantage of his numbers on his
side.
Or,
perhaps, we might have seen lately reinforcements in the
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) who would rather
shoot from way out, instead of taking advantage of their
size by driving to the hoop and getting an offensive
rebound in the process for an easy putback.
Perhaps,
the first question would be: Is the cager better off
shooting from the outside or taking it strong to the
hoop?
The
second question: Is that player equipped to make the
outside shot when the situation calls for it?
The
third consideration: Does a player’s good judgment show
that shooting or driving is the best option at the
moment?
Most
coaches would probably be concerned about high
percentage or low percentage shots. Or is it the
perception that the closer the attempt, the higher the
chances of hitting the mark?
That may
be a safe and secure way of making the shots, or playing
the percentages, for that matter, but it could have
disastrous effects on a player who is capable of making
the shot.
A player
who is too much concerned on making the high percentage
shot might be shortchanging himself when he lets go of
the opportunity to improve on his distance, particularly
when he is not too tall to begin with.
Of
course, it’s a beauty to see a pint-sized player running
rings around taller ones inside the shaded lane, but
that is not always the case. A good big man is always a
shade better than a good small man. And, all things
considered, the favor will tilt toward the big man.
That’s
stressing this point a bit too far.
A
basketball is always expected to add on to his skills,
whether it is learning how to dribble with both hands,
taking advantage of small opening for a shot or
increasing his distance and ability to hit shots with
varied difficulty.
If one
is playing in a league of seven-footers, will driving in
be the most feasible option, or is shooting from way out
a better alternative?
In the
end, it will be the fundamentals and the sound judgment
that will come in. |
