Cricket may be the most followed game in India, but basketball is not far behind and has gained a decent following in recent years. Among all the major cities of India, Hyderabad supports a lot of sports like football, tennis, basketball, etc., along with cricket.
So, if you are interested in playing basketball at the university level, you can join one of the top engineering colleges in Hyderabad and take up the sport. Although you might have natural ability and a passion for the sport, you need to master specific skills to become a professional player eventually.
Let’s discuss 7 such basketball skills that you need to work on to get better at playing basketball if you are a student of the best engineering college in Hyderabad.
7 Basketball skills to master
1. Shooting skill
Shooting is the most important skill to master if you want to score and win basketball games for your college. In the modern era, shooting has shifted position from midrange jumping to hitting the deep ball around the basket. Along with practising the fundamentals of shooting, you should also develop less conventional hooks or fade-away jumper shots to score more points.
2. Passing Skill
Since basketball is a team sport, passing is something you’ll have to practice hard. While this is a difficult ability to acquire on your own, mastering it comes down to understanding how to react swiftly under pressure from the opposing team. You can practice passing by hitting the wall with the basketball. Learn different ways of passing to thread any player barrier and pass the ball to your teammates.
3. Dribbling skill
It is crucial to have ball-handling skills to beat an opponent from the set offence or lead fast breaks. If you master spin, crossover, and behind-the-back moves in dribbling, you confuse your opponent and get past them. Also, practice dribbling with your weaker hand so that you become tough to defend.
4. Footwork
Most talents on the court rely heavily on excellent footwork. How you move your feet will determine how successful you can be at basketball, whether you’re shooting, defending, rebounding, or advancing down the court. Keep your legs and core strong through bodyweight exercises, and practice both horizontal and vertical movements in every practice session to be nimble and move around like a ninja.
Related Article: Why is Football the Number One World Sport?
5. Running
The entire basketball game involves a great deal of running around the court. You must run back and forth whether you are on offence or defence. Running in the appropriate direction will allow you to go close to the basket while avoiding the opponent. For example, running sprints with side shuffles can help you develop an excellent sideways motion that will help keep the opponent in front of you.
6. Jumping
In a basketball game, jumping is required to take shots or collect a pass. This ability determines a player’s level of proficiency. On the offensive, you must leap and throw the ball right away. You’ll need to jump to stop an opponent’s pass or shot when you’re on defence. A crucial talent is jumping your opponent for a rebound.
7. Rebounding Skill
Rebounding is a stat that measures how many times a player gets the ball back after a missed free throw or field goal. The rebound may be both offensive and defensive. An offensive rebound is more challenging to obtain than a defensive rebound. Work on improving the reflexes that allow you to stop and rebound the ball during offence or defence.
Conclusion
Basketball is a game that requires both top-level fitness and different skill sets, which must be honed at the school and college levels. Therefore, if you are a basketball player studying in one of the top engineering colleges in Hyderabad, work on the above seven skills to excel at various intercollege, state, and national level basketball competitions.