Players Testing Their Shooting Range

Basketball: Establish Each Player's Shooting Range

Dick Moss, Editor, PE Update.com

A good shot is one in which your shooter isn't covered too closely, is in good shooting position, and doesn't have a teammate with an easier shot.

Perhaps more important, your shooters must be in range. That is, they must be at a distance from the basket where they have a high-percentage chance of sinking the shot.

Many players aren't truly aware of their shooting range and will take a shot any time they're open. So it's up to the coach to determine shooting ranges for each player. If you can do this, you'll improve the efficiency of your offence.

Shooting Range Test
Test your players by having them take 10-20 uncontested shots at 15 feet and 21 feet (inside and outside the three-point shooting circle). Players must be able to sink 65% of their shots during the test to be allowed to shoot from that range during a game. Of course, shooting percentages will be lower during a game.

This is an objective method to determine each player's shooting range. If they are outside their range, they should not shoot during a game because it's a low-percentage attempt.

Test throughout the season so players who improve can extend their shooting range.

References:
1. John Hurley & Jerry Krause, (Editor) Coaching Basketball—The Official Centennial Volume of the National Assn of Basketball Coaches, Masters Press, 1991.
2. Kevin Sivils, The Game of Basketball: Basketball Fundamentals, Intangibles and Finer Points of the Game for Coaches, Players and Fans, Southern Family Publishing, 2010.

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