So you do want me to get to the freethrow line.

Just like Monta Ellis:)

Hmmm - smart guy eh! J/K

Of course you should get to the free throw line...

BUT... more like BEN :-) Be yourself... next thing you know, you will "want to be like Mike"

Did I give you some good answers to ponder?

"The key to the game is to use your strengths and hide your
weaknesses." (Paul Westphal)

Ken

Yes you did give me some good answers.

Yes I will try to be myself

Thanks

Thats great.... you can strive to be like those players IF you want and thats great... as long as you remenber who you are.... what you can and cannot do. (right now - that will change as you get older)

I know that you work hard at your game.. keep up the good work. ( I hope you don't think that I am putting you down or discouraging you from trying different things because that is not my intention.)

Improvements come in small steps and those small ones become big ones before you know it.

Ken

What did Coach Springer mean about Monta Ellis putting his body between the defender and the ball?

and how do you do that?

Ok Coach Springer... step up on this one :-)

Ben, think about dribbling... where you keep your body - forearm out a little bit to create space.... I take it that as you go in for the lay up you keep the ball to the outside away from the defender.. shoot the lay with the proper hand.. left or right handed.

This way the defender can't get to the block unless he fouls. You are a lot like the freshman kid I saw play the other day... he took it into the defenders body to try and draw the foul... he was knocked down a few times and he scored a few also.

So there are two trains of thought here. Right now I would suggest to do what works the best for you. Let me know how you are practicing this... work at this move against your friends to get better at them.

Ken

Well When me and my friend play... we do a drill/game where there is an attacker/offenssive player and there is the help d on the opposite block.

The attacker drives to the basket and then the defence steps up to challenge.

Its hard to draw the foul because we usually practtice on an outdoor court.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVthrL0pJU

This is a video of my shot from the side view.

I understand - you sure don't want to hit the ground on an outside court.....but, could you try to draw the foul without the defender getting to aggressive? Remember to work on both hands.

I watched your shot and it looks like you have pretty good form... off hand is still and not effecting the shot... good follow thru and holding it. I cant see the arc on the shot so you will have to tell me
if it is high enough. Were / are you making a good percentage of your shots now? Because IF you are, I wouldn't mess with your shot... just keep working on it so your shooting % goes up. I like what I see Ben, thanks for putting it on U Tube... its easier to comment on things when you can see it first hand. (and now I can put a face to the person I've been talking to for all this time)

Ken