Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world and comes with a range benefits. These include increased socialisation, improving cardiovascular health, boosting the immune system, burning calories and better coordination. All of these are important to the development of children.
To get the most out of your basketball, you need to train hard. But it doesn’t always have to be hard work. Here are seven basketball games that you will all absolutely love.
Horse
The first player has to invent a shot, explain it to the other players and then take the shot. Examples of shots can be hopping on one leg, shooting from a tough angle or throwing the ball between their legs. If they make the shot, then the next player tries to replicate it. Each time a player misses their shot they are given a letter, starting with H for HORSE and the ball moves to the next player and so on. When a player’s letters spell the entire word HORSE, they are eliminated. The last player standing wins the challenge.
Knockout
With two basketballs, players line up behind the free throw line. The first player takes a shot and immediately after, the second player can also. If the first player misses, they have to rebound their own ball and make the shot (from anywhere). The second player does the same, and if they make their shot before the person in front of them, the first player is eliminated. If the first player makes the basket first, they pass the ball to the next person in line, and they shoot a free throw, and then follow up a miss from anywhere. Whenever the player behind hits their shot before the other person, they knock them out. The game keeps going until one player is left the winner.
Around the world
This game involves making shots one after another from multiple spots in an arc around the court. Each player shoots from the first spot, and if they make it, they move to the next spot and get another turn. If they make that, they continue to the next spot and so on. Once they miss, the next player shoots. And they continue moving from spot to spot until they miss. The first player to go all the way round wins the game.
Musical baskets
Similar to musical chairs, you require the same amount of basketballs as there are players. All the balls are placed in a circle and the players walk around the circle until the music stops. The players all grab a basketball and have to make a shot, sitting down when they make it. The last person standing is eliminated and the game starts again with one less ball and player.
Dribble limbo
For this game, each player has to limbo under a pole while dribbling a basketball. After every player has either succeeded or failed once, the pole is lowered and the players who succeeded in the first round get to limbo and dribble again. This continues until only one player is left as the winner.
Basketball relay
Two teams line up along the baseline and the first player in each team dribbles a basketball to the opposite baseline or half court and then back again. Once the second player receives the ball, they do the sme thing. Each player repeats the process and the first team to have all their players complete the relay wins.
Twenty-one
This is a freestyle game where the first player to score 21 points wins. If they go over 21 points, however, their score is reduced to 11. Following each winning shot, that player has three free shots in a row, but if they think they might go over 21, they can refuse these free shots. This is a game of defence and offence and you can even make up your own rules!
These games are a great way to stay active and improve your basketball skills. In conjunction with private basketball coaching, this will help you develop your game. For more information, call Tomorrow’s Stars Basketball on 1300 872 255.
