Offensive play is actually a team-dependent scheme. Each player must know their roles in making points. While there may be players who can dominate games, all players must take action in order to intensify all moves.

In this article, we have listed various responsibilities each player must take.

The Point Guard

He plays the offense and should at all times, watch the backcourt. He is more like an extension of the coach in the court. Therefore, he must bear these qualities:

– Good ball handling including dribbling with both hands

– Good ball passing

– Must have good speed and agility

– Must have hard-nosed defense

– Must have good hits on outside shots especially in the absence of defense

– Must be able to dish-off and penetrate whenever possible

– Must have the ability to read the other team’s defense

– Must have low ego and should not be mindful of the low publicity point guards receive

The Off-Guard

He is often referred to as the shooting guard or the second guard. In general, he is better than the other guard. The off-guard is also referred to as the #2 guard or shooting guard. He is generally the better shooter of the two guards. The qualities that he needs to have are:

– Good handling and passing

– Must be agile and should have quick footwork

– Must be good in dribbling with both hands

– Must be instinctive while playing

– Must also be a good defensive player

– Must be consistent with 15-20 foot shot

– Must be good at dishing off and penetration

– Must be good in reading defense play

– Must know the moves even without the ball

– His ego must also be kept low as his main objective is to help his teammates score and put points on the board.

The Center

He is typically the tallest player on the court since he has to guard the inner court. He is one of the most important players in the game. His qualities must be the following:

– Must be bale to move quickly

– Must be aggressive in terms of rebounding and blocking

– Must have a touch of arrogance mainly for intimidation. He is a king in his own territory.

– Must be good in short-range scoring

– Must have good skills with power lay-ups and make shots on either side of the basket.

– Must be good with jump shots and short hooks

– Must be good in defensive leadership and should coordinate with his teammates.

– Must have good handling, good jumping ability, excellent upper body strength and strong hands.

– Must take advantage of the defense play

The Small Forward

He is considered as the most gifted player. He should have the following qualities:

– Must be especially fast

– Must have good rebounding skills

– Must be a good ball grasper and passer

– Must be good in defense anywhere on the court

– Must be excellent in scoring and fast breaks

The Power Forward

He is more focused on the dirty works and is known for working as the “enforcer”, thus he doesn’t receive much recognition. Nonetheless, his actions are vital in offensive play. Like the center, he also controls the inside court. He must have the following qualities:

– Must have good rebounding skills both for defense and offense

– Must be a good scorer, passer and a gutsy dribbler

– Must be an excellent hard driver

– Must be an excellent runner and should go all the way when on a fast break.

Author Bio: Stephen Bardo is a color analyst covering the Big 10, Conference USA, and West Coast Conference for ESPN. He is the author of “How To Make The League Without Picking Up The Rock“, a teenage success guide and a sought after professional speaker. He can be reached at http://www.StephenBardo.com.

Category: Sports
Keywords: basketball, sports, offense, defense