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Passing and Catching

Adapted slightly from Practical Modern Basketball

By John R Wooden,

3^rd edition, 1988, pages 83 to 94, Macmillan Publishing Co.

Passing is the most important part of all the individual offensive fundamentals and receiving (catching) is, in a sense, a continuation of the pass.  Some will say that shooting is the most important, but I consider shooting as a pass to the basket.  Both need pinpoint accuracy to be perfectly effective.  Furthermore, without passing, there wouldn't be very many good shots as a great percentage of the good shots are set up by a succession of passes.  The basic idea of any offense is to get a good shot at the basket every time you obtain possession of the ball, and generally, the team with the best passing attack will obtain more good percentage shots and thus score more unless they lack initiative or play a ba1l-control type of offense.

It is logical for a poor shooting team to work very hard to improve their offense by spending more time on the perfection of their passing game in an effort to work the ball in closer for higher percentage shots.  This could very well improve their ability to shoot at the same time. Furthermore, if you cannot handle the ball well enough to get good shots, it doesn't make much difference whether you can make them or not.

Deception and timing are very important aspects of passing. The defense must NOT be able to diagnose where and when you are going to pass. Quickness and accuracy must be developed without telegraphing the pass.  You must see your potential receiver without staring at her/him.  The potential receivers must fake their defensive man in order to get open to receive the pass in the right place at the right time and keep their man so busy that s/he cannot "read" the man with the ball.  A potential receiver - and any player without the ball should consider her/himself a potential receiver - should keep the ball within her/his vision at all times.  

The eyes should follow the flight of the ball all of the way into your hands, and then the eyes should be directed forward with all possible peripheral vision.

The person with the ball should instantly and always be looking for the opportunity to advance the ball to a teammate in better position.

A crisp pass without too much spin should be used as slow or lob passes are easily intercepted and passes that are to hard or have too much spin on them are more likely to be fumbled.

We try to increase the crispness as much as possible for a successful completion, as the harder the pass the less likely it is to be intercepted and the quicker the pressure is placed on the defense.

The target area for straight passes is the area above the waist and below the shoulders on the side away from the defensive man...or as Basketball Canada says:

...and the target for bounce passes is above the knees and up to the waist.  If the bounce pass is thrown properly, it can not be thrown too hard as the floor will absorb the shock.

The forward spin for tight quarters and the reverse spin when the receiver is given more of a lead must both be mastered.

Once basic passing techniques are understood/mastered, most passing drills should have the passes made from moving men or after coming to a quick stop to moving receivers in their normal offensive positions.  

The coach should make every effort to get her/his players to develop pride in their passing and encourage all scorers to acknowledge the passer who led to the score by a nod, a smile, a wink, a word, a hand slap, a thumb(s) up, etc.

The coach must also continually stress that the passing game consists of two parts - passing and receiving. Therefore, proper receiving/catching and getting open to receive must be taught and given as much consideration as seeing the open man and hitting her/him with the proper pass.

The receiver should block the flight of the ball with the hand away from the defensive man and with the fingers well spread, but relaxed.  This hand acts as the gloved hand of a first baseman and the other hand tucks the ball into the blocking hand.

14 Types Of Passes

There are many types of passes that must be mastered if a player is to become a finished basketball player.  Although a player should first master the passes that are most commonly used for the particular position that s/he plays, s/he must also be able to execute other passes as well.  Offenses are so flexible in the game today that no player is confined to one particular position as was the case a number of years ago and s/he must be able to move the ball in the quickest and best possible manner for any situation that may arise.

Basketball is a moving game, a game of constant action, and a majority of the passes that are made usually are made from a moving man to a moving man or at least with either the 

passer or receiver moving.  Therefore, once the proper technique of making the pass is established, then practice drills should be devised to imitate game conditions as nearly as possible.

The following types of passes are the ones that we feel are the most important and, consequently, the ones to which we give the most attention in our drills:

1. The Straight Pass.   This pass should be thrown very crisply, with the ball staying parallel to the floor, and reach the receiver above the waist and below the top of their head.  It may be thrown with any type of one-handed or two-handed pass and is used advantageously from any position on the floor.  It is the pass to use whenever possible as it is the quickest for getting the ball safely away from the defensive board and advanced down the floor, against a press, against a zone, or in almost any part of your set or breaking offense.

2. The Bounce Pass.   This pass is almost always thrown with the two handed or one-handed push.  It should hit the floor approximately two-thirds to three quarters of the distance to the receiver and reach her/him at a height above her/his knees and below her/his waist.

Generally, the bounce pass cannot be thrown too hard, if it is accurate and reaches the receiver at the proper height, because the shock will be absorbed by the floor.

A reverse spin on the bounce may be used effectively at times as it will permit giving the receiver a longer lead and still enable her'/him to handle the ball. A forward spin is also valuable at times as it may enable the passer to pass through a narrow opening and get to the receiver quicker. The forward spin bounce pass requires more pin-point accuracy, but is well worth developing.

The bounce pass is very effective at times as:

•    the pass to a cutter breaking for the basket on a fast-break situation,

•    to pass under a defensive man,

•    to a cutter on a quick reverse,

•    into the post man,

•    from a post man in a tight situation to a cutter,

•    through the front line of a zone, and

•    on many out-of-bounds plays.

3. The Lob Passes.   This is a dangerous pass to use as it takes longer to get to the receiver and may permit floaters to intercept or get into position to cause the receiver to charge.  It is also a little more difficult to throw accurately.

However, it is a valuable pass to use from a distance to a post man coming up to meet it, to a post man reversing a defensive man who is playing in front of her/him, and as a lead pass to a man out front on the break. It is also used to inbound the ball or some out-of-bounds plays. 

It is usually thrown by the one-or two-hand push method, but the baseball pass and the hook pass may also be used on occasion.

4. The Flip or Hand-Off.   This is the pass that is usually used by a post man or by a player who has just completed a quick stop and turn to give the ball to a cutter coming, close by.

On the flip or hand-off there should be no spin on the ball and it usually should be given to the receiver at waist height.  It must not be thrown up at the receiver nor should it be dropped at her/his feet.  The passer must release the ball with a quick flip directly into the hands of the receiver.  S/He should not make the receiver take it off of her/his hand, but should flip it and get her/his hand out of the way.  Her/His off hand and arm help protect the ball.  The wrist and fingers follow through, but usually the arm will not be extended.  The passer must be holding the ball firmly and must not release it too soon as s/he may want to fake the pass, if a defensive man is moving over, and then be prepared to give the cutter a delayed pass.

A head fake and slight ball fake down followed by a one-or two-handed flip pass over the shoulder on the same side, and a head fake and slight ball fake up and a quick flip bounce under and by the defensive man on that side into the path of the cutter are both effective ways of hitting the close cutter at times.  As a general rule, a high fake will be followed by a quick low pass on that side or a high pass on the opposite side and a down fake will be followed by a quick flip over the shoulder of the defensive man on that side or a bounce pass under her/him on the opposite side. A flip pass over the shoulder should be shoulder high to the receiver.

Postmen must receive a lot of practice on the various methods of passing off or handing off to cutters, but we also want all players to get considerable practice at this.  All men, and especially the guards, often have to make quick stops and turns with the possibility of handing off to trailers.  Furthermore, our weak side attack on our set offense usually has a forward, but occasionally, a guard, coming up the side post and becoming a post man.

5. Push Pass: One-and Two-Handed.   This has been and continues to be the most used pass in basketball to advance the ball down the floor and to initiate your set offense and to hit a cutter from most positions except from the post. 

Most players can develop the ability to use it successfully up to a distance of 20 feet and need to do this from almost any position on the floor. 

For the two-handed push pass the ball is held about chest high with the fingers spread on each side and the thumbs directly behind, but a little toward the top of the ball and pointing toward each other.  The elbows should be in close to the body and the ball released with a quick snap of the wrist, fingers, and elbows. 

The long extension of the arms is no longer advised as it is quickness and snap that we want.  The wrist and finger snap should give the ball a normal rotation and not an exaggerated spin. 

The body should be slightly crouched and moving forward as the pass is made.  A right- handed person will usually be stepping forward toward her/his target with her/his right foot and pushing off of the left while the left-handed person will be stepping forward with the left foot and pushing off of the right one.  Though leading with either foot is acceptable and is used naturally for quickness as players advance up the basketball hierarchy.

The pass should be a crisp straight pass if possible, but the bounce pass may also be used. Normally, the straight pass should stay parallel to the floor and reach the receiver above the waist and below the top of the head and the bounce pass should hit the floor two-thirds to three quarters of the distance to the receiver and come to a height above the knees but no higher than the waist.

Generally, the bounce pass cannot be thrown too hard, if it is accurate and comes to the receiver above the knees and below the waist, because the shock will be absorbed by the floor.  A reverse spin on the bounce may be used effectively at times as it will permit giving the receiver a longer lead and still enable her/him to handle the ball while a forward spin may enable the passer to pass through a narrower opening and get to the receiver quicker.  The forward spin requires more pinpoint accuracy. 

The bounce pass is very effective at times as the pass to a cutter breaking for the basket on a fast-break situation, to pass under a defensive man, to a cutter on a reverse, to a post man, through the front line of a zone defense, and on many out-of-bounds plays. 

The use of the one-handed push pass embodies the same fundamentals and principles as the two-handed push pass.  The ball is held and passed the same way except that it is released from one hand with the opposite hand merely helping to hold and protect the ball prior to its quick release.  It is fairly accurate to say that it is usually a two-handed pass when it is released from in front of the body and becomes a one-handed push pass when re- leased from the side of the body.  

6. Two-Handed Overhead Pass.   This is an excellent pass from every position on your set offense.  The guards often use it to pass to the post man, the forwards also use it to hit the post or a guard cutting off the post, and the post men use it effectively after receiving a pass on the high post and turning to face the basket.  It is frequently used by tall players and by players who have just received a high pass and want to make a quick return or pass off. 

The hands are on the sides toward the back of the ball with the fingers pointed upward and the thumbs on the back of the ball pointing inward toward each other.  The hands go straight up, not up and back over the head.  The elbows are slightly flexed and the ball is released by a quick snap of the wrists and fingers and usually a slight step forward with the foot on the strong arm side.

7. The Shoulder Pass: One-and Two-Handed.   This pass is similar in nature and use to the two-handed overhead pass except that it is thrown with one or two hands from over the shoulder and close to the ear on either side. 

The ball is held firmly in the normal manner, but when the ball is on the right side, the right hand is back of the ball with the palm forward, the fingers upward, and the thumb near the. right ear, and the left hand is in front of the ball and slightly under it with the palm facing back through the ball toward the right palm, the fingers pointing upward, and the thumb near the right cheek. The position of the hands is reversed when the ball is on the left side. 

The ball is released with a quick wrist and finger snap by both hands on either side or by the right hand from the right side and the left hand from the left side. 

The straight, bounce, and lob pass may all be used with this as well as the flip pass on specific occasions. 

8. The Hip Pass: One-and Two-Handed.   In general, the principles that apply to the shoulder pass also apply to the hip pass. 

The ball is held close to the hip with the elbows bent and is released with a quick wrist and finger snap.  The ball does not get behind the line of the body.  The palms of the hands face each other from opposite sides of the ball with the fingers pointed down and the thumbs outward.  The right hand is behind the ball when on the right side and the left hand is behind the ball when it is on the left side of the body.  Each hand is equally important regardless of whether the ball is released by one or two hands. 

This pass isn't used as often as many of the others, but it should be given some attention.   It is used occasionally from guard to forward and forward to guard and somewhat more often from guard to guard. 

9. Baseball Pass: Right-and Left-Handed.   Although some time will be devoted to the practice of this pass with the off or weak hand, as a general rule, it will be used only with the strong hand. 

The ball goes high above the side of the head with the passing hand behind the ball and the other hand in front of and slightly under the ball with the fingers of each hand pointed upward and the thumbs pointing inward over the head. The off-side hand is very important in maintaining control and balance of the ball and adjusting it for quick throwing. 

This is a very valuable pass for getting the ball away quickly from the defensive board and for long lead passes to cutters.  Although a little more arm movement is used in this pass, the main impetus should come from the quick wrist and finger snap.  The long lead pass occasionally may be a bounce pass with reverse "english" that waits for the cutter. 

10. Hook Pass: Right-and Left Handed.   This pass is used effectively when the passer is being crowded on one side, but there is no pressure from the opposite side.  Tall men use it effectively from the board and it is occasionally used from a pivot. The fast breaking team that features the long-pass attack uses it and the baseball pass rather extensively. 

The true hook is thrown with a sweeping motion and a comparatively straight elbow, but we also use the bent-elbow hook, which is more like the throw a second baseman may make to first for a double play. 

As a rule you take a cross-over step to get away from pressure, jump, turn, hook, pass, and land facing squarely in the direction the pass was made.  You should land on both feet with them spread and relaxed, hips down, knees bent, and ready to move quickly. 

The ball is released high with the wrist and finger snap and the fingers pointing toward your target.  The off hand must help protect, balance, and direct the ball with the passing hand providing all of the impetus as well as helping with the other parts.

11. Tip Pass: One-and Two-Handed.   This is merely a controlled deflection without catching the ball.  It is seldom used, but when used properly in the proper situation may mean a score because of the quick exchange. 

The palm or palms face the ball with your fingers well spread and then turn toward the receiver with a quick flip of the wrist or wrists and fingers as ball contact is made. 

12. Roll Pass: Right- or Left- Handed.   Although this pass isn't used very much, it does have some uses and it is wise to have a drill or two in which it is used.  It can be of benefit in helping players to learn to crouch and handle low passes and help in learning to retain or regain good body balance.  It may be used by the guards to get the ball into the post or to the forwards at times against certain defensive men and occasionally to get the ball to a receiver when you are under high pressure. 

The hands are held in the same position as they are on the hip pass and the ball is released with a quick snap of the wrist and fingers with the elbow extended.  The ball should be received with a block and tuck almost as an infielder would field a ground ball.

13. Behind-the-Back Pass.   I do not advocate the use of this pass except for an occasional player under certain situations.  It should never be thrown if another pass can be used at the time.  However, to break the monotony or release tension in practice, on occasion we will work on it from a circle formation or by hitting the post with a bounce pass behind the back while moving across the floor in front of the post. 

When we do use it, I want the ball kept close to the back with the elbow bent, the fingers pointed down, and the thumb pointed toward your back.  It is released with the quick wrist and finger snap that we try to follow in the use of all passes. 

14. Post-Man Passes.   In addition to all of the previously mentioned passes, and especially the flip and hand-off passes, we have our post men work on all types of passes that they might be able to use to cutters.  They must learn to protect the ball from their defensive men and from other defensive men floating around them and to get the ball to cutters under crowded conditions.  Quick flip passes, quick bounces, quick fakes followed by a delayed pass over or under, back-hand flips, cross-overs and various other methods are used by the post man.  We try to give our post man some passing from the post under crowded conditions almost every day and permit her/him to us her/his own initiative and use whatever may be best for her/him. 

Players please note - coaches are happy as long as you can get the pass completed.  Most coaches are not concerned as to how it is accomplished.

Passing and Receiving Ideas

1. Our goal is a perfect, accurate pass.  Poor passes lead to loss of ball, loss of confidence, and loss of game.  Make every pass good.

2. Pass quickly, but don't sacrifice accuracy.  Don't wind up to pass.  You pass through or by a defensive man, not over or around her/him.

3. Look before you pass without staring or telegraphing it.

4. Be sure, never careless, with a pass.  Carelessness is a major sin.

5. Judge the speed of the receiver and lead her/him properly.

6. Do something after you pass - cut quickly, fake, screen, protect.  Hesitation after a pass is a major fault.  You get no place standing still.

7. Passes must be crisp - neither too hard nor too easy and without too much spin.

8. Receivers must keep their eyes on the ball all the way into their hands and must not back away from a pass.                   

9. Receivers should block the ball with an open hand and tuck with the other hand.  Let the wrists and elbows give with contact.

10. Seldom pass to a man going toward the sideline or directly away from you.  Seldom pass to corner or sideline "huggers".

11. Passer and receiver must time themselves with each other.  It is the responsibility of both.

12. When the passing is good, the catching is easy.  Remember the passer's target is usually on the side of the receiver away from danger.

13. Fake to closely guarded receivers as they should reverse quickly to get open when they are being overplayed.

14. Proper passing habits are developed in practice.

15. Cross-court passes and lob or soft passes are easily intercepted.

16. It is very dangerous top pass across under your defensive basket.  The quick passing and moving team make it very difficult for the defense. 

17. The quick passing and moving team make it very difficult for the defense.

18. Look, break, and pass or drive quickly after an intercepted pass.

19. Get the ball to the man in the best offensive position, as soon as possible.

20. Use the eyes and head for deception and increased peripheral vision.

21. You can't pass the ball until you have it and you will pass better when you have balance.

22. Be clever, not fancy.  The clever passer will receive praise while the fancy one will be ridiculed.

23. Develop pride in your passes and work hard to perfect all types of passes.

24. Keep hands above the waist with fingers spread and relaxed and give the passer a wide palm target on the side away from danger - your opponent.

25. Work for the ball, do not stand and call for it.

26. Passers from the right side of the body usually have the left foot forward and vice versa.

27. When the pass comes back out look forward to the weak side immediately.

28. Use more quick fakes and bounce passes when in close quarters, but protect the ball.

29. The passer should always anticipate a receiver getting open in an advantageous position and be ready to hit her/him with a pass, while all potential receivers should be anticipating the ball at all times.

30. Be neither careless nor overly cautious.  Get the pass completed quickly without fear or worry. He who never makes a mistake never accomplished anything.

Some Causes Of Fumbling

1. Receiver takes his eyes off ball coming to her/him.

2. Receiver is not being alert and not expecting the ball.

3. Receiver fights the ball. Not relaxed, too tense.

4. Receiver loses poise or self-control.

5. Receiver is mentally or physically tired.

6. Receiver tries to shoot, pass, dribble, or turn before s/he has possession.

7. Receiver misjudges the pass.

8. Receiver does not have her/his hands up and ready.

9. Receiver does not have balance.

10. Receiver does not have strong wrists and fingers.

11. Receiver runs away from the ball.

12. Passer makes a bad pass by passing too hard or too easy, having too much spin on the ball, passing too high or too low, giving the receiver too much or not enough lead, or surprises a receiver.

13. Receiver is not catching the ball properly. Proper hand work for receiving requires:

1. Fingers spread and relaxed.

2. Hands reaching toward ball and recoiling upon impact.

3. One-hand blocking and the other tucking in a somewhat funnel shaped position.

4. Blocking hand has fingers pointed up and palm forward on a pass waist high or above and fingers pointed down with palm forward on a pass below the waist.

5. Tucking hand has fingers down and palm inward on a pass below the waist and fingers forward and palm upward on a pass above the waist.

6. On a bounce pass, the top hand blocks the ball on the way up and the underneath hand tucks.  The top hand has the fingers forward and the palm down and the lower hand has the fingers forward and the palm up.

           

Catching

Catching passes is not a passive activity.

Catching is active.

Save your finger tip(s).  In holding your hands in front of you in the ready to catch position hold them out with your palms parallel or at 90 degrees to the floor.  Form a funnel as in this diagram...

If you form this funnel, as the ball comes toward and into your hands: first the finger tips are out of the path of the ball, and second as the ball entres the funnel formed by your fingers the ball will hit your thumbs and the natural action of the fingers closing on the ball will occur.  P.S. On hard, fast thrown passes the thumbs absorb some of the force of the pass, you also absorb some by increasing the flex at your elbows.  This absorbing elbow flex also becomes part of you catching procedure of moving the ball to the front of you hip to protect it from your opponents attempts to steal the ball from you.

Besides this hand catching technique...

Catching consists of three major ingredients; (1)signaling where you want a pass, (2)moving toward the pass to catch it, and (3) being alert and ready to catch a pass at all times.

(1) Signaling is the use of the hands and arms to signal where you want the pass and that you are expecting a pass.  Signaling can be as simple as the hands being held at chest level in an open position indicating your ready for a direct pass...or...the hand and arm can be extended outward from the body indicating where the passer can and IS to throw the ball. These extended hand and arm positions can be anywhere, i.e., over the head, to the left side of the body, to the right side, downward toward the feet, anywhere that is offensively convenient to slip the pass through. Your signal area should be the place the passer throws the ball to, though be prepared for other places as well.  Good passers get the ball to the EXACT spot of the signal.

(2) Move toward the pass/ball to receive - the pass. This will mean that if you signal by extending your left hand outward away from the person guarding you, then you will be stepping out to the left to receive the ball.  Let your hand lead you to where the ball will be coming from an educated passer.  Passes should never be received standing still.  By moving toward the pass the receiver prevents the defender from intercepting many of the passes thrown.  With catching it is recommended beginning players coordinate the jump stop with the catch so they always end up in the triple threat position with their feet parallel, body crouched, head up, and ball securely tucked into the crouched body usually at the front corner of the hip (post players will often tuck the ball in to their shoulder ). 

(2A) Move - Use a V-cut toward your offensive basket and the sharply back out hand out signaling for the pass.  As you are executing the sharp stop and reversal of direction to come back out to the ball, in as commanding and loud a voice as you have call out...

                     "BALL" (as loud as you can)

(3) Be alert and ready to catch at all times.  Many a pass has been fumbled because players stopped paying attention to the catch and started planning and even executing their next move BEFORE THEY HAVE EVEN CAUGHT THE BALL.  It is fatal to take you eyes off the ball in catching.

In catching:

See the ball

Right into

Your hands...

Once the ball is caught, then it is time to tuck it in protecting the ball, turn to square to the basket, and plan what you are going to do, as you look toward the basket to pass to a teammate if they are open in a better scoring position than you.

Being alert and ready also involves constantly keeping the ball in you line of vision.  Use your peripheral vision to do this.  Getting hit in the face/chest/arms with a good pass you did not see coming, and which should have been easily caught is highly embarrassing.  Be ready to catch at all times when your team has the ball.

Practicing Passing

By yourself all alone

Use a wall when alone with a ball.

Aim at an exact spot on that wall with each pass.

Put oodles of zip into you pass.  Pass hard.

Step into each throw to get maximum zip on your pass.

Throw more left handed passes than right handed.

Remember - Practice does not make perfect...

Only - Perfect practice makes perfect.

With a partner/friend always

Make a signal with your hand(s) where you want the pass.

Call "Ball" for every pass.

Passer have fun.  Don't pass the ball unless you hear "Ball".

V-cut to receive passes.

Move to catch.

Make every pass zip.  Step out as you pass. Work at zip.

Use all 14 of the passes outlined above.

Practice the left extensively.

Repeat the same pass over and over (about 10 times).

Repetition builds mental patterns to use in games.

Make passing a part of your warm-up to games/playing.

Incorporate your friend into passing before games.

Finally - use a medicine ball.  Practice with it adds a new zip to the passes one throws.