Basketball Techniques

Lessons

Senior 4 · Physical Education

Basketball Techniques

3 lessons

Lesson 3 of 3

Shooting the ball

30 min

A ring twice as wide as the ball

The inside of a FIBA ring is 450–459 mm across, and a size 7 ball is about 240 mm in diameter, so the ring is almost twice as wide as the ball. Yet even the best shooters miss about half their shots from the field. The reason is the angle: a ball that comes in flat sees only a narrow slice of the ring, while a ball that drops from a good arc sees nearly all of it. In Senior 1 you learned the set shot with BEEF and the lay-up; this lesson refines the set shot, jump shot, free throw and lay-up, and uses projectile motion and the FIBA court to explain why technique, arc and shot choice decide how many points a team scores.

Definition

Field goal: a basket scored during play: 2 points, or 3 points from the 3-point goal area (FIBA Article 16). A free throw scores 1 point.

Set shot: a shot taken with both feet on the floor, used for free throws and for open shots close to the basket.

Jump shot: a shot released near the top of a vertical jump, so it goes over the defender's hands.

Lay-up: a shot from beside or in front of the basket, taken on the run off one foot and usually played off the backboard.

Release angle: the angle above the horizontal at which the ball leaves the hand. Entry angle: the angle above the horizontal at which the ball comes down into the ring.

BEEF: the shooting checklist: Balance, Eyes on the target, Elbow under the ball, Follow-through.

Shooting percentage: $\frac{\text{shots made}}{\text{shots attempted}} \times 100\%$ .

The four shots

Shot	Teaching points
Set shot	Feet shoulder-width apart, shooting-side foot slightly ahead, toes to the basket; knees bent. Ball on the finger pads of the shooting hand, elbow under the ball in line with the basket; guide hand on the side, which does not push. Extend legs, then arm in one smooth movement; snap the wrist and finish with the hand "in the basket" (fingers pointing down).
Jump shot	Square to the basket after the catch or the last dribble; jump straight up, not forwards; release just before the top of the jump; land in the same spot.
Free throw	Use a short, fixed routine (for example: feet set, three bounces, breath, look at the front of the ring). Release within 5 seconds; stay behind the line until the ball touches the ring.
Lay-up	From the right: the last two steps are right then left, jump off the left foot, drive the right knee up, carry the ball high and lay it on the top corner of the square on the backboard with the right hand. From the left side, mirror everything.

Rules on shooting (FIBA 2026, summarised). A goal counts when the ball enters the basket from above and stays in or passes through it. A free throw must be released within 5 seconds after the referee places the ball at the shooter's disposal, from behind the free-throw line and inside the semi-circle. The 3-point line is not part of the 3-point area, so a shooter standing on it scores 2.

Worked example

Worked example 1: the speed and arc of a free throw. A player releases the ball 2.10 m above the floor, about 4.2 m from the centre of the ring, at 52° above the horizontal. The ring is 3.05 m high, so the ball must rise $\Delta h = 0.95\,\mathrm{m}$ . Ignore air resistance; $g = 9.81\,\mathrm{m\,s^{-2}}$ .

For a projectile, $\Delta h = x\tan\theta - \frac{g x^{2}}{2v^{2}\cos^{2}\theta}$ , so

v^{2} = \frac{g x^{2}}{2\cos^{2}\theta\,(x\tan\theta - \Delta h)} = \frac{9.81 \times 4.2^{2}}{2 \times 0.379 \times (4.2 \times 1.280 - 0.95)} = \frac{173.0}{3.355} = 51.6

Release speed: $v = \sqrt{51.6} = 7.18\,\mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}$ .
Time to the ring: $t = \frac{x}{v\cos\theta} = \frac{4.2}{7.18 \times 0.616} = 0.95\,\mathrm{s}$ .
Vertical velocity at the ring: $v_{y} = v\sin\theta - g t = 7.18 \times 0.788 - 9.81 \times 0.95 = -3.66\,\mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}$ ; horizontal $v_{x} = 4.42\,\mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}$ .
Entry angle: $\tan\alpha = \frac{3.66}{4.42}$ , so $\alpha = 39.6^{\circ}$ .

Repeating the calculation at 40° needs 7.57 m s⁻¹ but enters at only 21°; at 60° it needs 7.40 m s⁻¹ and enters at 52°. Around 50° the shot needs the least speed while still dropping in at a useful angle, so it is the easiest to repeat. The release height and distance are illustrative.

Worked example

Worked example 2: why arc matters. A ball of diameter $d$ coming down at entry angle $\alpha$ sees the ring of diameter $D$ as an opening only $D\sin\alpha$ wide. For the ball to pass cleanly, $D\sin\alpha > d$ .

\sin\alpha > \frac{d}{D} = \frac{0.245}{0.450} = 0.544 \quad\Rightarrow\quad \alpha > 33^{\circ}

(Here $d$ is the largest size 7 ball, circumference 770 mm, so $d = \frac{770}{\pi} = 245\,\mathrm{mm}$ , and $D$ is the smallest legal ring.) A flat shot entering below about 33° cannot go in cleanly; it can only score off the rim or backboard. The 52° free throw in Example 1 enters at 39.6°, giving an opening of $0.45 \times \sin 39.6^{\circ} = 0.287\,\mathrm{m}$ : about 4 cm to spare.

Worked example

Worked example 3: which shot is worth taking? Over a term, a school player made 54 of 120 two-point shots, 21 of 70 three-point shots and 46 of 64 free throws (illustrative figures).

Percentages: two-point $\frac{54}{120} = 45\%$ ; three-point $\frac{21}{70} = 30\%$ ; free throws $\frac{46}{64} = 71.9\%$ .
Expected points per attempt: two-point $2 \times 0.45 = 0.90$ ; three-point $3 \times 0.30 = 0.90$ ; one free throw $0.719$ , so two free throws earn $1.44$ .

For this player a three is worth no more than a two, while getting fouled in the act of shooting and going to the line is worth the most. Attacking the basket, where shots are closer and fouls more likely, is the better plan until the three-point percentage improves.

Video: "Fundamentals Of The Free Throw", Jr. NBA. As you watch, check each part of BEEF and the shooter's routine before the shot.

Tip

Shoot "up and in", not "at" the ring. Aim to drop the ball over the front of the ring with a high arc, and hold the follow-through until the ball lands.

Warning

Common mistakes. Elbow flaring out to the side (the ball goes left or right). The guide hand pushing the ball (side spin). A flat shot with no leg drive. Jumping forwards on a jump shot (and into the defender). On a lay-up, jumping off the wrong foot, or throwing the ball at the backboard instead of placing it.

Safety. Land on both feet with the knees bent after a jump shot. Do not walk under a player who is in the air; contact under a jumping player causes most ankle and knee injuries. Never hang on the ring.

✦

Practice

Write out BEEF and explain each letter in one sentence.
Describe the footwork of a lay-up from the left side of the basket.
A player shoots from behind the free-throw line. Using the FIBA court, show that the horizontal distance from the line to the point under the ring is 4.225 m.
Using the formula of Example 1, calculate the release speed for a free throw released 2.20 m above the floor, 4.2 m from the ring, at 50°. (cos 50° = 0.643, tan 50° = 1.192.)
A smaller ball, size 6, has a circumference of at most 730 mm. Find the smallest entry angle at which it can pass cleanly through a 450 mm ring.
A player scores 9 of 25 three-point attempts and 18 of 40 two-point attempts. Which shot gives more points per attempt?
A player standing with one foot on the 3-point line scores. How many points? Explain.
Your team trails by 2 points with 10 seconds left. Evaluate whether to play for a two-point or a three-point shot, using the idea of expected points.

Show answersHide answers

Balance: feet set shoulder-width, knees bent. Eyes: on the target, the front of the ring. Elbow: under the ball, in line with the basket. Follow-through: snap the wrist and hold the arm up until the ball lands.
The last two steps are left then right; jump off the right foot, drive the left knee up and lay the ball on the backboard with the left hand.
The far edge of the free-throw line is 5.80 m from the endline and the point under the ring is 1.575 m from the endline: 5.80 − 1.575 = 4.225 m.
Δh = 3.05 − 2.20 = 0.85 m. v² = 9.81 × 17.64 ÷ (2 × 0.413 × (4.2 × 1.192 − 0.85)) = 173.0 ÷ (0.827 × 4.156) = 173.0 ÷ 3.44 = 50.3, so v = 7.09 m s⁻¹.
d = 730 ÷ π = 232 mm; sin α > 0.232 ÷ 0.450 = 0.516, so α > 31°.
Three: 9 ÷ 25 = 36%, so 3 × 0.36 = 1.08 points per attempt. Two: 18 ÷ 40 = 45%, so 2 × 0.45 = 0.90. The three-point shot gives more.
Two points: the 3-point line is not part of the 3-point area, so a foot on the line makes it a two-point shot.
A two ties the game and leads to overtime; a three wins it. Compare the chances: if your team makes about 45% of twos and 33% of threes, the two is more likely to score but only ties; the three is less likely but wins outright. A good answer weighs the percentages, the time left for a second shot and the strength of your team in overtime.

Quick check

Why does a shot with a higher arc have a better chance of going in?

Remember

BEEF: Balance, Eyes, Elbow, Follow-through; the guide hand does not push.
Lay-up from the right: right, left, jump off the left foot, right hand off the backboard.
A release near 50° needs the least speed; a ball must enter above about 33° to pass cleanly, because the opening is $D\sin\alpha$ .
FIBA 2026: free throw 1, field goal 2 or 3; the 3-point line is not in the 3-point area; free throw within 5 seconds.
Judge shot choice by expected points: points × percentage.

1A ring twice as wide as the ball

2The four shots

A ring twice as wide as the ball

The four shots