Diagonals

A diagonal move is one that pushes you toward the corners. They aren’t generally used for beating a defender, just for getting to a certain position on the court. For this purpose, the most useful diagonal is a three-quarter spin. This move is just like the spin discussed in the verticals section, but you don’t place the ball behind the defender. Instead, you put it in a place that directs you toward a corner. You’ll rarely get past a defender with this move, but it allows you to remain in control and get to the spot you need to get to.

Horizontals

A horizontal move pushes you straight ahead. At first, it seems like this would result in a charging call, but that’s not exactly true. There are three horizontal moves: the stop-and-go, the spin, and the skip. The stop-and-go is the simplest move in basketball. Just like it sounds, you dribble up to the defender, pause for a moment, and then blow past him. The effectiveness of the move lies in the pause. The natural inclination of the defender is to straighten up just a little bit at that point. When that happens, you lower shoulders and brush past him.

The second move, the spin, is also exactly what it sounds like. You approach the defender, take a hard bounce, and spin around the defender, putting the ball behind him/her as you spin. This is most useful on the fast break when a defender tries to take a stand because it results in only a small decrease in your speed as you run down the court.

The skip is like the stop-and-go, and it is also a full court move. With this move you control your speed, skip, this forces the defender to freeze or change the rhythm of their steps, and then you accelerate past them.

Laterals:

Lateral, by definition, means moving from one side to the other. Laterals are performed by crossing the ball from one side of the body to the other. During a lateral dribble, you do NOT move your body. The three laterals are under the knees, between the legs, and underneath the legs (behind the back). The goal of a lateral is not the beat the defender; the goal is to freeze the defender. After the lateral, push the ball out and explode past the defender. A common mistake is to push too soon. This will reduce the effectiveness of the move. You need to be patient. Wait for the ball to finish crossing over before making the burst forward.

Mario Hicks... Trinity Prep

 Mario Hicks... Trinity Prep

Three Types of Moves

While dribbling the ball, there are three different kinds of moves you can use to beat a defender. Each one has its own situations to in which it can be effectively used. The three types of moves, which will be explained in greater detail in subsequent posts, are laterals, verticals, and diagonals. If you want to see these moves used in game situations watch these players play: Amber Henson, Sickles, F, Sophomore, 6-4: Henson and her brother, North Carolina commit John Henson, moved to the Bay area this summer from Texas. Henson's got offers from Duke, North Carolina, and Texas - to name a few - and her style of play will draw a lot of national attention to the area. Michelle Taylor, Plant, G/F, Junior, 5-8: Taylor led her team with 16.6points per game last season.

By Keith Niebuhr, Times staff writer
In print: Monday, November 17, 2008

TAMPA

When Michelle Taylor speaks of her need to slow the game down, the Plant junior isn't talking about ball control. She's talking about mind control. "When it's fast, it's kind of like a blur," Taylor said. "When you can slow the game down in your head, you're able to see it better." To help achieve this, the 5-foot-8 guard/forward has spent countless hours working under the watchful eye of well-known shooting coach Marvin Harvey. By doing so, she hopes to — like the best in her sport — almost see things before they happen.

"Marvin trains pro athletes," Taylor said. "And he has taught me to think at a higher level, like the pros and college kids do. In their mind, they slow the game down. They don't play at what he calls 10 speed. They play it between one and eight speed. Right now, Marvin says I'm still playing faster than what I should be. I'm trying to get between five and seven."

Taylor's cerebral approach to the game is something Plant Coach Carrie Mahon has come to expect from the three-year starter, who in addition to being a standout on the court has a 4.7 weighted GPA.

"She's just a thinker," Mahon said. "She understands basketball at a level most high school kids don't. She understands how to create space. She understands angles. She always knows where the ball is going. She's just a student of the game."

And, for that matter, she's also quite a talent.

As a sophomore, Taylor led Plant, which won the Class 5A, District 10 title and reached the second round of the playoffs, in scoring (16.6 points per game) and was second in both rebounding (7.1) and assists (3.3).

During the 2007-08 season, she saw action at every position but center, which says a lot about her versatility.

"There's not a position on the floor she can't play," Mahon said.

Colleges, including DePaul and Florida, have started to take notice.

"I get three or four calls a week from different schools," Mahon said.

At this point, Taylor's college destination is not on her mind. Instead, she is focused squarely on two things: winning and improving.

"I might score 30 in a game, but if we're not winning, I'm not happy," Taylor said.