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Moves with either pivot foot (advanced)

This is an excerpt from Basketball Skills & Drills 4th Edition With HKPropel Online Video by Jerry Krause.

These moves can be taught when either foot is used as the pivot foot (EPF) in live-ball moves. Both right-handed and left-handed players should be able to use this method to establish either foot as a pivot foot.


EPF Direct Drive With the Direction Foot (Right Foot, Drive Right; Left Foot, Drive Left)
This move, used to dribble-drive past a defender, consists of making the explosion step with the foot on the side to which the player is driving. The sequence is to make a quick stop facing the basket and, when driving right, use the left foot for a pivot foot and take an explosion step past the defender with the right foot; when driving left, step with the left foot and use the right foot as the pivot foot. The ball is pushed ahead on the floor on the dribble drive. The breakdown count consists of taking a long and low explosion step with the foot on the same side as the dribble drive (right foot to the right side, left foot to the left side) and pushing the ball ahead to the floor to start the dribble drive. The ball must be out of the hand before the pivot foot leaves the floor. The disadvantage of this direction-foot move is that hip contact on the defender (with the goal of winning the war of hip contact) occurs on the second step; in other words, the first step of the drive wins only the battle—not the war.


Critical Cues for EPF Moves

  • Direct drive: Use the direction foot or the opposite foot.
  • Crossover drive: Use the opposite foot.


EPF Direct Drive With the Opposite Foot
This move is used to drive past a defender on either side by using the opposite foot to step across and shield the ball as a long and low direct drive is made. The opposite-foot drive is executed by making a quick stop facing the basket and, when driving right, stepping past the defender with a left-foot explosion step and pushing the ball ahead on the dribble drive. The breakdown count consists of taking an explosion step past the defender with the foot opposite the side of the dribble drive and pushing the ball ahead on the floor for the dribble drive (figure 5.7). This move offers the advantage of getting the head and shoulders by and making hip contact on the defender—thus winning both the battle and the war—with the first step.


Figure 5.7aFigure 5.7b

Figure 5.7 Live-ball move for either pivot foot (EPF)—direct-drive move with the opposite foot: (a) to the right with the left foot, (b) to the left with the right foot.


EPF Crossover Drive Players can also learn a countermove using either foot as the pivot foot: Either fake right and then cross over left with the left pivot foot or fake left and then cross over right with the right pivot foot. This move is carried out by making a quick stop facing the basket, making a jab step and crossover with the same foot to the opposite side (swinging the ball across and close to the body), and, finally, pushing the ball ahead to the floor and starting a dribble drive. The breakdown count consists of a jab step, then a crossover step with the same foot while bringing the ball across the body, and a dribble drive started by pushing the ball ahead to the floor (figure 5.8). This is the preferred EPF move as it allows the offensive player to win the battle (get by defender's front foot) and win the war (inside hip contact) with one crossover step (or by a jab and crossover).


Figure 5.8aFigure 5.8b

Figure 5.8 Live-ball move for either pivot foot (EPF)—crossover drive: (a) crossing over from right to left (jabbing right), (b) crossover drive to the left past the defender.

More Excerpts From Basketball Skills & Drills 4th Edition With HKPropel Online Video