Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-01-28
HOW TO PLAY BASKETBALL
The ORense.
BY BILL" REYNOLDS

The ORense.
/ will now proceed with the other half of basketball as played by =
team-the onense. This is deemed by many to be the more important
side Of basketball, for the reason probably, that it is the moret thought or
1t is my theory that 1t should be given equal attention with the defense,
but ca zee n o reason for calling it the more important pTr~~~Esa~
A brief definition of my idea Of offensive basketball would De: Ad-
vanctng the ball by accurate passing until in a position near enough to-
the basket to make a sure count. OF course. the term sure is gener-9
ally, in basketball q misnomer, but at any rate the ball should be kept
to pass it to, who is nearer the goal thar the player in possession of the
ball, That is the general idea.
session of same. With a defense to break up plays of opponents and gain
possession of he ball, and a systematic ofense to advance the ball. you
have the chief factors of team work. A clever center around whom to
build a team; two forwards h generally score Whe team work gives
them the ball ear enough to the basket, and who are OF afraid to be-
come a part of the defense when not in possession of the ball, backed up
by two guards who can shoot when occasion arises could be welded into
shooting, or free throws awarded by the referee. is one oft the most I'M
porant scoring factors. Many a close game has been won through tho
ability of a player to make the free throws count. Every team should
develop a foul shooter.
Basket Hanger. r
There has been much commento N the torm" basket hanger" would
not call a player a basket hanger who is clever enough, while his team
stealth, to a position directly beneath the basket, where a pass to him
means a certain two points. On the other hand, would call a player a
teammates, four against five, trying to obtain possession of the ball so
that they may pass it to him. He may make twelve out of his teams
eighteen points, and be praised by press and fans alike as the star of
the game, though seven out of ten such games his team may lose. Let a
team with a basket hanger play against Il team of five me who work
as "A team, and see which team wins.
Passing.
Accuracy in passing, and good judgment as regards the receiving end,
are the essentials in passing. Short passing is undoubtedly the best
method Of advancing the ball. If a team is not able by this method to
get na enough to the basket to try for a goal, they may pass fate enough
to demoralze and dazzle their opponents; and long enough to allow II
of their teammates, by speed o stealth, to get near enough Ito the basket
TO have a comparatively eas shot upon the receipt of a long pass. This
is a cas- for judgment and headwork in passing 1t Is much better to
have a system In spreading the mn ovr the court in offensive plays; that
is, when in possession Of the ball. The natural one, and undoubtedly the
best is to have the forwards, who are generally picked for their speed
and shooting ability, advance first towards the opponents goal, with the
center working toward the ball, and the guards ready o urn into a stone-
val defense Oft theirs goal at a second's notice.