Author: Grant Riley

Healthier habits – isn’t that what we want for all our kids? You just don’t know what it meant to me to hear that Oklahoma City Thunder basketball player, Kevin Durant, said: “I could eat a lot better… This past year, I was really big on eating a lot of foods with vegetables. That’s all I really ate this past year was foods with vegetables. I’m trying to stay away from red meats and the fast food as much as I can, even though it’s tempting.” Finally!! A message for all our kids (and us, too, truth be told). Durant… Read more »

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We are back to good fundamentals with the Wall and Ball Two Hand Pass Drill. Playing basketball looks so easy when you’re sitting in the stands. But for players, good players, that easy look is developed through practice and concentration on mastering fundamental skills. This drill will help you do that. All you need is a basketball and a wall (with no windows!). Combine this drill with a one-minute shooting drill around the court and in square in front of your Goalrilla Goal Basketball Goal and you will have a complete practice in your driveway or on your home court.… Read more »

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“I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On twenty-six occasions I have been entrusted to take the game’s winning shot … and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that’s why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan To put success and the ultimate career achievements of Michael Jordan into perspective – he’s human. He has, indeed, made a remarkable imprint on the game of basketball and inspired countless up-and-coming stars and young ballers starting out. But, in his own words, he has also had… Read more »

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At this writing, 41 professional NBA basketball players are crossing the pond to go balling outside of America. Some are long-term deals, some have opt-out provisions. Is it smart? On one hand, the basketball players leaving the states during the ever-continuing lock-out will be playing in a competitive forum and keeping their skills hot. That’s not to say that many of the professionals are not going full out in their own private practice sessions, but it’s just not the same. When you are practicing at game-like intensity against the best in the business – that’s skill-honing. Driving hard, drilling three-pointers,… Read more »

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Eliminate the bob and gallop for your beginner with a good defensive drill like the Wall Ball and Slide Defensive Drill. Gearing the drill down to a beginner level is easy. The main concentration for beginners is staying in the stance with a forceful drive and recover pattern. Concentrate on a few key elements: Stay down in the defensive stance – keep the head level and butt down to prevent bobbing and galloping. Drive and recover – keep the underhand toss of the ball not too high and with enough force to prevent it from bouncing on the ground. Stay… Read more »

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Just about everyone favors one hand over another. There are two camps: those full of right-handers and those with the left-handers. On the basketball court that usually means that one hand is stronger than the other. But there is a great drill to develop strength in whichever side is your weaker side while developing ball handling and wraparound passing skills. That is the Wall and Ball Wrap Around Bounce Pass Drill. The player will need three things: a solid brick or concrete wall (no windows!) a basketball the pad off your Goalrilla Goal Basketball Hoop to stand in as a mock… Read more »

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For beginners and intermediate players, mastering the fundamentals of passing is crucial to building a team on the court. Develop that passing proficiency and confidence with the Wall and Ball Two Hand Chest Pass Drill. All you need is a wall (with no windows) and a basketball. Combine this drill with a drill shooting baskets on your Goalrilla Goal Basketball Goal in your driveway or on your home court. (With answers to all your questions and the best equipment available, the Basketball Goal Store is the place to go for your Goalrilla Goal Basketball system.) Players can engage in an independent routine of… Read more »

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Adding challenge to practice drills develops skills for players, especially advanced players who have a good grasp of the fundamentals. All of us here at the Basketball Goal Store know that the fundamentals are important, but refining skills is the focus of practice for advanced players. A good ball handling drill for advanced players that offers some challenge is the Six Chair Garden Gloves Dribbling Drill. Six folding chairs are set up in two rows. Each row is 10 feet apart and each chair in each of the rows is 10 feet apart. The player will dribble twice between chairs… Read more »

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One of the best things about having that Goalrilla Basketball Goal backyard court is that when you really work hard at practice drills and are really tired, all you have to do is walk indoors. You don’t have to collect up your gear, walk to the car, drive home and lug everything into the house.   With the wide selection of Goalrilla Basketball Goals at the Basketball Goal Store, every family can find the size and features they want in their Goalrilla Goal at a great price and get it delivered quickly. One of the drills that can really wear the players out is the Spot-Up Shooting Drill.… Read more »

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Not every home practice drill for basketball has to take place on your backyard court. For some, you don’t need the premium, in-ground Goalrilla Basketball Goal. But here in the basketball-crazy state of Indiana from where the Basketball Goal Store operates, we know that after the drills are done, it’s just fun to get a pick-up game together or just throw some free throws. There’s nothing as soothing as listening to the twap-twap, twap of a basketball dribbling or the swish of all net. But back to on-court performance and becoming a great player: Driving to get into position on… Read more »

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You can run the height on the Goalrilla Goal Basketball Goal in your home court all the way up to the 10-foot maximum because you won’t need the basketball or hoop for this drill. (Just keep it handy for a some practice some baskets if you have the energy left when you’re done with this drill.) Two aspects of playing basketball are critical: skills and endurance. Every player needs to have solid fundamental skills to really be good on the court and making good use of the basketball goal. You know the players that are great – until the end of the game when they just run… Read more »

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In so many sports, including basketball, the ability to change direction and really drive earmarks a great player. You hear comments like, “He was all over me – no matter where I turned, he was there!” You like to be the “he” in that statement. Getting between your opponent and his teammates or the basketball goal means you interfere with the team’s ability to score – and maybe even put you or someone on your team in a position to reverse position of the ball – results are frenzied screams from the bleachers … and maybe even wins on the record books.… Read more »

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An NBA basketball game is set at 4 quarters – 12 minutes each for a total of 48 minutes of game time. We all know that with timeouts and half time that it lasts much longer, but the actual regular playing time is 48 minutes. Think about that – 48 minutes of striving to reach the basketball goal and make some points – requires a lot of energy, doesn’t it? Every armchair athlete knows 48 minutes of motion requires some preparation – a 5-minute mile is a runner’s benchmark – so how many miles does a player run during a… Read more »

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The running and form drills are great for creating body motion memory, but we all want to take some shots at the basketball goal and well, when you do so many drills without taking any shots – basketballers get antsy – or perhaps the better word is bored. So break up the endurance and defense drills with an Elbow-to-Elbow Shooting Drill. It lasts for 1.5 to 2 full minutes and counting the number of baskets made makes it pass quickly. The repetition of shooting using correct form and a strong pivot at the fastest pace will translate onto the court.… Read more »

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Immediately after the school bus pulls away I hear the familiar twap-twap of a basketball dribble on the home basketball court next door. (Backyard basketball courts are a blessing for families because everyone, regardless of age or ability, can have fun – and get exercise – with an adjustable Goalrilla Basketball Goal. Basketball Goal Store has a huge stock ready for delivery. Today, mixed in with the twap-twap-twap was a seemingly heated “discussion,” but all I could catch was “Michael Jordan.”   When I remember Michael Jordan, I always think of two things: air and aggression MJ’s leaps were unbelievable and no one can dispute he was an aggressive player. One… Read more »

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All most kids want to do is get out and take some shots at the basketball goal – make some hoops, run and beat their friends in a friendly game. But here come the adults with their ideas about “warming up” and stretching before engaging in any sports activity. Adults sigh, kids groan. They just want to play – and – in the end is that ok? Here at the Basketball Goal Store, we make available the best in in-ground basketball goals – the Goalrilla Basketball Goals – we don’t advise on the physiology of the game. But I can’t resist… Read more »

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One thing women are known for is persistence – you know,  the old “nag, nag, nag.” But for basketball lovers, the persistence of the WNBA shines through the gloom brought on by the men’s NBA league. You see, not only are the women not embroiled in labor disputes, the women play through the summer! The Minnesota Lynx (who even took time out to walk the catwalk at the Mall of America’s third annual “Catwalk for a Cure” event) are ranked No. 1 with their current 16-5 record, including a 9-game win streak. The Indiana Fever (Yay! Indiana!) team is ranked… Read more »

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School is getting back into session and after sitting and thinking hard all day long, it’s time for the kids to get out and move! Having a backyard basketball court with a Goalrilla Basketball Goal System makes it easy to let them re-energize. The Basketball Goal Store is the largest online retailer of the premium in-ground Goalrilla Basketball Goals and has all the information and assistance needed to create a basketball court at your home for your family. Drills are a great way to focus attention on one skill and routine that allows the player to really concentrate – it’s sort of like an athletic meditation… Read more »

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By now everyone has heard all the recent reports and statistics about health and obesity levels for all ages and genders in the United States. Getting more exercise is one of the reasons some families reach out to us here at the Basketball Goal Store. Parents want a home basketball court where they, and their children, have a place to play their way to better health. And with the great volume-buying prices and overstock deals, the Basketball Goal Store is the place to find a premium in-ground Goalrilla Goal. Gym memberships are great – but it’s more than just the… Read more »

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Believe it or not, the word dribble was first used in 1589 – yes, more than 400 years ago. Granted, it was probably used to talk about a trickle of water of some person (or some thing) drooling. But without a doubt, when you say dribble or dribbling these days, most people think of basketball – and well they should! In basketball, dribbling is one of the two ways to move the ball around the court. (The other one, passing, is a whole other topic.) The Merriam Webster dictionary provides one definition: to propel by successive slight taps or bounces with… Read more »

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