One-step finishing

    Basketball has become more athletic on both ends of the floor, that's why offensive players must find ways to disrupt block timing of the defender while driving to basket, either main defender or help defender. One of the ways is to change your steps and jump off of your first step after dribble. Also finishing off of first step allows you to use less space and finish quicker, rather than placing more steps, that can slow you down. 

    First example is finishing with one-step underhand lay-up, mostly, used when defender is behind you, and there is no help defense in front. 

    Another variation of one-step finishing is when player must use hang time to jump past defender or get more space while in the air. Mostly it is used against help defender, to set their timing off for block attempt. This variation demands a lot of coordination. This shot looks like it needs a lot of athleticism, but it can be used also by less athletic players, if they know ho to use their body (coordination). 

    Nando DeColo is great at using his body to protect his lay ups, but in this situation he hangs in the air to use the rim as the protector from blocker who is behind him. We can see, that his one-step also disrupts defenders timing. 

    Great examples of hang time from Artūrs Žagars to get off the ground quicker and disrupt the defense while jumping forward to basket and finish close to the rim. 

    This shot demands great coordination and it can compensate athletic abilities, if there is perception when to use this type of finishing. 

    This example Aigars Šķēle uses his body to protect the shot from the defender who is behind him and switches hand to protect it from help defender. In the air there is a little hang, and that creates more space for him to avoid shot blockers.

    Another examples i find very usable, especially for less athletic players, or players who uses their body very well to protect the lay up - slow one-step finishing. To execute this move, it is important to make long  step and jump straight up in the air, to make defender fly by you while you are in the air. 

    Great example of slow one-step finishing. 

 

    This is example where slow step and using one step can help to create good lay up in small space, in stead of using more steps.

    There are more ways to use this one step finishing, I found these variations very interesting and usable in every level of basketball. For practicing these shots, I think you should start by learning to hang in the air and score when you fall down (just focus on releasing the shot at the very end of the jump). 

Thank you for reading, 

Coach Rožlapa.