The Ultimate Guide to Person Playing Basketball: Skills, Drills, and Game Strategy

Let’s be honest, when we talk about the ultimate guide to playing basketball, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of generic advice about dribbling drills and defensive stances. But the real magic, the part that separates a practiced player from a game-changer, often happens in the chaos of the final seconds. I remember coaching a youth team years ago, drilling them on box-out fundamentals until they could do it in their sleep. Yet, in a tied game with the clock dying, it was the player who instinctively crashed the boards from the weak side—ignoring the set play—who tipped in the winning basket. That moment wasn’t just about skill; it was about a mindset, a relentless awareness that the play is never over until the buzzer sounds. This is the essence of becoming a complete player on the court, and it’s perfectly illustrated by a piece of recent professional action. Just take this past Saturday in the PBA, where Kenneth Tuffin of the Fuel Masters scored a follow-up with a mere 0.7 seconds left on the clock. That play didn’t just secure a 93-91 victory over the second-running Rain or Shine; it was a masterclass in the non-negotiable fundamentals we often overlook.

That game-winning sequence by Tuffin is a treasure trove of lessons. First, let’s break down the skill component. To score a follow-up with under a second remaining requires a sublime fusion of athleticism and technique. It starts long before the shot goes up. As a former player who was more of a floor general than a high-flyer, I had to learn this the hard way. Positioning is everything. You have to read the angle of the shot, predict the rebound trajectory—statistically, about 70% of missed shots rebound to the opposite side—and establish inside leverage. Tuffin’s basket wasn’t an accident; it was the product of countless hours of practicing put-backs and tip drills, honing that second jump and soft touch around the rim. I’m a firm believer that every player, regardless of position, should spend at least 20% of their finishing work on these “garbage” points. They are often the lowest-percentage shots for the defense to contest and, as we saw, the most demoralizing to concede.

But skill alone is sterile without the right drills to ingrain the behavior. This is where practicality meets theory. One of my favorite drills, which I still use in clinics, is the “3-Miss Scramble.” You have three offensive players against two defenders, but the coach intentionally throws up a bad shot. The drill doesn’t end until the offense secures the board and scores, forcing that relentless pursuit. It’s chaotic, it’s exhausting, and it builds the exact muscle memory Tuffin displayed. You develop a feel for where the ball will come off, and you learn to finish through contact when the defense is in panic mode. Drills like this simulate the fatigue and pressure of a real game far better than static shooting exercises. I’ve seen players improve their offensive rebounding numbers by nearly 1.5 per game after a month of focused, chaotic board-work drills. The data might be from my own small sample size, but the trend is unmistakable.

Now, let’s zoom out to game strategy. Tuffin’s play occurred in a one-possession game against a top-tier opponent. At this level, strategy transcends set plays; it’s about collective understanding and situational IQ. The Fuel Masters’ strategy in that final possession likely wasn’t “miss the shot so Tuffin can tip it in.” But their overarching strategy—to attack the rim, to send multiple bodies to the boards—created the opportunity. In my view, too many teams today over-strategize for the first shot and completely neglect the second. A sound game strategy accounts for failure and plans for the scramble. It means instructing your shooting guard, for instance, to crash from the perimeter on a drive from the strong side. That strategic commitment to rebounding is a tangible, controllable factor that can swing close games. Rain or Shine, a superb team, might have been a fraction of a second slow in their box-out assignments, and that’s all it took. The strategy of maximum effort on the glass is non-negotiable if you want to win tight contests.

So, what’s the takeaway from all this? Becoming the ultimate basketball player isn’t just about having a silky jump shot or a killer crossover. It’s about cultivating that predatory instinct for the ball when everything is on the line. It’s the synthesis of drilled skill, physical readiness, and a strategic mindset that values every single possession as a potential game-winner. Kenneth Tuffin’s follow-up with 0.7 seconds left is more than a highlight; it’s a perfect case study. It reminds us that while we practice set plays and offensive sets, we must also practice chaos. We must drill the unpredictable and train for the moments where structure breaks down. Because ultimately, those moments—the loose balls, the long rebounds, the sheer-hustle put-backs—are where games, and legends, are truly made. Focus on that, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering not just the skills, but the very soul of the game.