Basketball Play-by-play

Great basketball play-by-play finds balance in word economy to match the pace on the court.

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Keys to NBA-Caliber Basketball Play-by-play

Learn all the fundamentals you need to make your basketball play-by-play NBA quality.

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STAA Play-by-Play Pyramid

Use the STAA Play-by-Play Pyramid to build your basketball broadcasts from the foundation up or use the pyramid as a self-critique guide.

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Videos & Additional Basketball Resources

Group Critique 24: January 2019

Ringing in the new year with a new round of radio critiques in the basketball and hockey departments.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • A common mistake in description that hurts more than it helps.
  • How to increase your energy without sounding over the top.
  • Examples of what basketball broadcasters should do instead of narrating every pass.
  • A unique, effective description to add to your basketball vocabulary

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Group Critique 23: December 2018

Ho ho hope you pick up some useful tips from this month’s group critique session. Radio critiques of basketball and football play-by-play plus a double helping of football TV play-by-play.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • When using the shot clock becomes a PBP crutch
  • How to tell if you’ve prepared well for your football broadcast
  • When to watch the field and when to watch the monitor

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Group Critique 17: April 2018

On the radio side Jon critiques basketball, football, and hockey play-by-play. TV critiques include basketball play-by-play and a sports anchor/reporter reel.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • A great example of basketball description
  • What to say while you work on ID’ing the tackler
  • How to use time and score to build drama on a TV PBP broadcast
  • Why your facial expressions add to your sportscast

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Group Critique 16: February 2018

It must be basketball season! This month’s session is almost exclusively basketball PBP (including a TV demo)… with a little sports talk hosting to spice things up.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • The phrase that might be softening your sports talk opinions
  • When the shot clock becomes mandatory info in basketball PBP
  • A good example of when it’s okay to fall a count or two behind
  • Types of description to leave out of a TV PBP broadcast

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Group Critique 10: Winter 2017

The first Group Critique of 2017 packs a punch with plenty of radio and TV critiques. The radio session covers sports talk, football, basketball and baseball play-by-play. For the TV crowd Jon reviews hockey, a sports anchor/reporter reel, soccer and basketball.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • Why you need to structure your post game show
  • How to add clarity when you give the time and score
  • What to do if you feel like you need to speak faster in basketball PBP
  • An illustration of PBP character development
  • Aiming for the bigs? Discover why you need to add pitch type and location to your PBP
  • A great example of voice control in hockey PBP
  • The facial expression you must use as a sports TV anchor/reporter

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Group Critique 9: Fall 2016

Fall and football are synonymous in this quarter’s group critique. This all play-by-play critique session features football and a few pinches of basketball to add spice.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • When to include the play clock during football PBP
  • A Kevin Harlan-esque example of PBP description
  • The PBP components that are like chocolate and peanut butter
  • A good example of shifting energy from third to fourth gear
  • The element you should never include on a PBP demo

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Group Critique 8: Summer 2016

The summer quarter group critique features play-by-play, sports talk, and an interview assessment. PBP critiques include baseball, basketball, and football.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • Why you need to include actualities during your sports talk show
  • The point when you should always be giving the time and score during basketball PBP
  • How to listen for “announcer voice”
  • A great example of basketball PBP that includes extensive vocabulary
  • What you might be doing too much of when conducting an interview

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Group Critique 7: Spring 2016

The spring quarter group critique will help you grow with evaluations of play-by-play and sports talk. PBP evaluations include basketball, baseball, and football.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • A great example of conveying drama in baseball PBP
  • How long you have to catch a listener’s attention in sports talk
  • A crucial editing tip for demos (PBP or sports talk)
  • When to reference the shot clock
  • Why you need to include uncut segments on your demo

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