BASKETBALL PLAY-BY-PLAY

  Photo copyright Boston Celtics

Basketball is unique because of the frequent scoring. There is so much scoring that the score has to be updated after every basket. Basketball is a very creative sport for an announcer, and it's fast-paced. The essentials again involve who has the ball and where it's going. Is the player to the left or right of the lane? Is he stutter-stepping? What kind of pass is he throwing? What kind of defense do you see? Man to man or zone? Is it physical in the low post? Are there any mis-matches on the floor? Describe the shots taken in great detail. Is it a jumper? A lay-up? A dunk? A three-pointer? Does a player pop out on defense to guard a point guard?

It also helps to anticipate strategy. What's the foul situation? Is there a particular player who a team will try to foul? Know the free throw stats to help to anticipate strategy. The basics for basketball are score, time remaining, foul situations, and the time left on the shot clock.