Dribble Penetration: Strong Down Low and Soft on Top

When you talk about dribble penetration and what separates the best from the rest the one catch phrase that we like to use at TBL is "be strong down low and soft on top."


What this means is that as a penetrator you have to be prepared to protect the ball at all costs as you drive through traffic.  You can try to keep the ball away from the defender if he's running up your side or you can tuck it like a running back if your trying to split the gap.  What ever you choose to do, you need to protect the ball by holding on to it for dear life.  The problem arises when you transition from protecting the ball in traffic to taking the ball up for the layup.  It is at this point where the penetrator needs to switch to touch mode as he approaches the basket for a layup.  This is where the saying in the title comes from.  It is a players ability to transition from aggressive as he goes through traffic to touch as he goes to finish that separates th great penetrators from the rest of the field.

Below we have included a video from YouTube on one of the best finishers pound for pound when healthy.  Take a look at this video and notice how Derrick Rose uses the concept of strong down low and soft on top to perfection.


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