A case study on practical intelligence for pick play in basketball:

from the perspective of a ball handler who excels in the game

Abstract

    This study aimed to convert the practical intelligence of ball handler who play an integral role in “pick play” into useful knowledge for the field of practice in order to improve individual tactical skills in situations where multiple players are confronted. To achieve this goal, we conducted an interview study on pick plays with one male basketball player who excelled at the international level, and qualitatively analyzed his narrative. The following results were obtained.
1) In the preparation phase of a pick play, he analyzed the situation according to the gap and space created by his own initiative, and formulated a behavioral strategy that could resolve the situation regardless of the opponent's response. They can be viewed as tactical thoughts that constantly lead the opponent into unfavorable scenarios by updating the opponent's assessment during the game.
2) Once he knew the reaction of the defender he was facing, he played with selective attention to the next screener defender or situation confronting him. In doing so, he read the semantic structure of the opponent's defensive actions as signs, which helped him formulate a rational method of attack.
3) He was able to understand the characteristics of his teammate's screener and the matchup with the opposing defender facing the screener in a two-on-two game, and he played to exploit the differences in height, size, speed, and spatial weakness.
4) By using a variety of dribbling variations, the player could prevent the opponent from easily predicting his response to the play, and apply the tactic even in other, similar situations.