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Covering college basketball

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Angola!, Jan 10, 2008.

  1. slowcenter

    slowcenter Member

    The two most valuable things I get from my play-by-play are the distance of a shot (as noted by a wise man previously) and how heavily-defended the shot was. You can use your own code for open, defended and heavily-defended.

    I find that is the stuff I come back to when I am writing the story.
     
  2. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    Like others have said, I keep the pbp because it keeps me involved in the game. I'll occasionally miss something as I discuss trends, etc., with other reporters, but that's what the school's pbp is for.

    I spend a bit more time describing important stuff in my college pbp than I do with HS stuff, largely because I can fall back on the school's stuff if I miss something.

    While I always try to pick out strategic changes during HS games, I sometimes fail to mark them down as I keep up with the action. I make sure to mark them down with college ball and I even go so far as to diagram plays sometimes, especially when I see or hear it called first. It doesn't necessarily help me with my writing, but I've learned to recognize some offensive sets and plays before they happen, just by watching that stuff. It always helps to know what's supposed to happen so that, if it breaks down, you can see how the team reacts to that stuff.

    I've been covering this team since 1998, though, and I've only really started doing that the past couple of years. It's not always easy, but it's always kind of cool when you know what's going to happen. :)
     
  3. I'm glad I found this thread, since I just found out I'm going to be taking over a men's college hoops beat. Thing is, I've never done basketball coverage before, only baseball, so I'm sort of unsure of how to approach it. Seems like PBP is a biggie, though. Any other suggestions for a newb?
     
  4. Tom Petty

    Tom Petty Guest

    college cheerleaders are legal.
     
  5. That would be helpful if I didn't have a vagina.

    Can I say vagina?
     
  6. mike311gd

    mike311gd Active Member

    It's a free country.
     
  7. Rumpleforeskin

    Rumpleforeskin Active Member

    You would be the first to answer.
     
  8. expendable

    expendable Well-Known Member

    Some cheerleaders don't have those either. :D
     
  9. Tom Petty

    Tom Petty Guest

    then tools of ignorance is a mighty misleading SN.
     
  10. earlyentry

    earlyentry Member

    Any suggestions for someone who covers/freelances a game for AP?
     
  11. Gold

    Gold Active Member

    I would say keep a PBP, but keep notes. If you get a good PBP from the college, you can still keep your own notes. For instance, if a team has taken four or five outside shots in a row, make a note of that. If somebody made two or three turnovers in a short period, note that.

    One thing you should note is if one team is constantly being beaten down the court. Why? Are they not hustling, out of condition, being outrebounded, slower?

    The other thing I would do to improve is to try to make contact with a coach, maybe at the D-3 level or JUCO level, and try to find out what they think is important in a story or about a game. See if you could sit on a bench and maybe watch preparation for a game - maybe trade favors for an extra feature or something like that. I say that because I covered basketball for a couple papers and thought I knew a lot about the game. Then I got a job as an SID where there was a really good coach who would be more open with me, and I learned a lot, including how much I didn't know.
     
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