Basketball is a widely popular sport internationally. This can be seen from the fact that more than 600 million players play this sport worldwide, as seen from data in 2024.
However, it is no longer restricted to the United States of America. That’s because of its rising popularity in Dubai, which can be seen from the numerous tournaments hosted and played in the city.
Apart from that, more than 70% of people love playing basketball in Dubai, as per Forbes.
So if you’re someone who’s coming to the city for a tournament, continue reading below to learn more about how you can prepare for it.
Understand the Tournament Details
First, you should understand everything about the nature of the tournament that you’re going to play. The different types of tournaments mostly involve:
- Amateur
- League matches
- Youth Matches
Amateur matches involve those that are generally played at the collegiate or school level. These matches follow basketball’s rules of play, but differ from professional NBA-approved games in factors like duration and other rules.
League matches involve head-to-head matches between various teams from different cities, or regions in the UAE. These matches are organized by an overall governing body, such as the United Arab Emirates Basketball Association or UAE BA, like the NBA.
Youth matches involve matches wherein people under the ages of 18, 20, and so on play in teams against each other. These tournaments are usually organized under the patronage of specific bodies, like the Sharjah Sports Council.
Second, you should take great care to study and familiarize yourself with the applicable rules for each game. Consider factors like the match format, duration, and team size.
Knowing these factors will help you practice more effectively for the match.
Third, you should get your team, coach, and other staff members, as applicable, registered before the deadline. You should also take into account the fees required to register for the same.
Fourth, you should check out the venue and consider factors like the distance of the same from your hotel, and your transport.
Physical Preparation and Conditioning
As you know, “practice makes perfect”. That’s why you should engage in training for the game with the help of various drills and physiotherapy to relax.
Endurance and Strength Training
First, you should start with strength and endurance training. These endurance drills and strength training exercises will help you develop your stamina and help you play for longer hours without exhausting yourself.
You can expect depth jump, interval training, and wind sprints as part of the endurance drill regimen.
Depth jumping will involve you jumping onto a box and off it continuously.
Interval training will involve running between two fixed points on and off for fixed durations, or ‘intervals’.
Wind sprints will involve sprinting between the court baseline to the half-court and free-throw lines, at a break of specific durations.
Strength training involves exercises done to increase the size and strength of your muscles, which will allow you to physically tackle players when applicable. Some popular exercises involve the power jerk, one-leg squats, and military-influenced dumb bell press.
The power jerk involves three to four sets of raising handlebar weights for up to 90 seconds. You have to lift the weight to your torso, and then raise it over your head suddenly, and hold it in position for the duration indicated.
A one-leg squat will involve you performing a squat with only one of your legs. This means only one of your legs will almost touch the ground, while the other one will remain standing.
The military-influenced dumb bell press refers to holding two dumb bells at 90-degree angles to your shoulders, raising them in straight 180-degree lines over your head and bringing them back to the initial position.
Agility Drills and Cardio
Second, you should focus on agility drills and cardio for high-intensity matches. These agility drills will involve the exercises mentioned below.
Ladder agility drills will involve you jumping and simultaneously moving forwards and backwards, as applicable, on a rope ladder kept on the floor.
Lane agility drills will involve you running fast within the boundaries of a specific ‘lane’ or road, which will be marked by cones.
NBA-level agility drills will involve you running around between specific stretches of the court, which will be marked by cones.
Stretching
Don’t forget to perform basic cool-down and stretching exercises after all these drills, aas you will risk getting cramps otherwise.
Skill and Team Practice
No basketball game is played without improving your skills. While the physical drills will help you condition your body, team drills will help you improve your team’s overall abilities.
So you should consider playing scrimmage or mock matches by dividing your team into two sub-teams each. These will help you simulate the atmosphere of a real match and help you test your skills against each other.
You should also focus on your shooting, defense, and passing drills with your team.
Shooting drills will involve your basketball lessons dividing your team into two groups, and having each player shoot the hoop, in turns. This will ensure that you can develop your focus and better your shooting ability.
Passing drills will involve you and other members of your team passing the ball to other players. Some of you might be told to stand in specific areas around the court, and then pass the basketball to other members of your team.
Defense drills will involve you employing various techniques to block your opponents from scoring a basket.
Gear and Equipment Checklist
You will have to use the correct equipment to play the basketball game, such as:
- Shoes
- Uniforms
- Knee pads, arm pads, and mouth guards
- Towels
- Water bottles
- Additional equipment
Ensure that all the gear is in accordance with the regulations approved by the United Arab Emirates Basketball Association, or UAE BA.
Nutrition and Hydration
A healthy body will help you play the match more efficiently. So you should ensure to have a healthy meal about four hours prior to the game. This duration will help you digest the meal and absorb the nutrients better.
Some good ideas for good pre-game meals like sandwiches, grilled fish, and grilled chicken.
If you feel hungry about an hour or so before the game, you can consider fruits, granola bars, crackers, or peanut butter sandwiches.
During the game, you should remember to drink about 120 ml of water every 20 minutes, otherwise you might face cramps due to dehydration. We would recommend opting for electrolyte-rich water as energy drinks contain high sugar.
So, they will not be ideal for Dubai’s hot and dry climate.
Mental Preparation
In addition to your body, you should also focus on your mind. So you should focus on meditation exercises and positive manifestation routines to create a positive aura within yourself before the match.
You should also carry out a series of breathing exercises like Pranayam and Kapalbhati. These exercises will help you improve your lung capacity, optimize your blood flow, and help you remain calm under pressure.
If you feel tense during the match, then just take a timeout when applicable and forcibly breathe in and out for ten to fifteen minutes. This will help you to regain your calmness and get into the mindset of a champion.
Local Considerations in Dubai
You should not forget to take into account various factors like the prevailing temperature, dress code regulations, and holiday schedules.
Dubai mostly remains significantly hot throughout the year, which can be seen from the 94-degree Fahrenheit average temperature. Apart from that, since indoor basketball courts are conditioned, you will have to adjust to the temperature difference quickly.
In case you’re playing an outdoor match, ensure that you train in a similar environment before the match to get acclimatized to the conditions. When you show up to the venue, or are on your way, remember to wear modest, comfortable clothing that is not revealing.
Finally, Dubai takes its public holidays very seriously. So you should consider festivals like Ramadan and others, as these may affect the match timings.
The Final Word
Now that you have a complete picture of how to prepare for a basketball match in Dubai, we wish you all the very best. Do remember to practice physical conditioning drills, stay hydrated, eat right, and remain mentally calm for the best results