Starting Monday 28th January 2019, ESBA are launching our 8 week player and coach development program. Lead by head coach Peter Howes, our training program will teach individual skills through to team structure, and put it all to practice with game time to finish each session. Spaces are limited to 20 players per group, with 3 groups for boys and girls. At the completion of the program each player will receive a 'record of achievement' - highlighting your strengths and providing feedback to improve your game.

Miniball Holiday Training Programme For Years 3-6

Southland Shark, Tall Black & New Zealand Breakers player Derone Raukawa along with hometown talent, Hawke's Bay Hawks & New Zealand Breakers player Mitchell Newton are running 2 school holiday miniball training camps at our local stadium - Archer Stadium, Gore.

Players will learn skills, play games & gain information on health, all while having fun. Individual ability and age groups will be catered for, wherever possible.

Players talking to referees: Only the team captain may approach the referee during a dead ball, quarter time and at half time. No other players can approach the referees at any point during the game. Any players arguing any decision or using obscene language directly or indirectly in the game will result in a technical foul - 1 shot and posession of the ball from half way for the opposing team.

Every week throughout the main basketball season our referee trainers Marilyn & Sherri will have a new rule of the week for players to focus on - a rule violation they are noticing often that will help upskill our players by understanding the rule correctly. Keep an eye on this page for the current rule of the week, as well as past rules of the week.

The FIBA rule book is available on our Training page, or feel free to ask any of our senior referees outside of a game if you have any questions.

Steven Adams Is Coming To Dunedin! And we have 30 presale tickets up for grabs to this camp being held on the 22nd August 2018.

The camp is for kids aged 8-17 and tickets are $65 each.

To secure one of the 30 tickets you need to be a registered player with ESBA and you must email us your childs name, age, and contact email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

First in best dressed! But dont worry if you miss out on one of our 30 presale tickets they go on sale 16th July 2018. Game on!

Click here for more information: Steven Adams Camps - Dunedin

Touch the ball with your fingertips, not your palm. Don't slap the ball with your palm. Rather, try to handle the ball with the tips of your fingers. Spread your fingers out across the surface of the ball for a wider, more balanced contact area.

Get in a low stance. When dribbling in an upright posture the ball will have to travel from your upper body to the ground and back again as it bounces, leaving it wide open for a defender to steal. Before you start to dribble, get in a low, defensive stance. Spread your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and drop your hips back slightly (as if you were sitting in a chair). Get your head up and your upper body mostly upright.

Keep your feet no further than shoulder width apart.

Flex your knees slightly. Locking your knees makes it easy for you to get knocked off balance. Flex your knees comfortably so you're in position to jump as soon as you have the ball.

Dip the ball down to your waist. The ball and your shooting eye should form a straight line to the basket.

Position your shooting hand elbow so it's under the ball. Your arm should be straight up and down, not out to the side.

Dribble close to the basket with your left hand. Since you're doing a left-handed lay up, angle your approach toward the left side of the basket. You want to get close enough to have easy access to the basket, but not so close that you end up directly under it.

• Lay ups are often taken off of a running dribble. Practice approaching the basket slowly at first, and increase your speed once you've got the footwork down.
• You can do a left-handed lay up if you're starting near the center or left side of the basket. If you're approaching the basket from the right, you'll want to do a right-handed lay up.

Step toward the basket with your left foot. When you're just a few steps from the basket (around the edge of the painted area), take a step toward it with our left foot.

FIBA Official Rules - 2021

ESBA Miniball Rules

FIBA Official Referee Signals

Dribble close to the basket with your right hand. Since you're doing a right-handed lay up, angle your approach toward the right side of the basket. You want to get close enough to have easy access to the basket, but not so close that you end up directly under it.

• Lay ups are often taken off of a running dribble. Practice approaching the basket slowly at first, and increase your speed once you've got the footwork down.
• You can do a right-handed lay up if you're starting near the center or right side of the basket. If you're approaching the basket from the left, you'll want to do a left-handed lay up.

Step toward the basket with your right foot. When you're just a few steps from the basket (around the edge of the painted area), take a step toward it with our right foot.

Year 3 & 4 miniball players, coaches and parents - download our 8 Week Miniball Training Program

Learn new skills, drills and fun practice games

Week 1: Passing and ball handling
Week 2: Passing and dribbling
Week 3, 4 & 5: Shooting
Week 6: Defense
Week 7 & 8: Shooting and layups

Year 5 & 6 miniball players, coaches and parents - download our 8 Week Miniball Training Program

Learn new skills, drills and fun practice games

Week 1: Passing and dribbling
Week 2: Passing and dribbling
Week 3 & 4: Shooting and layups
Week 5 & 6: Defense
Week 7 & 8: Pass and cut