Basketball Footy Pups

The crowd are going wild. CHEERING

Here come the Footy Pups.

# They play like a dream when they work as a team

# Footy Pups, go, go, Footy Pups

# There's Pickles and Rex and Geraldine next

# Footy Pups, go, go, Footy Pups

# Rozzie and Benny and Manager Freddie

# Footy Pups, go, go, Footy Pups

# There's Rachel too and, of course, all of you

# Footy Pups, go, go, Footy Pups

# Go, go, go, go, Footy Pups! #

Rachel Yankey, top international footballer

and all-round sporting superstar.

But when Rachel's not scoring goals for her team,

she's playing with the Footy Pups.

THEY CHEER

Hi, everyone. We're all warmed up, so it's time to get moving.

Today on my team, we have...

Number 1, Ruby.

Well done, Ruby.

Number 2, Brinley. Keep dribbling, Brinley.

Number 3, Emily.

Nice one, Emily.

Number 4, Jaden.

Whoo! Check Jaden with the skills!

Number 5, Charlie Rose.

That's it, Charlie Rose, keep that ball nice and close.

Number 6, Oliver. Brilliant, Oliver. Well done!

And also joining us are pups Benny and Geraldine.

-Hooray!

-Yeah!

So, that's today's team.

OK, guys, gather round. It's team-talk time.

THEY CHEER

Does anyone know what type of ball this is?

Emily?

-Basketball.

-Excellent.

If you're wondering why I'm holding a basketball,

it's because that's what we're looking at.

Team-mates bounce the ball up and down the court.

They shoot the ball into a hoop to score points.

Who knows what skills we use to play basketball?

-Brinley?

-Dribbling.

-Fantastic. Ruby?

-Passing.

-Brilliant!

Basketball uses a lot of the same skills that we use in football.

And to tell us a little bit more, I've invited along a friend of mine.

Joe Ikhinmwin, professional basketball player

and all-round sporting hero.

Joe is the London Lions captain.

When he's not training with his team-mates,

he's dribbling and scoring his way to basketball victory.

-Hi, Joe. Thanks for coming along.

-No problem.

We're looking at basketball. What do we need to know?

It's a team sport, just like football,

but we dribble the ball by bouncing it

and we pass it by throwing it.

If we're dribbling, what are the three things we need to remember?

One, to bend your knees.

Two, push the ball down.

And three, to look around.

-ALL:

-Keep your knees bent.

Push the ball down.

And look around.

You set us up with a game. What do we need to do?

OK, so in your pairs, one at a time,

take your basketball and dribble it to the cone,

go round and dribble back, looking at your team-mate.

Use your fingertips and don't slap the ball.

-They're off.

-Good job.

-Great concentration here.

-Keep bouncing.

Don't slap it.

-Try and keep your head up.

-Great advice from Joe.

-Very nice.

-Keep patting it down. Well done.

-Look at your team-mate.

These guys are going to be football and basketball stars.

Fingertips, pushing the ball down.

Oh, fantastic.

Bend your knees and get your hand out, remember.

Just like that. And dribble.

Good job.

Whilst these guys keep practising, here's a reminder for you at home.

When playing basketball, keep your knees bent,

push the ball down

and look around you.

OK, now we're going to learn how to shoot the ball.

Our goal is a hoop with a net hanging from it.

What I want you guys to do

is to get a basketball and shoot it into this big basket.

You do this by holding a ball with both hands, bending your arms,

and then shooting it up into the air.

Oliver and Brinley are up first.

-Nicely done.

-Yeah!

Emily, make sure you get one hand underneath and push it up.

She shoots.

-A lovely basket.

-Well done. Excellent.

Good, Ruby. Nice movement. Push from the bottom of the ball.

These guys are really getting the hang of this.

-Ohh! You're great at basketball, Geraldine.

-Thanks, Benny.

Do you remember that time we played against the Pupton Globehoppers?

Oh, yeah.

Welcome to Pupton Park,

where the Footy Pups have triumphed against the Wilderhampton Wanderers.

Good game, guys. You were great. But we were super-great!

Great work, pups. You played well.

-Did you see me stop that goal?

-Which one?

-All of them.

-ALL:

-Yeah!

There's no-one in the world that can beat us with a ball.

-THEY CHEER

-That's right!

-WHISPERING

-..Mm!

In that case, you won't object to a little friendly match.

I'd like to meet the team who can take us on.

You're looking at them.

LAUGHTER

We're serious. We challenge you to a game.

Challenge accepted.

Aye! Well, you may just find it more of a challenge than you think.

LAUGHTER

Hang on. If the cheer-fleaders are playing the Footy Pups,

who's going to do the cheering?

I'm going to call in a favour with my old friend, Flea-once.

Flea-once? The superstar?

I'll get everything ready for her. Oh-ho-ho!

Right, let's play some football!

-Where are the goalposts?

-Where's the football?

Who said anything about football?

We're playing basketball.

-We're the Pupton Globehoppers.

-ALL:

-Yippee!

When the cheer-fleaders aren't cheering you on,

they love playing basketball.

-ALL:

-Two, four, six, eight, shooting hoops is really great.

-ALL:

-Bowwow!

Do you really want us to play basketball?

A good footballer will always try out a different sport.

You never know when you'll pick up a new skill.

Meanwhile, Peter's all too happy to lend Flea-once a hand.

-Or four.

-And you're sure this is no trouble?

Peter help Miss Flea-once.

You can help me practise my postgame performance.

It's going to be spin-sational!

Whoops.

I'll get it!

Remember, pups, use what you know.

Look for ways in which this game is similar to football.

Yeah, we play as a team

and we try to get the ball into the other team's goal.

Yes. And you move the ball by dribbling.

Only in basketball, you use your hands and not your feet.

Ruff-ruff!

Whoa! It's harder than it looks.

Keep your knees bent, push the ball down, don't slap it,

and keep looking around you.

Got it. Thanks, Freddie.

You can pass the ball just like football, but you pass...

..with your hands, not your feet, right?

-Catch, Benny. Oh!

-Ruff!

And we score by putting the ball in the net, just like football.

Aye, but in basketball,

you get two points for scoring inside the curve

and three points if you score when you're outside the curve.

Ruff.

-ALL:

-Aww!

-Too low, laddie.

You need to think like a flea in this game and jump.

Ruff!

Whoa!

Sorry!

On the court, everybody is ready for the game to start.

EXCITED CHITTERING

-Yeah!

-Oh, that's a basket.

And this gives the Globehoppers two points, an early lead.

So much for us being unbeatable with a ball.

-Are you sure this is a good idea?

-Yes, I want to impress my fans.

Ohh! I'd be more impressed if you didn't keep dropping them.

The pups are getting their act together.

But is it too little, too late?

-Ruff!

-Alley-oop!

Ha-ha-ha!

Ohh!

Come on, pups. Play like fleas.

Whoo!

Jump like fleas! Ruff!

What a shot! Three points for scoring from outside the arc,

closing the gap to 5-8.

-Ouch!

-Are you all right, lassie?

I'm fine, but I gave my knee a bit of a bang when I landed.

You'll be right as rain in no time at all.

But you'll have to sit out the rest of the game.

-ALL:

-Ohhh!

Um... Can we bring on new players in basketball?

Aye, but you haven't got an extra player.

I can think of one member of our team

who won't have a problem playing like a flea.

Ahh! Ohh.

Don't worry, Flea-once. I caught them all.

Wow! You're good at this.

Hey, that's it. Pete, will you be in the act with me?

Me performing with you? Oh! I'd love to.

Oh-ho!

You're sure you don't mind me playing on the pups' team?

-No problem. It's a friendly match.

-Oh-ho!

Ruff!

EXCITED CHITTERING

-Well, well! Freddie Fleason is on the court.

-Slam dunk!

And he's showing the pups how it's done.

Whoohoo.

Keeping balls out of nets is my speciality.

Whoa-whoa-whoa!

Hu... Whoo!

Yes!

It's nearly the end of the game.

Less talking, more bouncing.

Yaaa!

Ohh!

Oh-ohh!

WHISTLE BLOWS, CHEERING

That's the final whistle, and the Globehoppers win 13-10.

No shame in losing to the best.

You played well, especially for your first time.

And what better way to celebrate...

..than with our spin-sational act?

-ALL:

-Bowwow.

-BOTH:

-For running fast and jumping tall, take a spinning basketball.

Whoa! Whoops!

-ALL:

-Ta-da!

ALL LAUGH

-I love playing basketball, Geraldine.

-Me, too.

The ball is really bouncy.

-Hi, guys.

-BOTH: Hi, Rachel.

-You guys are great at basketball. Can I join in?

-Of course you can.

-Ruff. Ha-ha!

-Guys, guys, over here, I can score a basket.

Ruff.

Yes!

Oh... Ohh! Guys, I'm a bit stuck.

Do you guys remember how to dribble and shoot a basketball?

Keep your knees bent, push the ball down and look around you.

-OK, guys, who fancies a game?

-ALL:

-Yeah!

I've split you into two teams. We've got the Slam Dunks.

-Give me a cheer.

-THEY CHEER

-And the Hoopers. Give me a cheer.

-THEY CHEER

Fantastic.

Let's take a look with the Footy Pups to find out how to play.

Come and have a look.

To play, you'll need to be ready to bounce.

The first player dribbles the ball forward,

zigzagging through the cones.

Once they reach the spot, they can shoot a ball at the hoop.

They then run back to their team-mates

and it's the next player's turn.

The winners of this game will be the team who score the most baskets.

-Three, two, one.

-WHISTLE BLOWS

CHEERING

-He races forward through the cones.

-Both hands on the basketball.

Push it up, follow through.

Fantastic stuff. CHEERING

-Keep pushing that ball down.

-Emily sets off.

-Well done.

-Good job.

Very nice, Emily. Look at the basket.

-Oh, what a shot!

-Bend those knees, bend those knees.

And shoot.

Sensational. THEY CHEER

Great. That's what I want to see.

There's not long left. Can Oliver seal the deal?

He shoots.

Yes!

Keep bouncing that ball.

One hand underneath, one hand to guide it.

She lines it up.

It's another basket for the Hoopers.

WHISTLE BLOWS

-And time.

-Now for the Slam Dunks.

-..Two, one.

WHISTLE BLOWS

-That's it, Jaden.

-Good job, Jaden.

He's confident dribbling the ball.

-Hand underneath. And push it forward.

-There you go.

Oh, what a shot. THEY CHEER

Ruby, remember, don't slap the basketball.

Very nice.

She's concentrating hard, but can she score?

-Oh, unlucky.

-Charlie Rose is off next. She shoots for the hoop.

THEY CHEER

-Nice control.

-Bend those knees.

-Jaden wastes no time.

-Bend your arms. Follow through.

-They're looking for a win here.

-Good job.

-Great dribbling, Ruby.

-Very nice.

-She shoots.

-Good shot.

-She's made that look easy.

-Nice.

WHISTLE BLOWS

-And time.

-Let's have a replay.

Both teams had a great game, dribbling and shooting the ball.

But who will be today's winners?

Benny and Geraldine have the final score.

The Hoopers scored six points,

whilst the Slam Dunks scored five,

making the Hoopers today's best basketballers.

My team today have been brilliant at basketball.

We've bounced, we've dribbled

and we've scored baskets,

all thanks to basketball superstar Joe Ikhinmwin.

That's it for today. Well done, everyone.

Now you've got the skill, remember to pass it on.