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Title: “Basketball for Girls” ($14.95)

Author: Teresa Weatherspoon, with Tara Sullivan and Kelly Whiteside

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

This book is written for the beginning player. It’s easy to understand and carefully illustrated with photos of Weatherspoon, the standout New York Liberty guard and two-time WNBA defensive player of the year.

No chance you’ll fail to understand anything here. For example, this item, from the glossary: “NBA: National Basketball Association, a professional league.”

And: “Bounce pass: A pass that touches the floor before reaching its receiver.”

First item of business, Chapter 1: Stretching, before and after playing basketball.

Dribbling, she points out, should be the third option when receiving the ball. And the best dribbling drill: dribbling with two balls.

In the passing chapter, she says mastery of the ball fake is critical, followed in importance by passing away from the defense.

And the best basketball conditioning drill--the “Monkey in the Middle Drill.” Two offensive players stand 15 feet apart with the defender in the middle, trying to intercept or block the pass. It’s the best way, Weatherspoon says, to learn both defensive quickness and develop crisp passing skills.