Basketball scoring training apparatus

Abstract

A basketball scoring training apparatus for training an individual to launch a basketball along a desired pathway to move the basketball downwardly through a basketball hoop includes a base, a pair of front columns, and a pair of vertex indicators. The front columns extend upwardly from a front side of the base. The vertex indicators are mounted to the front columns near distal ends of the front columns and indicate a desired vertex position between the vertex indicators. Additional indicators are used in some embodiments.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A basketball scoring training apparatus comprising:
 a base;   a pair of front columns being coupled to the base at a front side of the base, the pair of front columns extending upwardly from the base and being laterally spaced from each other; and   a pair of vertex indicators, each vertex indicator of the pair of vertex indicators being coupled to an associated front column of the pair of front columns, each vertex indicator of the pair of vertex indicators being positioned adjacent to a distal end of the associated front column with respect to the base, wherein the pair of vertex indicators indicates a desired vertex position between the pair of vertex indicators.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vertex indicators of the pair of vertex indicators extend toward each other to indicate the desired vertex position between the pair of vertex indicators. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of target indicators, each target indicator of the pair of target indicators being coupled to an associated front column of the pair of front columns, the pair of target indicators indicating a desired target area between the pair of target indicators. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 each target indicator of the pair of target indicators comprises:
 a first segment being coupled to the associated front column, the first segment extending away from the associated front column when the target indicator is in a use position; and 
 a second segment being coupled to the first segment at a distal end of the first segment with respect to the associated column, the second segment extending toward the second segment of another target indicator of the pair of target indicators; and 
   wherein the second segments of the pair of target indicators indicate a desired target area between the pair of target indicators when each target indicator of the pair of target indicators is positioned in the use position.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each target indicator of the pair of target indicators being pivotable between the use position and a collapsed position in which the first segment of the target indicator lies adjacent to the associated column. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each target indicator of the pair of target indicators further comprises a third segment being coupled to the second segment at a distal end of the second segment with respect to the first segment, the third segment extending upwardly from the second segment when the target indicator is in the use position. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprising a plurality of posts and a plurality of crossbars, each crossbar of the plurality of crossbars being coupled to and extending between an associated pair of posts of the plurality of posts. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each crossbar of the plurality of crossbars is telescopically extendable such that a width between a pair of lateral sides of the base and a depth between a front side and a rear side of the base are adjustable. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein each crossbar of the plurality of crossbars comprises a first bar, a second bar, and a locking pin, the first bar being slidably received into the second bar, the locking pin being coupled to the first bar, the locking pin being biased to extend through one of a plurality of holes in the second bar to secure the first bar to the second bar in a selected position. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each front column of the pair of front columns is telescopically extendable such that a height of the front column is adjustable, each front column of the pair of front column being movable between a retracted position and an extended position. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rear support being coupled to and extending upwardly from the base at the rear side of the base; and   a ball return  60  being coupled to the rear support, the ball return  60  comprising a sloped member  62 , a rear end  64  of the sloped member  62  being coupled to the rear support, a front end  66  of the sloped member  62  being coupled to the pair of front columns, the sloped member  62  being angled downwardly from the rear end  64  to the front end  66 .   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the sloped member  62  comprises a net. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the ball return  60  further comprises a track being coupled to the rear support, the track extending forwardly from the rear support to a front end  66  of the track, the track being angled downwardly from the rear support to the front end  66 . 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the track comprises a pair of rails, the pair of rails being laterally spaced with respect to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the rear support comprising a pair of rear columns and a cross member, the cross member being coupled to and extending between the pair of rear columns, each rear column of the pair of rear columns being telescopically extendable such that a height of the rear column is movable between a collapsed position and an expanded position  58 , the ball return  60  being angled downwardly from the rear end  64  to the front end  66  when each front column of the pair of front columns is positioned in the extended position and each rear column of the pair of rear columns is positioned in the expanded condition. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of wheels being coupled to the base, each wheel of the plurality of wheels comprising a caster. 
     
     
         17 . A basketball scoring training apparatus comprising:
 a base comprising a plurality of posts and a plurality of crossbars, each crossbar of the plurality of crossbars being coupled to and extending between an associated pair of posts of the plurality of posts, each crossbar of the plurality of crossbars being telescopically extendable such that a width between a pair of lateral sides of the base and a depth between a front side and a rear side of the base are adjustable, each crossbar of the plurality of crossbars comprising a first bar, a second bar, and a locking pin, the first bar being slidably received into the second bar, the locking pin being coupled to the first bar, the locking pin being biased to extend through one of a plurality of holes in the second bar to secure the first bar to the second bar in a selected position;   a pair of front columns being coupled to the base at the front side of the base, the pair of front columns extending upwardly from the base and being laterally spaced from each other, each front column of the pair of front columns being telescopically extendable such that a height of the front column is adjustable, each front column of the pair of front column being movable between a retracted position and an extended position;   a pair of vertex indicators, each vertex indicator of the pair of vertex indicators being coupled to an associated front column of the pair of front columns, each vertex indicator of the pair of vertex indicators being positioned adjacent to a distal end of the associated front column with respect to the base, the pair of vertex indicators extending toward each other, the pair of vertex indicators indicating a desired vertex position between the pair of vertex indicators when each front column of the pair of front columns is positioned in the extended position;   a pair of target indicators, each target indicator of the pair of target indicators being coupled to an associated front column of the pair of front columns, each target indicator of the pair of target indicators comprising:
 a first segment being coupled to the associated front column, the first segment extending away from the associated front column when the target indicator is in a use position; 
 a second segment being coupled to the first segment at a distal end of the first segment with respect to the associated column, the second segment extending toward the second segment of another target indicator of the pair of target indicators; and 
 a third segment being coupled to the second segment at a distal end of the second segment with respect to the first segment, the third segment extending upwardly from the second segment when the target indicator is in the use position; 
   wherein the second segments of the pair of target indicators indicate a desired target area between the pair of target indicators when each target indicator of the pair of target indicators is positioned in the use position, each target indicator of the pair of target indicators being pivotable between the use position and a collapsed position in which the first segment of the target indicator lies adjacent to the associated column;   a rear support being coupled to and extending upwardly from the base at the rear side of the base, the rear support comprising a pair of rear columns and a cross member, the cross member being coupled to and extending between the pair of rear columns, each rear column of the pair of rear columns being telescopically extendable such that a height of the rear column is movable between a collapsed position and an expanded position  58 ;   a ball return  60  being coupled to the rear support, the ball return  60  comprising:
 a sloped member  62 , a rear end  64  of the sloped member  62  being coupled to the rear support, a front end  66  of the sloped member  62  being coupled to the pair of front columns, the sloped member  62  being angled downwardly from the rear end  64  to the front end  66  when each front column of the pair of front columns is positioned in the extended position and each rear column of the pair of rear columns is positioned in the expanded condition, the sloped member  62  comprising a net; and 
 a track being coupled to the rear support, the track extending forwardly from the rear support to a front end  66  of the track, the track being angled downwardly from the rear support to the front end  66 , the track comprising a pair of rails, the pair of rails being laterally spaced with respect to each other; and 
   a plurality of wheels being coupled to the base, each wheel of the plurality of wheels comprising a caster.