New Study: Why Patting on the Shoulder Can Improve Basketball Hit Rates. Researchers from Switzerland, Germany and the USA came to this conclusion after evaluating women's basketball games at the college level.
Double free throws are among the most stressful moments in basketball and are often decisive for the game. It was observed how many of the teammates had touched the thrower before her second throw, for example by patting her on the shoulder or shaking her hand. The touches had a measurable influence on the success rate of the second throw.