BASKETBALL MY WAY

Basketball pointers--and that's all--for avid amateurs of either sex. Much of what is probably second nature to college standout Lieberman--number one draft choice of the Dallas Diamonds of the fledgling Women's Professional Basketball League--isn't spelled out here; nor does she tell how she learned what she knows. The resulting advice is terse and colorless. A few pages cover her childhood in Queens: her first ""real game"" was football, but Mom quickly vetoed that as a continuing pursuit. General self-care gets an equally perfunctory nod: ""I believe that if you take care of your body and your mind, they will take care of you""; ""I believe in eight hours of sleep."" And the last third of this slim book consists of a glossary and the official amateur basketball rules for men and for women. What's left is good (if basic) advice on offensive and defensive play, with no accompanying chitchat. Lieberman covers strategies and specific plays, and describes various practice drills to improve skills. Strictly a primer, then, for players of average ability.