Mike has been involved with basketball for over 30 years as a player, coach, and bettor. He has a degree in Sports Psychology and enjoys following both the NBA and College Basketball on a nightly basis.
Basketball players are always praising their fans for their support of the team. The most dedicated fans and basketball cheerleaders lead the crowd in cheers, and since basketball fans are very close to the action at games, their vocal support is important in helping the team succeed.
There are many types of cheers and chants that are found in basketball arenas, and here are some of the best cheers in the sport of basketball.
Cheers for When Your Team is on Offense
1. Take it Down, Put it Up, Shoot it in, Let’s Win!
When your team is dribbling the ball down the court, this is the perfect go-to cheer to get the gym rocking.
Cheer script:
Take it down, take it down, take it (clap) down, down
Put it up, put it up, put it (clap) up, up
Shoot it in, shoot it in, shoot it (clap) in, in
Take it down (stomp, stomp)
Put it up (stomp, stomp)
Shoot it in (stomp, stomp)
Let’s Win!
2. Clap, Stomp, Shoot for Two!
Although the analytics say that 3-pointers are often more efficient than 2-pointers, there are situations that call for getting critical points with a two-point bucket. Here is the cheer for those times.
Cheer script:
Clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap SHOOT
Clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap FOR
Clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap TWO
C’mon [team name]! SHOOT FOR TWO!!!
3. Oh! Yeah! Swish it, Swish it, We Want Two! (or Three!)
Here is another cheer to get a two-point basket. This one is longer, but it is a creative cheer. Although the cheer says “two” at the end, I do not see a problem with changing the two to a three since three-pointers are such an important part of the game.
Cheer script:
We’re moving towards the basket
We’re headed for a score
We can’t be beat,
We don’t know defeat
So watch us clean the floor…
We’ll clean the floor when we dribble
And then we’ll take a shot
Now you know
That we’re the best, and this is what we’ve got:
Stomp stomp clap clap, slide to the left and say swish (Repeat two times)
Oh! Yeah! Swish it, swish it (Repeat two times)
Oh! Yeah! Swish it, swish it (Repeat two times)
We Want Two!
4. Get Out of the Way, Work it
This cheer is an evergreen offensive cheer that can give the team an extra boost to score that possession.
Cheer script:
Hey, hey
Get out of the way
We’re the [team name] and we’re are here to say
If you wanna be the best
Better than the rest
You gotta work it, work it, work it!
5. I’m Sayin’ Swish!
When your team needs a bucket badly, this is one of the strong offensive cheers to give that little encouragement to your team.
Cheer script:
C’mon [team name]
Let us hear
Let us hear
Let us hear
That sound
That sound we love:
I’m sayin’ SWISHHHHHHHH
SWISHHHHHHH
Let us see
Let us see
Let us see
Two points
Two points on the board
I’m sayin’ SWISHHHHHHHHH
SWISHHHHHHHH
6. Make That Shot!
This is one of those short cheers to get the great rally going.
Cheer script:
The hoop is open.
The net is hot,
Make that shot!
7. Dribble the Ball!
After your team makes its way past halfcourt, this is a very good cheer to help get that great shot.
Cheer script:
Dribble the ball to the hoop
Behind the back and loop dee loop
Dribble the ball across the floor
Dribble the ball and score two more
8. Go [Team Color]! [Team Name] Make That Shot!
For teams that want to personalize their cheers, here is a one to give the players on the court that little extra support.
Cheer script:
Dominate the floor,
[Team name] raise that score.
Give it all you got,
[Team name] make that shot.
Go [team color]!
Go [team color]!
[Team name] make that shot!
9. Move It
Although this is not the famous song that includes the line “I like to move it,” here is another personalized cheer to encourage ball movement on offense.
Cheer script:
[Team name] like to
Move it, move it
We don’t want to
Lose it, lose it
[Team name] like to
Win ’em all
[Team name] want to
Net that ball
Net that ball
Yeah!
Cheers For When Your Team Has Just Scored
10. Let’s Score Another One!
Here is a simple cheer to praise the scorer.
Cheer script:
Great job [player who just scored],
Super well done,
Come on [team name],
Let’s score another one!
11. Swish!
After your team swishes a shot, this is a tremendous cheer. Also, you should remember to emphasize the “sh” at the end of swish.
Cheer script:
Hey [team name]!
Do you hear?
That’s our victory so near!
Gather ’round
What’s that sound?
SwiSH! (clap, clap, stomp, stomp, clap, clap) SwiSH! (clap, clap, stomp, stomp, clap, clap)
Cheers For When Your Team Has Brought Down a Rebound
12. We Got the Ball! C’mon Let’s Score Today!
After your team grabs a rebound, this cheer helps start the offensive possession.
Cheer script:
We got the ball (clap, clap)
Get outta the way (stomp once)
We’re on the move (clap, clap)
We’re here to stay (stomp once)
C’mon [team name]! Let’s Score Today!
(clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, clap)
Go [team name]!
13. Rebound that Basketball!
Similar to the previous cheer, here is another great way to go from a rebound to a potential fast break going the other direction.
Cheer script:
Rebound that basketball (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)
Dribble that basketball (stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp)
Score with that basketball (clap, stomp, clap, stomp, stomp, stomp)
Go [team name]
14. Get Outta our Way! R-E-B-O-U-N-D
Here is another post-rebound cheer, but with more words – and letters.
Cheer script:
Get
Get out
Get outta our way!
We want the basketball and we’re here to say:
We’re gonna take
We’re gonna take
We’re gonna take that basketball
And win this game today!
REBOUND!
End cheer with a group toe touch jump or group herkie jump
R-E-B-O-U-N-D
That’s the way we spell Vict’ry
Vict’ry uh huh Vict’ry
Cheers for When Your Team is Losing and Needs a Defensive Stop
15. Stop That Ball!
Let’s start the defensive cheers with this whimsical little cheer to help make a comeback.
Cheer script:
Stand up,
it’s time to shout
Come on fans,
Yell it out
Say it loud
Say it proud
Let’s go [team name] and stop that ball!
16. You’re Not Gonna Score Today!
We want that turnover on defense, and here is the cheer to get that ball back.
Cheer script:
Not another basket
No (pause) You won’t score
Not another basket
Steal that ball
Take it away
You’re not gonna score today!
More Cheerleading Chants for When Your Team is on Defense
17. Take That Ball Away!
This cheer is similar to the previous one, but it is more of an evergreen defensive one.
Cheer script:
Hey [team name]
Take that ball, take that ball, take that ball away (clap, clap, clap)
Shoot and score, shoot and score, shoot and score today (clap, clap, clap)
(Repeat two times)
18. 2, 4, 6, 8, Who Do We Appreciate? Blue and White [Team Colors]
Here is an original cheer that includes team colors and clapping and stomping.
Cheer script:
2, 4, 6, 8 who do we appreciate?
Blue (clap, clap, stomp, clap)
and white (clap, clap, stomp, clap) (insert your own team colors)
Blue (clap, clap, stomp, clap) and white (clap, clap, stomp, clap)
2, 4, 6, 8 who is gonna dominate?
Blue (clap, clap, stomp, clap) and white (clap, clap, stomp, clap)
Blue (clap, clap, stomp, clap) and white (clap, clap, stomp, clap)
19. Hear Us Roar!
While this cheer does not actually include roaring, the “roar” of the crowd should come from this amazing cheer.
Cheer script:
Just like a lion, a mighty mighty lion
Hear us ROAR! (clap, clap, stomp, stomp, clap, clap, stomp, stomp)
Go ahead, sit down, you cannot score.
Cheers During Timeouts
20. Who Rocks the House?
Here we can get the crowd jumping with this cheer during a timeout.
Cheer script:
Who rocks the house?
The [team name] rock the house
And when the [team name] rock the house they rock it all the way down.
(Repeat three times)
21. We Know You Can’t Take the Heat
This is another short timeout cheer to get the fans excited.
Cheer script:
Have a seat
We’ve got you beat
We know you just can’t take the heat.
Gooooooo [team name]!
Cheers to Do With The Crowd for Free Throws
22. White/Blue [Team Colors], Shoot Two
Let’s get the crowd into it with this cheer prior to your team’s free throws. While a megaphone is optional, it is recommended.
Cheer script:
I say white and you say blue [insert appropriate team colors]
Squad: White
Crowd: Blue
Squad: White
Crowd: Blue
I say shoot and you say two!
Squad: Shoot
Crowd: Two
Squad: Shoot
Crowd: Two
(Repeat two times)
Mike has been involved with basketball for over 30 years as a player, coach, and bettor. He has a degree in Sports Psychology and enjoys following both the NBA and College Basketball on a nightly basis.