Everyone knows that a basketball team performs their best when they have the crowd pumping them up. This, of course, requires some solid basketball cheers. If you're looking for some old-school classics and some more modern basketball chants, we have the assist! These brilliant basketball cheers will pep up the crowd, encourage the players, and even intimidate the opposing team.
When reading these basketball cheers, please note that words in all caps should be emphasized when cheering, and words in italics indicate non-verbal movements and instructions.
Basketball Cheers for Offense
Momentum matters when it comes to racking up points quickly in the game. These basketball chants can keep players motivated to move quickly and effectively when they have the ball as well as after they have scored!
Cheers for When Your Team Has the Ball
These basketball cheers are perfect when your team has the ball in play and is headed down the court!
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!
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!!!
We're heading for a basket
We're moving down the floor
We are the mighty (team name)
And we know we're gonna score!
I don't know what you've been told
But the (team name) are goin' for gold
We don't have time to mess around
Cuz we're the best team in town
Lay up!
Rebound!
Score two, three, (team name)
Hey, hey
Get out of the way
We're the (team name) and we're here to say
If you wanna be the best
Better than the rest
You gotta work it, work it, work it!
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
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 2x)
Oh! Yeah! Swish it, swish it (repeat 2x)
Oh! Yeah! Swish it, swish it (repeat 2x)
WE WANT TWO!
Cheers for When Your Team Has Just Scored
These basketball cheers are great for keeping the players momentum up after your team has made a big score!
Na na na na, na na na na, hey, hey, hey don't cry.
We've got the ball, and we're gonna score yeah, hey, hey, hey don't cry.
We're out to win yeah, you'll see our dust yeah, hey, hey, hey don't cry.
Once team makes the shot. . .
Na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye
SEE YA LATER!
This cheer is to the tune of the chorus of "Na Na Na Na, Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye"
Great job (player who just scored),
Super well done,
Come on (team name),
Let's score another one!
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)
(Emphasize the 'sh' at the end of 'swish'.)
General Basketball Cheers
No matter if your team has the ball, the opposing team is at the free-throw line, or you are in a time-out, these general basketball chants can get the crowd revved up and remind the team why they need to keep pushing for the W!
Short Basketball Cheers to Rev Up the Crowd
Sometimes you only have a quick second to get people excited. These short basketball cheers can motivate the crowd to get on their feet and get the players pumped up for the next play of the game.
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y, That’s the (team name) battle cry!
We’re here to play, we’re here to win.
Just watch our shots swish on in!
Dribble, dribble, shoot, shoot,
Get that ball in the hoop!
Repeat 3 times.
S-H-DOUBLE O-T!
SHOOT THAT BALL FOR VICTORY!
Come on (mascot name), fight to win,
Dribble that ball and then shoot it in!
We are the (team name), we’re simply the best!
We are the (team name), PWHS! (insert your school acronym)
We are the (team name), we’re here to play,
We are the (team name), move outta our way!
Go ahead and grant our wish,
All we wanna hear is that magical swish!
Come on (star player's last name), make our day,
Sink that shot and send the (opposing team's name) on their way!
Cheers for a Time Out
Time outs are usually a great time for your squad to do a new basketball cheer to keep the crowd involved in the game. However, it's important to remember that it's never appropriate to cheer during a time-out due to a player's injury.
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 3 times.
Have a seat
We've got you beat
We know you just can't take the heat.
Gooooooo (team name)
Timeout's here, so shout and cheer,
Let's kick this game into high gear!
Go (team mascot), GO!
Go (team mascot), GO!
Repeat 4 times.
Great Cheers to Involve the Crowd
Since getting the crowd involved is one of your primary goals as a cheerleader, doing at least one "crowd participation" cheer during a game is always a great idea. Using a megaphone and then pointing to the crowd during their part will help them know what to do.
I say white and you say blue (insert appropriate school 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
Hey (team name)
(Hey team name)
Check out the score (Say what?)
Check out the score (Say what?)
Put up two more (oh yeah)
Put up two more (oh yeah)
Are we needy, needy?
(No, we ain't needy, needy!)
We're just greedy, greedy!
(We're just GREEDY, GREEDY!)
W
W-O
W-O-L-V-E-S!
GO WOLVES! LET'S GO!
W-O-L-V-E-S!
GO (team name)! GO (team name)!
GO W-O-L-V-E-S!
(Replace 'wolves' with your team's mascot)
For this basketball cheer, the team should get the audience to yell back lines italicized in parentheses.
Defensive Basketball Cheers
When the opposing team has the ball or the score is not in your team's favor, it's up to you to get everyone excited. Make sure the team has everyone backing them, even during the bad moments of the game, with these basketball chants.
Cheers for Rebounds
Rebound cheers have to be done very quickly because these points in the game are usually fast-paced.
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)!
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, team colors, etc.)
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
Just because your team isn't doing well doesn't mean you can stop cheering! Here are a few basketball chants that can remind the crowd that there's always time for a comeback!
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.
Not another basket
No (pause) You won't score
Not another basket
Steal that ball
Take it away
You're not gonna score today!
Cheers for Defense
Here are a couple of basketball cheers to do if the other team has the ball and your team is playing defensively.
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 2 times
2, 4, 6, 8, Who do we appreciate?
Blue (clap, clap, stomp, clap)
and white (clap, clap, stomp, clap) (insert your own school 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)
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.
Related: Short & Catchy Cheers for Any Sport
Keep Practicing Basketball Cheers
This collection of classic and contemporary basketball cheers should get your creative cheer juices flowing — so go out, keep practicing, and even try to make up your own! Just remember, that your most important job is to follow the game closely so that you can use the appropriate cheers at the right times. This ensures that the crowd and the team stay pumped up throughout the highs and lows of the game.
