take time with your shot's...... time it just right
 

i do take my time. I am close up since i have a press pass but like i said its not enough light for my camera. something is always blurry???????/
 

have you tried a flash gun? it does of course depend on how close to the action you are, but it would give more light and help freeze the action...
 

Invest in a new camera... ;)
 

A fast lens will help, especially if you're not using flash, but are you using a speedlite? I've been shooting with a rebel xt also but now breaking in my 40D! However I'm shooting a lot of freelance stuff for a local newspaper, mostly sports (high school hoops and wrestling thus far and distance does play a role if your lens doesn't stop down past f/3.5. This is where the flash is critical! I'm using the 28-135mm IS and the "IS" and the flash is working for me. But you need to take your setup to a local YMCA and practice to get a decent feel for what your lighting may be like....high school gyms vary here, depending on how much money the school has to fund their campuses. the rebel xt...I've had to crank up the ISO to 1600 plenty of days but the flash helps and some situations you can bring it down to 800, but that's about it. if you have it in your budget try that lens or try the 28-70mm L (i think that's correct) but depends on how you're trying to compose your shots...R U looking for tight , closeup action shots or R U trying to pull back some and get that guard, trying to drive to the basket on someone in full frame view?
Have at it....but kick the ISO up...that XT needs it!

Keep at it!

QuanJ
L2TC Photography...

Shot a high school wrestling match tonight with my 40D...boy can I tell the difference!!!
 

also, try shooting on either aperature or shutter priority, those help me sometimes
 

I use aperture priority and my best shots have come from a 85mm and 50 mm lenses (1.8). No need for a flash, but you have to make sure your white balance is right. I have also experimented with remote flashes. I have an album of basketball shots.
 

I know what he means. I have a Canon Rebel xti and its a challenge. Ive tried shooting bands quite a bit. I believe its because we arent using fast lenses and the ones we are using have to high of a f-stop. It sucks because those are sometimes more expensive. You pay for your lower f-stops. I think its the lens. Ive heard though that some cameras are more of a challenge than others capturing fast moving subjects in low light situations. Im wondering if this camera isnt one of them. Flashes I understand you want to stay away from. I have allways felt it would be distracting to have a couple hundred flashes going off in the band members faces. Dont think they would appreciate that. Ive bounced it off the ceiling to get a band in a dark enviroment as well and it helps but then of course its to much light and you loose your stage lighting effect. Im really glad you asked this question. Ive had the same problem and have lost alot of great shots that I would have loved to have. I also have a Canon Xl2. Its a video camera, different, but at the same time will never do well in low light situations. It just doesnt. Try a different lense. Thats what Im going to do. Look for a used one. It wont hurt your pocketbook so badly. Where theres a will theres a way, and We will get it right if we keep trying. :)
 

put your camera on shutter priority and do not shoot below 125. if you can't achieve that, you have to buy a flash gun. Otherwise, you are not going to ever achieve what you're looking for.
 

You will need a fast lens (2.8 or less) and something with image stabalization will help also. The newer Canons are good at higher ISO's...the new Nikons (D300 and D3) can shoot at 6400 ISO with minimum noise. Shoot wide open and make sure your in the best position to capture those shots. Sounds like your going to have to boost your ISO and have a fast lens. Also, the light quality may not lend itself to being able to shoot in there no matter what you do.
 

A few suggestions, starting with the most practical and ending with the most complicated.

First of all a new camera would probably help you out a lot. I had a rebel xti before I upgraded to my current 1D Mark III. The difference is huge. Shooting at ISO 1600 has about the same noise as the rebel did at ISO 400. So I can even bump it up to ISO 3200 sometimes.

You definitely need a lens that is 2.8 or faster. I use a 70-200 2.8L a lot at basketball games and it does a great job. You shouldn't be hand holding anything at a basketball game though. Invest in a monopod. This will make your pictures much less blurry (it won't compensate for fast moving players though.) I also have a 50mm 1.2L which can practically shoot in the dark mounted on my Mark III. However, if you have it wide open it's pretty tough to get a sharp focus on the players if they are moving quickly.

The next thing you will want to think about is investing in a speedlight flash. I would recommend the 580 EX II. I know it's pricey but it is well worth it. It will be even more worth it when you upgrade cameras because instead of manually having to set the power or just guess it calculates the distance from you and the subject, exposure, and how much power the flash needs to properly expose the image. With a flash set in manual mode and your camera in Tv mode at about 125th of a second or faster you should be good to go.

Now for the most complicated thing you can do but also might produce the best images for you.

Some photographers will actually set up speedlights on little stands on all corners of the court. Then just invest in a transmitter and you can have light that comes from all sides which looks much better than your direct flash.

So, to recap:

Get a new camera. If you can't afford that, get a faster lens. I would recommend getting a speedlight as well. Maybe several of them!
 

Oh, and I forgot to mention! Shoot in RAW and underexpose the image so you have a faster shutter speed. Then, once you get it on your computer to can increase the exposure and have a much nicer looking image!
 

The Rebel XT is just fine, but it will only do what you allow it to do, through lenses, accessories & settings. I would suggest to get a prime lens (f1.8 or 1.4), speedlite flash and shoot in RAW. Your camera will stop motion at ISO800, so you shouldn't have to go to 1600.

I have a 28-135 Image Stabilizer lens also but haven't used it with action shots. I think it mainly counteracts camera shake in low light settings but it is a good multi-purpose lens to have.