Basketball

5 rules

1) The player must bounce, or dribble, the ball with one hand while moving both feet. If, at any time, both hands touch the ball or the player stops dribbling, the player must only move one foot. The foot that is stationary is called the pivot foot. 2) The basketball player can only take one turn at dribbling. In other words, once a player has stopped dribbling they cannot start another dribble. A player who starts dribbling again is called for a double-dribbling violation and looses the basketball to the other team. A player can only start another dribble after another player from either team touches or gains control of the basketball. This is usually after a shot or pass. 3) The ball must stay in bounds. If the offensive team looses the ball out of bounds the other team gets control of the basketball. 4) The players hand must be on top of the ball while dribbling. If they touch the bottom of the basketball while dribbling and continue to dribble this is called carrying the ball and the player will lose the ball to the other team. 5) Once the offensive team crosses half court, they may not go back into the backcourt. This is called a backcourt violation. If the defensive team knocks the ball into the backcourt, then the offensive team can recover the ball legally.

invented in...by...

1891 james naismith

is illegal personal contact resulting from a defender not establishing position in time to prevent an opponent's drive to the basket.

Blocking

the last pass to a teammate that leads directly to a field goal; the scorer must move immediately toward the basket for the passer to be credited with an assist; only 1 assist can be credited per field goal.

assist

the rectangular structure, 6' x 3 1/2', to which the basket is attached.

backboard

the area from the midcourt line to the end line furthest from the offense's basket.

backcourt

Once the offense has brought the ball across the mid-court line, they cannot go back across the line during possession. If they do, the ball is awarded to the other team to pass inbounds.

backcourt violation

the player with the ball; usually the point guard at the start of a play.

ballhandler

a shot where the ball is first bounced (or banked) off the backboard at such an angle that it then drops into the basket.

bank shot

attached to the backboard, it consists of a metal rim 18" in diameter suspended 10' from the floor, from which a 15-18" corded net hangs, and through which points are scored; also used to refer to a successful field goal.

basket

a player's attempt to position his body between his opponents and the basket to get rebounds and prevent the opponents from doing so.

boxing out

when a player dribbles the ball with his hand too far to the side

carrying/palming

the circular area at midcourt from which jump balls are taken.

center circle

An offensive foul that is committed when a player pushes or runs over a defensive player. The ball is given to the team that the foul was committed upon.

charging

an offensive foul which occurs when an offensive player runs into a defender who has established position.

charging

the act of preventing the offense from scoring; the team without the ball.

defense

dribbling the ball with both hands, holding the ball then dribbling again

double dribble

hen a player repeatedly pushes, pats, taps or bats the ball toward the floor with one hand to cause the ball to bounce back up to either of his hands; used to advance the ball or keep control of it.

dribbling

The game was based off of a school yard game

duck on a rock

when a player close to the basket jumps and strongly throws the ball down into it; an athletic, creative shot used to intimidate opponents.

dunk

Violent contact with an opponent. This includes hitting, kicking, and punching; this type of foul results in free throws plus the offense retaining possession of the ball after the free throws.

flagrant foul

actions by players which break the rules but are not floor violations; penalized by a change in possession or free-throw opportunities; see personal foul or technical foul.

foul

the line 15' from the backboard and parallel to the end line from which players shoot free-throws.

foul line

an unguarded shot taken from the foul line by a player whose opponent committed a personal or technical foul; it is worth 1 point.

free-throw

If a defensive player interferes with a shot while it's on the way down toward the basket, while it's on the way up toward the basket after having touched the backboard, or while it's in the cylinder above the rim, it's goaltending and the shot counts. If committed by an offensive player, it's a violation and the ball is awarded to the opposing team for a throw-in.

goal tending

the act of following an opponent around the court to prevent him from getting close to the basket, taking an open shot or making easy an pass, while avoiding illegal contact.

guarding

two or more opposing players will gain possession of the ball at the same time

held ball

an imaginary area outside either side of the foul lane at the free-throw line extended.

high post

When an offensive player sticks out a limb and makes physical contact with a defender in an attempt to block the path of the defender.

illegal pick/screen

If fouled while not shooting, the ball is given to the team the foul was committed upon. They get the ball at the nearest side or baseline, out of bounds, and have 5 seconds to pass the ball onto the court.

inbounds

When a player makes physical contact with another player with no reasonable effort to steal the ball. It is a judgment call for the officials.

intentional foul

2 opposing players jump for a ball an official tosses above and between them, to tap it to their teammates and gain possession.

jump ball

a shot taken after driving to the basket by leaping up under the basket and using one hand to drop the ball directly into the basket or to bank the ball off the backboard into it.

layup

the defensive style where each defensive player is responsible for guarding one opponent.

man-to-man defense

the team with possession of the ball.

offense

a rebound of a team's own missed shot.

offensive rebound

the crew chief, referee and umpire who control the game, stop and start play, and impose penalties for violations and fouls.

officials

If the team committing the foul has seven or more fouls in the game, then the player who was fouled is awarded one free throw. If he makes his first shot, then he is awarded another free throw.

one and one

shot taken from the outside of the perimeter

outside shot

when a passer throws the ball to a teammate; used to start plays, move the ball down court, keep it away from defenders and get it to a shooter.

pass

the area beyond the foul circle away from the basket, including 3-point line, from which players take long-range shots.

perimeter

any quarter, half or overtime segment.

period

....fouls include any type of illegal physical contact

personal

contact between players that may result in injury or provide one team with an unfair advantage; players may not push, hold, trip, hack, elbow, restrain or charge into an opponent; these are also counted as team fouls.

personal foul

If a player is shooting while a being fouled, then he gets two free throws if his shot doesn't go in, but only one free throw if his shot does go in.

personal foul penalties

when a player grabs a ball that is coming off the rim or backboard after a shot attempt

rebound

when a player grabs a ball that is coming off the rim or backboard after a shot attempt; see offensive rebound and defensive rebound.

rebound

walking/traveling

taking more than 'a step and a half' without dribbling the ball

each personal foul committed by a player is also counted against his team; when a team goes over the limit, its opponent is awarded free-throw opportunities.

team fouls

A player or a coach can commit this type of foul. It does not involve player contact or the ball but is instead about the 'manners' of the game. Foul language, obscenity, obscene gestures, and even arguing can be considered a technical foul, as can technical details regarding filling in the scorebook improperly or dunking during warm-ups.

technical foul

procedural violations and misconduct that officials believe are detrimental to the game; penalized by a single free-throw opportunity to the non-offending team.

technical fouls

general idea of defense

the defensive player may not touch the offensive player in a way that causes them to lose the ball or miss a shot.

...free throws are awarded if the player is fouled while shooting for a three-point goal and they miss their shot. If a player is fouled while shooting a three-point shot and makes it anyway, he is awarded one free throw. Thus, he could score four points on the play.

three

the method by which a team with possession inbounds the ball.

throw-in

A player passing the ball inbounds has five seconds to pass the ball. If he does not, then the ball is awarded to the other team. Other time restrictions include the rule that a player cannot have the ball for more than five seconds when being closely guarded and, in some states and levels, shot-clock restrictions requiring a team to attempt a shot within a given time frame.

time restrictions

violations

time restrictions back court goal tending held ball double dribble carrying/palming walking/traveling

when play is temporarily suspended by an official or at the request of a team to respond to an injured player or discuss strategy

timeout

the initial jump ball that starts the game.

tip-off

game involved trying....

to knock a "duck" off the top of a large rock by tossing another rock at it

a floor violation when the ball handler takes too many steps without dribbling; also called walking.

traveling

when the offense loses possession through its own fault by passing the ball out of bounds or committing a floor violation.

turn-over