Basketball

Basketball etiquetteBasketball etiquette

Keith Allison is the photographer for this picture (Source)
Basketball was first played in 1891 and has since grown to be a popular sport all over the world. Many countries have embraced the sport, including Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and parts of Asia, but the NBA, the world’s largest and most lucrative league, is based in America (National Basketball Association).

The Goal of the Game

The aim of basketball is to score points by throwing the ball (basketball) into a hoop. The game is played on a rectangular court, and the number of points scored is determined by which part of the court you successfully throw the ball into the basket. Dribbling or passing the ball may be used to drive it around. The team with the most points at the end of the game is declared the winner.

Players and their gear

Each team consists of 12 players, with only 5 on the court at any given time. Point guard, defensive guard, centre, offensive forward, and defensive forward are the roles. After that, each player will take a spot on the court but will be free to move about as they see fit.

The court is rectangular in shape, with a length of 91 feet and a width of 50 feet. A small circle in the middle of the halfway line marks the start of the game, which begins with a tip off (the ball is thrown in the air by the referee and a player from each team tries to win possession for their team). Two 10-foot-high baskets stand at either end of the court. The outside ring is a three-point arc, while the key, which includes a free throw line, is in the centre.

A basketball and a court are all that is needed to play. Teams must wear identical uniforms, with certain players opting to cover themselves with gum shields and face masks.

The game is divided into four 12-minute quarters. A 15-minute halftime break occurs between the second and third halves.

Keeping score

Basketball players can score in three different ways. Any basket made from outside the three-point arc is worth three points. Two points will be awarded for baskets made within the three-point arc. Free throws that are made successfully would result in one point being awarded per free throw. The number of free throws awarded will be determined by the location of the foul.

The Game’s Success

It’s pretty easy to win a basketball game: score more points than your opponents in the allotted game time. If the final score is tied, an extra quarter will be played before a winner is determined.

Basketball Regulations

At any given time, each team may have a maximum of 5 players on the court. Within the game, players can make as many substitutions as they want.

Dribbling (bouncing the ball) or passing the ball are the only ways to move it. Once a player has two hands on the ball (not including catching the ball), they are unable to dribble or run with it, and must pass or shoot the ball.

When the ball enters a team’s half and they reclaim possession, the ball must cross the half-way line inside 10 seconds. A penalty will be called and the ball will be turned over if the ball fails to do so.

Each team has 24 seconds to take a shot at the basket at the very least. A shot is described as either going into the basket or hitting the basket’s rim. If the ball does not go in the basket after the shot is taken, the shot clock is reset for another 24 seconds.

The team attempting to score a basket is known as the offence, while the team attempting to keep them from doing so is known as the defence. The defence must do everything possible to prevent the offence from scoring by blocking or stopping shots from being fired.

The ball is turned over to the opposing team after each good basket.

Fouls will be accrued during the game, and when a certain amount has been reached, a free throw will be awarded. A free throw requires one offensive player (the fouled player) to take an uncontested shot from the free throw line. The number of free throws a player receives is determined by where the foul was committed.

Traveling (taking more than one step without bouncing the ball), double dribble (picking up the ball dribbling, stopping, and dribbling with two hands), goaltending (a defensive player interferes with the ball travelling downwards towards the basket), and back court violation are all violations in basketball (once the ball passes the half way line the offensive team cannot take the ball back over the half way line).