Basketball

Basketball is played by millions of people, both men and women, in all parts of the world. Professional basketball is watched by millions more on TV. The game is played between two teams, with five players per team allowed on the court at any one time. Points are scored by getting the ball through a hoop called 'the goal' or 'the basket', and the team scoring the most points wins.

History
In !" , #r. $ames %aismith, a &anadian physical education instructor at '(&) Training *chool in *pringfield, (assachusetts, +*), decided to create a new indoor game to keep his students fit during the cold winter months. ,e e-perimented with a team game in which players threw a soccer ball to each other and scored by throwing it into a peach basket nailed high on a wall. .ater that year he wrote the first version of the rules of what he now called 'Basket Ball'. In "/0, the baskets were replaced by metal hoops in front of backboards. The ball still had to pass through the hoop from above to score a goal, however, as it did when baskets were used. The game soon spread to other +.*. schools and universities. In the early twentieth century, basketball competitions and leagues were set up all over %orth )merica, but most didn't last long. Then, in "10, the Basketball )ssociation of )merica 2B))3 was formed to organi4e the top professional teams in the +.*.). and &anada into one professional league. The B)) became the %ational Basketball )ssociation 2%B)3 in "1", and today the %B) is the world's top professional basketball league. (ost of the world's best players are with %B) teams, attracted by the competition's popularity, its high standard of play, and the high salaries.

How the Game Works

Basketball is played on a rectangular court 5! metres long and 6 metres wide 2appro-. "5 ft by 1" ft3 with a basket at a height of 7./6 metres 2 / ft3 at each end. (ost indoor courts have a floor made of wood. Points are scored by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket. ) goal scored from inside the three8point line earns two points 2see diagram at right3, and a goal scored from outside the three8point line earns three points, and goals from free throws earn one point. %B) games are played over four 9uarters of twelve minutes. Teams include twelve players, but only five can be on court at one time. Players can be substituted as often as the coach likes. :ach coach has a limited number of time8outs they can call during a game, and the game clock is stopped whenever play stops. *everal officials oversee each game, including three on8court referees who call fouls, and table officials who keep score, run the game and shot clocks, and keep track of fouls and substitutions. Violations and Fouls The ball can be moved by throwing it to another player 2called passing3 or by bouncing it with one hand while running or walking 2called dribbling3. If a player moves both feet without bouncing the ball, he commits a violation called travelling. If he uses two hands while dribbling, he commits a violation called double-dribbling. If a player's hand moves under the ball while dribbling, he commits a violation called carrying the ball. Violations

are also committed when time8limits are e-ceeded, and usually result in a free inbound pass for the opposition team. ) personal foul is committed when a player challenges another player unfairly, such as by blocking their run or hitting their arms. ) player or coach who argues with a referee commits a technical foul. ;ouls can be punished with a free inbound pass, free throws at goal, or with sending off. ) player who commits five fouls, or si- in the %B), can no longer take part in the game and is said to have been 'fouled out'. Shots and Passing Players shoot for goal with a set shot if both feet are on the ground, or with a jump shot if the player is in mid8air. <ther shots are the lay up 2shooting, often off the backboard, while moving towards the basket3 and the slam dunk 2shooting straight down from above the basket3. Passing can be done with a chest pass, a bounce pass or an overhead pass. (ore difficult passes are the no-look pass and the behind-the-back pass, though some coaches don't like these techni9ues because they can easily go wrong.

Famous Players
Michael Jordan
(ichael $ordan is a former +* player named =the greatest player of all time= by the %B). ,e >oined the %B)'s &hicago Bulls in "!1 after an outstanding career at the +niversity of %orth &arolina. ,e won the %B) championship with the Bulls in "" , ""5, ""7, ""0, ""? and ""!. ,e also won two <lympic gold medals with +.*. basketball teams in "!1 and ""5.

Yao Ming
'ao (ing is a &hinese player who went to the +.*.). and >oined the %B)'s ,ouston @ockets. *tanding ?'0= tall 25.5" m3, he is one of the tallest players in the history of the %B). )fter >oining the %B) draft in 5//5, he was picked by the ,ouston @ockets and became the first player without any )merican basketball e-perience to be selected first overall in the draft. 'ao (ing has a huge following in &hina, and he has increased interest in basketball in &hina and throughout )sia.

Basketball Vocabulary
Word assist !am"le sentence $ames won the (VP award with 5! points, nine assists and eight rebounds. (y shot came off the backboard and down through the hoop for a 78point goal. In the early days, peach baskets were nailed to the walls and used Meaning a pass to a teammate that leads directly to a goal a board behind the basket, off which the ball may rebound . a container used to hold or carry things

backboard

basket

as goals. block ,e stepped in front of our player to block his run, and the referee ruled it a foul. Players must bounce the ball on the floor as they run. The crowd cheered when (ario threw a perfect no8look bounce pass. (ichael threw a 9uick chest pass, ran forward, and received a bounce pass back. 'oung players still learning the game often get fouled for double8 dribbling. :very team studies the players in the draft and decides which ones they'll try to recruit. ,e dribbled past two defenders and then shot for goal. 'ao (ing is very difficult to stop when he drives to the basket. ) team that e-ceeds the time8limit on the shot clock loses possession of the ball. .arry's already had four fouls, so if he commits another one he'll be out of the game. @odney practises his free throws for an hour every day. The coach called a time8out, and the game clock stopped while he talked to his players. Auarding is a man8on8man defensive tactic used to counter dangerous players. The ball has to go through the hoop from above to score a goal. ) >ump shot is much harder to

5. a net fi-ed on a hoop used as the goal to stop the movement of an opponent, or stop an opponent's pass or shot to rebound after hitting a surface a pass that bounces off the floor before it reaches the receiver a two8handed pass thrown from chest height violation of dribbling the ball with two hands, or stopping and restarting the dribble the annual process by which %B) teams select local or foreign players for their teams To bounce the ball repeatedly with one hand while running or walking ) fast, strong dribble directly to the basket in an effort to score to go beyond what is allowed

bounce bounce pass

chest pass

double8dribbling

draft

dribble drive e-ceed

foul

a violation resulting from illegal contact with an opposing player a free shot taken from the free throw line as the result of a foul a scoreboard clock that shows the time remaining in each period of a game following an opponent to stop him from driving, shooting or passing easily the round metal rim from which a basketball net is suspended a shot taken while a player is

free throw game clock

guarding

hoop >ump shot

block than a set shot. lay up The best players spend a lot of time working on skills to improve their lay ups. (ichael was awarded (VP many times during his career. &rowds love the no8look pass, but coaches warn players not to use it >ust to show off. )n overhead pass can get the ball to a teammate who's behind some opponents. Be won the game by outscoring our opponents in overtime. 'ounger players often get over8 e-cited and too aggressive and commit many personal fouls. The team whose player commits a violation loses possession of the ball. ) lot of goals are scored from rebounds after an opponent's shot misses. ,ow many referees are usually on court during a game of basketballC Practising set shots is important because they are used to score from free throws. Players earn more points if they shoot from outside the three8point line.

>umping through the air a shot taken close to the basket that is usually banked off the backboard and into the basket 'most valuable player' award, given to the best player in a game a pass thrown without looking towards the receiver a pass thrown from over the head, to clear a defender or for added power a five8minute e-tra period that is played when the game is tied after four 9uarters a foul that involves illegal physical contact such as blocking, charging, elbowing or holding to be holding, or be in control of, the ball get control of a ball that has come off the rim or backboard after a failed shot attempt officials who call violations and fouls, give penalties, signal field goals, and stop and start play a shot taken with both feet on the floor in a set position to throw the ball in an attempt to score a goal

(VP no8look pass

overhead pass

overtime

personal foul

possession

rebound

referees

set shot

shoot

shot clock slam dunk

Players have to keep an eye on the a clock that shows the amount of shot clock while they are playing. time a team has left to take a shot (att drove towards the basket, >umped high into the air and scored with a huge slam dunk. The substitutes sat on the bench and watched as their teammates on the court kept playing. a high >ump shot in which the ball is thrust down through the hoop a player who comes into the game to replace a player on the court

substitute

technical foul

Their coach got a technical foul for arguing with a referee. In the %B), the three8point line is 57 feet " inches from the basket.

a foul called against a player or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct such as arguing with a referee a semi8circle painted on the court, from outside of which a successful shot earns three points

three8point line

time8out

Their coach indicated that he clock stoppage re9uested by a wanted a time8out, and the referee coach for a short meeting with the stopped the game. players :ven professional players sometimes get penali4ed for travelling. Aood players protect the ball to stop opposition players from making a turnover. Two of the most common violations in >unior basketball are double8dribbling and travelling. the violation of moving with the ball without dribbling correctly a player loses the ball to a member of the other team without taking a shot an infraction of the rules

travelling

turnover

violation