TERMINOLOGIES USED IN BASKETBALL

Airball: A shot at the basket that misses everything and doesn't touch the rim, backboard or net.

Alley-Oop: When one player jumps and catches a pass from another player and simultaneously dunks the ball or
shoots it in before landing.

And One: When a player gets fouled while shooting and the ball goes in. The player then gets one free throw.

Assist: A statistic that occurs when a player passes the ball to someone who scores after receiving the pass. The passing
player earns an assist in the stat sheet.

Backboard: The rectangular piece of wood or fiberglass the rim is attached to.

Backdoor: An offensive action in which a player without the ball cuts behind a defender and toward the basket.

Bank Shot: When a player shoots the ball and it bounces off the backboard and into the hoop.

Block (action): A statistic that occurs when a defensive player stops an offensive player from making a shot by
blocking the ball with his or her hand(s).

Block (area of court): The area just outside of the key in which the rectangular blocks are painted. Also referred to as
the post.

Box Out: When a shot goes up, players use this technique, which involves widening their stance and arms and using
their body as a barrier to get in better rebounding position.

Carry: This penalty, which results in a turnover, occurs when a player holds the ball excessively at the apex while
dribbling.

Charge: This penalty, which results in a turnover, occurs when an offensive player with the ball runs into a stationary
defensive player and knocks him or her over.

Double Dribble: This penalty, which results in a turnover, occurs when a player dribbles the ball with both hands. It
also occurs when a player dribbles, stops dribbling, and then begins to dribble again.

Elbow: The area of the court where the free throw line meets the side of the key or paint.

Fast Break: An offensive action where a team attempts to advance the ball and score as quickly as possible after a steal,
blocked shot or rebound.

Flop: When a player attempts to draw a foul on an opposing player by acting, fabricating or over-exaggerating the
extent of contact.

Free Throw: A free shot given to a player after a foul or a technical foul. The player shoots from the 15-foot free throw
line while the rest of the players line up along the outside of the key.

Key: The painted area that makes up the free throw lane. Also referred to as the paint.

Lay-Up: A shot taken close to the hoop, usually when a player is moving toward the basket.

Man-to-Man: A defensive strategy in which each player on the defensive team guards one person on the opposing
team

One and One: When a team has reached the initial foul limit, or the bonus, the next player to get fouled will receive
one free throw. If the player makes the free throw, he or she shoots an additional free throw. This occurs in youth,
high school and college basketball only.

Outlet: An offensive strategy in which a player who gathers a defensive rebound passes to a teammate in an attempt to
quickly begin the next possession.

Paint: The painted area that makes up the free throw lane. Also referred to as the key.

Post: The area just outside of the key in which the rectangular blocks are painted. Also referred to as the block.

Press: A defensive strategy where the defenders guard the opposing team the full length of the court instead of waiting
on the opposite side for the offense to come across.

Post Up: An offensive strategy in which a player gets the ball in the post area with his or her back to the basket.

Rebound: When a player from either team retrieves the ball and gains possession after a missed shot.
Screen: An offensive strategy in which a player without the ball stands in the way of a defensive player. The offensive
player must remain stationary during the process, or a moving screen will be called and the result will be an offensive
foul and a turnover.

Swish: A made basket where the ball avoids the rim and touches nothing but the net, creating a "swish" sound.

Three in the Key: A penalty, which results in a turnover, where an offensive player stands inside the key or the paint
area for three seconds.

Travel: A penalty, which results in a turnover, where an offensive player moves his or her pivot foot illegally or takes
three steps without dribbling the ball.

Turnover: When the offensive team loses possession of the ball by way of an offensive foul, steal or out-of-bounds
violation.

Zone Defense: A defensive strategy in which players guard a specific zone or area of the court instead of a specific
player on the opposing team.

TERMINOLOGIES USED IN VOLLEYBALL

Ace: A serve that is not passable and results immediately in a point.
Assist: Passing or setting the ball to a teammate who attacks the ball for a kill.
Attack: The offensive action of hitting the ball. The attempt by one team to terminate the play by hitting the ball to the
floor on the opponents side.
Attack Error: An unsuccessful attack which does one of the following: 1. the ball lands out of bounds, 2. the ball goes into
the net and terminates the play or goes into the net on the third hit, 3. the ball is blocked by the opposition for a point or
side out, 4. the attacker is called for a center line violation, or 5. the attacker is called for illegal contact(lift, double hit..) on
the attack.
Block: A defensive play by one or more players meant to deflect a spiked ball back to the hitter's court. It may be a
combination of one, two or three players jumping in front of the opposing spiker and contacting the ball with the hands.
Block Error: An unsuccessful block which does one of the following: 1. the ball is deflected off the blockers and goes out of
bounds, 2. the ball goes into the net and terminates the play, 3. the blocker reaches over the net interfering with the
opponents ability to play the ball-providing they have one contact left, 4. the blocker commits a net violation or center line
violation.
Ball Handling Error: Any time the official calls a double hit, a thrown ball or a lift.
Campfire: A ball that falls to the floor in an area that's surrounded by two, three, four or more players. At the instant after
the ball hits the floor, it appears as if the players are encircling and starting a campfire.
Centerline: The boundary that runs directly under the net and divides the court into two equal halves.
Dig: Passing a spiked or rapidly hit ball. Slang for the art of passing an attacked ball close to the floor.
Dink: A legal push of the ball around or over blockers.
Double Hit: Successive hits or contacts by the same player. (Illegal)
Down Ball: A ball that is hit overhand and driven over the net with topspin while the player remains standing.
Floater: A serve which does not spin or rotate and therefore moves in an erratic path. This is similar to a knuckle ball pitch
in baseball.
Free Ball: A ball that will be returned by a pass rather than a spike.
Held Ball: A ball that comes to rest during contact resulting in a foul.
Jump Serve: A serve that is started by the server tossing the ball into the air and jumping into and hitting the ball in its
downward motion.
Joust: When 2 opposing players are simultaneously attempting to play a ball above the net.
Kill: An attack that results in an immediate point or side out.
Off-Speed Hit: Any ball spiked with less than maximum force but with spin.
Overlap: Refers to the position of the players in the rotation prior to the contact of the ball when serving.
Pancake: A one-handed defensive technique where the hand is extended and the palm is slid along the floor as the player
dives or extension rolls, and is timed so that the ball bounces off the back of the hand.
Power Tip: A ball that is pushed or directed with force by an attacking team.
Quick: A player approaching the setter for a quick inside hit.
Quick Set: A set usually 2' above the net in which the hitter is approaching the setter and may even be in the air, before the
setter delivers the ball. This type of set requires precise timing between the hitter and setter.
Reception Error: A serve that a player should have been able to return, but results in an ace.
Roof: A ball that when spiked is blocked by a defensive player such that the balls deflects straight to the floor on the
attackers side.
Rotation: The clockwise movement of player around the court and through the serving position following a side out.
Serve: Used to put the ball into play.
Service Error: An unsuccessful serve in which one or more of the following occurs: 1. the ball fails to clear the net, 2. the ball
lands out of bounds, or 3. the server commits a foot fault.
Setter: the player who has the 2nd of 3 contacts of the ball who 'sets' the ball with an overhand pass for a teammate to hit.
The setter is like the quarterback in football - they run the offense.
Side Out: Occurs when the receiving team successfully puts the ball away against the serving team, or when the serving
team commits an unforced error, and thus the receiving team gains the right to serve.
Six Pack: Occurs when a blocker gets hit in the head or face by a spiked ball.
Spike: Also hit or attack. A ball contacted with force by a player on the offensive team who intends to terminate the ball on
the opponent's floor or off the opponent's blocker.
Stuff: A ball that is deflected back to the attacking team's floor by the opponents blockers. A slang term for block.
Wipe: When a hitter pushes the ball off the opposing block so it lands out of bounds.