Study Guides

BASKETBALL STUDY GUIDE - Mr. Baker P.E.

Introduction

Basketball is an extremely popular sport. More people watch basketball

than any other sport in the United States. It is played in driveways, parking lots,

back yards, streets, high schools, colleges and professional arenas. Basketball’s

popularity is not confined to the United States. The game is also enjoyed

internationally, with rules available in thirty languages. Basketball is included

among the Olympic sports.

History of the Game

In 1891, a physical education instructor at a YMCA Training School in

Massachusetts invented basketball as an indoor activity for boys. The game

began with two peach baskets tied to balconies and a soccer ball used to shoot

baskets. Two years later, two college teams began to play basketball. The

game’s popularity has increased continuously ever since. The National

Basketball Association (NBA) is the largest professional sports league. It was

created when the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball

League merged in 1949. The majority of professional players are recruited by the

NBA from college ranks.

Equipment and Clothing

A basketball is about two and a half feet in circumference and weighs 22

ounces. Baskets are made of a metal ring with an inside diameter of 18 inches.

Netting or webbing hangs from the ring. Two baskets, one at each end of the

court, hang 10 feet above the floor. The standard basketball court measures

about 50 feet by 94 feet. Clothing is loose-fitting and designed for freedom of

movement. Contemporary “long shorts” were made popular by superstar Michael

Jordan of the Chicago Bulls. Shoes are specially designed to withstand pounding

the floor in jumps and other movements, as well as to brace the feet and ankles

during violent lateral movements.

General Playing Rules

The game of basketball is easy to understand. Players try to prevent their

opponents from scoring while each team tries to get the ball through the basket

that the other team is defending. Although the game is not difficult to understand,

a tremendous amount of mental and physical endurance and skill is required

from the five players on each team. A basketball team consists of a center (often

the tallest player), two forwards (or posts) and two guards (wings). The forwards

are positioned near the opposing team’s basket so that they can be ready for

shooting and rebounding. The center is located near the basket or near the free-

throw line so that he/she can be ready for shooting and rebounding. Guards

normally bring the ball down the court to begin offensive play.

The game begins with a jump ball. The referee tosses the ball into the air.

As it comes down, one player from each team jumps upward in an attempt to tap

the ball to a teammate. Once the ball is in play, team members dribble the ball in

order to get closer to the basket or pass it to another player. “Dribbling” the ball

means bouncing it on the floor repeatedly with one hand. “Passing” means

throwing the ball to a teammate. Passing is vital to scoring plays. In fact, most

professionals consider good passing to be almost as important as accurate

shooting. When the ball is put into the basket, it is called a “field goal” and two

points are awarded to the team that scores. If the shot, however, was taken past

the three-point line, then three points are earned.

The National Basketball Association instituted a new distance of 20’- 6”

from the basket for the 3-point line. A “free throw” means a toss from behind the

free-throw line, with no interference from the opposing team. If a player has been

fouled by an opponent, the fouled player gets a free throw. If the free throw ball

goes into the basket, the team gets one point. There are two types of fouls in

basketball—personal fouls and technical fouls: A personal foul means that a

player holds, pushes or trips an opponent. A technical foul may occur when the

game is delayed, too many time outs are taken, players leave or enter the court

illegally or participate in misbehavior such as disrespect toward the referee.

A team may lose possession of the ball for “traveling.” Traveling occurs

when a player runs or walks with the ball. Double dribbling (bouncing the ball with

both hands or stopping dribbling, then starting again) can also cause a team to

lose possession of the ball. Professional basketball teams play four 12-minute

quarters. College-level play amounts to two 20-minute halves, and high school

basketball is four 8-minute quarters. In the case of a tie game, teams play

overtime. Professional teams play 5-minute overtimes. High school and college

teams play shorter overtimes.

Basic Components of the Game

FREE-THROW - A shot in which a player who has been fouled shoots

from

behind the free-throw line.

TWO-HANDED PASS - A pass used for short, fast passing

CHEST PASS - of distances up to twenty feet.

OVERHEAD PASS - from anywhere on the court; especially good for

closely-

guarded players. Like all one-hand passes, this move takes more

time to

perform and requires excellent control.

ONE-HANDED - A pass used as a long pass from any position on the

court that

can be very effective if used while moving

BOUNCE PASS - This pass is used when two players are relatively close

to each

other. The ball usually bounces once before being caught by the

other player.

UNDERHAND PASS - at fast speeds; difficult to perform and should be

used

only when no alternative exists.