Activity 1 

Basketball Word Search 

Find the basketball words from the bottom in the Basketball Word Search grid. The words can be
forwards or backwards, vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Circle each letter separately, but keep in
mind that letters in each basketball word may be used in more than one word. When the
basketball word search puzzle is complete, describe or define the following words.
1. Jump ball – Method used to begin or
resume play in basketball.
2. Free throw – Unopposed attempts to score
points by shooting from behind the free
throw line.
3. Alleyoop – A basketball play in which a
leaping player catches a pass above the
basket and immediately dunks the ball
4. Personal foul – Illegal personal contact with
an opponent.
5. Double team – Is a defensive alignment in
which two defensive players are assigned to
guard a single offensive player.
6. Shoot – Throwing the basketball toward the
hoop.
7. Pass – Move the ball between two
teammates.
8. Court – He court on which basketball is
played.
9. Dribble – Bouncing the ball on the floor
continuously with one hand at a time.
10. Jump shot – Jumping into the air and
releasing the ball with one or both hands at
the peak of the jump.
11. Center – The player who often plays close
to the basket in the low post.
12. Box out – The act of positioning yourself
between the opposing player and the
basket, to rebound the ball in anticipation
of a missed shot.
13. Fast Break – A team attempts to move the
ball up court and into scoring position as
quickly as possible, so that the defense is
outnumbered and does not have time to set
up.
14. Pivot – A player maintains one foot having
contact with the ground without changing
its position on the floor and utilizes the
other foot to rotate their body to improve
position while in possession of the
basketball.
15. Layup – A shot near the basket.
16. Block – A defensive player attempts to
deflect a field goal to prevent a score.
17. Field goal – A basket scored on any shot or
tap other than a free throw, worth two or
three points depending on the distance of
the attempt from the basket.
18. Team – A group of players that play
basketball.
19. Key – The key is an area on the basketball
court where most of the action takes place.
20. Charge – An offensive foul committed by
the dribbler running into a defender that is
in a fair defensive position.
21. Turnover – A team loses possession of the
ball to the opposing team before a player
takes a shot at their team's basket.
22. Tip off – The act or an instance of putting
the ball in play in basketball by a jump ball.
23. Back Board –
24. Shoot – A rounded or rectangular board
behind the basket on a basketball court
which serves to keep missed shots from
going out-of-bounds and from which the
ball can be made to rebound into the
basket.
25. Basket – The metal ring on a basketball
court, if the ball passes through the basket
then the team wins a point.
26. Forward – The player who has strong ball-
handling and dribbling skills and is the main
ball handler for the team.
27. Dunk – Type of basketball shot that is
performed when a player jumps in the air,
controls the ball above the horizontal plane
of the rim, and scores by putting the ball
directly through the basket with one or
both hands above the rim.
28. Guard – A shooting guard's main objective is
to score points for their team and steal the
ball on defense.
29. NBA – National Basketball Association
30. Flagrant foul – A personal foul that involves
excessive or violent contact that could
injure the fouled player.