BASKETBALL

NATURE OF THE GAME

- Basketball is played by two teams of five players each. The objective of the
game is to score more points than your opponent. The ball is passed, thrown,
bounced, batted, or rolled from one player to another. A player in possession of
the ball must maintain contact with the floor with one foot (pivot foot), unless the
player is shooting, passing, or dribbling. Physical contact with an opponent can
result in a foul if the contact impedes the desired movement of the player.

JAMES NAISMITH

Basketball was invented in December 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a faculty member
at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.

EARLY FORMS OF BASKETBALL

Naismith invented basketball in response to an assignment by Dr. Luther Gulick, the

director of the physical education department, assigned Naismith the task of devising a
competitive game like football or lacrosse that could be played indoors during the
cold winter months. Basketball immediately became popular and quickly spread
nationally and internationally due to the travels of the YMCA Training School Graduates.

BASKETBALL AREAS

FRONT COURT

- The term Front Court is used to denote the offensive end of the court from the
midcourt line to the baseline.
BACK COURT

- Back Court is used to denote the area behind the mid court line It includes
the half of the court from the midcourt line back to the endline. Once the ball is
advanced across the midcourt line into the front court, it cannot go back into the
Back Court.
THREE SECOND AREA

- This is the area below the free throw line and between the lane lines. It is
sometimes called the "Paint" since, in most gyms, it is painted. If any offensive
player remains in this area for more than three seconds it is a violation and the
other team gets the ball. Note: Some professional leagues, like the NBA, also
limit the defensive players to three seconds in this area as well.

BLOCK

- The block is a buffer area painted on the lane lines separating offensive and
defensive players during a free throw attempt. Additionally, it is a very
strategic area during the game. Any player - offensive or defensive - establishing
a position on the block gains a definite advantage.
ELBOW

- The elbow is the area of the court where the free throw line meets the lane
line. Like the "Block", the Elbows become important on dribble penetration. Any
player - offense or defense - who gets to the elbow first will gain an advantage.

FREE THROW LINE EXTENDED

- This imaginary line represents the extension of the free throw line across
the width of the court. Most coaches use it to establish defensive rules. When
the ball is above the free throw line, a certain rule applies. When the ball is below
it another rule applies. It is also used as a reference for offensive player
alignment.
TOP OF CIRCLE (KEY)

- The top of the circle is the area straight out from the basket just outside the
free throw circle. It is used primarily as a reference for aligning offensive and
defensive players. It is also a favorite spot from which many players like to shoot.

WING

- The wing area is located on the side of the court near the free throw line
extended. Wing areas are designated "Ballside" or "WeakSide" according to
the location of the player with the ball. The wing on the same side as the ball
handler is the "Ballside or Strongside" wing. The wing on the side away from the
ball handler is the "Weakside" wing.
CORNER

- The "Corner" is primarily used to designate the area where the sideline and
baseline meet. This is another favorite area from which players like to shoot. It is
usually an open area when zone defense is played. However, it is also an area
where the defense can readily trap an offensive player with the ball.

SHORT CORNER

- The short corner is an area along the baseline half way between the sideline
and the lane line. It is a strategic offensive area especially used against zone
defenses.
4’ RESTRICTED AREA

- In professional basketball there is a semi-circular 4' restraining area in front of the

basket. No offensive charges can be taken by defenders when they are
positioned on or inside this area.

BASKETBALL LINES

SIDELINES

The sidelines are the two boundaries lines running the length of the court. Their
location is determined by the width of the court, which is normally 50 feet wide. Along
with Baseline and End line they establish the size of the playing area.
BASELINE

- The Baseline/Endline runs from sideline to sideline behind the backboard at

the ends of the court. They are located 4 feet behind the basket, and normally
have a width of 50 feet. Baseline and Endline are interchangeable terms
depending upon which team has ball position. Baseline is used for the offensive
end of the court. Endline is used for the back court or defensive end of the court.

MID COURT LINE

- The mid court line divides the court in half. Offensively, once the ball crosses
the Mid Court Line, it becomes a boundary line reducing the offensive playing
area to just half of the court. Also, on most levels, the offensive team only has
8 to 10 seconds to advance the ball across the mid court line.
THREE-POINT LINE

- Field Goals made from outside this Three Point Line or arc count as three
points. The distance of the three point line from the basket varies according to
the different levels of play.

FREE THROW LINE

- This line is used as a boundary line when shooting free throws. It is 15 feet
away from the backboard. On a free throw attempt, the shooter cannot step on
or across this line until the ball strikes the rim. The free throw line is also used in
defining the three second area.
FREE THROW CIRCLE

- The free throw circles have a diameter of 12 feet. They come into play on free
throws and jump balls. During a free throw attempt, the shooter must remain
inside the free throw circle. On jump balls, non-jumpers must remain outside the
circle until the ball is tapped by one of the jumpers.

LANE LINE

- Lane lines are boundaries running from the free throw line to the baseline.
The width and shape of the lane lines vary on different levels of the game. The
lane lines also contain lane space markings used to align and separate the
non-shooters. The first lane space, on both sides of the basket, is occupied by
the opposing team from the free throw shooter. Non-shooters cannot step into
the three second area until the ball leaves the free throw shooter's hand.
CENTER CIRCLE

- The Center Circle is a 12 foot diameter circle located in the center of the
court. It is used to start the game and other jump ball situations. On jump balls,
non-jumpers must remain outside the circle until the ball is tapped by one of the
jumpers.

COURT SIZES AND RULES COMPARISON

Court
High College College Internati
Dimensi NBA WNBA
School Men Women onal
ons
Court 28m
85' 94' 94' 94' 94'
Length (91'10")
15m
Court
50' 50' 50' (49'2.5" 50' 50'
Width
)
Lane 4.9m
12' 12' 12' 16' 12'
Width (16')
Three 6.25m
Point 19'9" 19'9" 19'9" (20'6.1" 23'9" 19'9"
Line )
 Period
Time
8min 20min 10min 10min 12min 10min
(Number
(4) (2) (4) (4) (4) (4)
of
Periods)
30
Shot 30 30 24 24 30
seconds
Clock seconds seconds seconds seconds seconds
(Girls)

BASKETBALL EQUIPMENT

BASKETBALL RING

- A hoop or basket with net around its circumference and of 18 inches diameter is
firmly hung horizontally from a rectangular backboard of 3.5 feet height and 6
feet width on either side of the court. The rim of the hoop is 10 feet above the
ground. The backboard in various international competitions is transparent for
better visibility.

BASKETBALL

- Basketball is an orange-colored and rough-textured spherical ball with black

contours usually made of leather or composite tough materials. So a typical
basketball must be very durable and easy to hold on to.
OTHER EQUIPMENT

- Some international courts have a game clock that makes a beep at the end of
each period. Some also show the shot clock countdown. Sometimes, the back
boards have bordering lights that light up and indicate that a period is about to
end.

BASKETBALL POSITION

1. POINT GUARD

- FLOOR GENERAL (ONE)

- RESPONSIBLE FOR ADVANCING THE BASKETBALL UP THE COURT AND
SETTING UP THE TEAM’S OFFENSE
- HIGHLY SKILLED AT DRIBBLING AND PASSING
- MAKING SMART DECISION
- ON- COURT- COACH
- STEPHEN CURRY

2. SHOOTING GUARD

- OFF GUARD (TWO)

- OFFENSIVE POSSESSION ON THE WING
- SECONDARY BALL HANDLER
- AVOID SCREEN OPPOSITION’S BIGS

3. SMALL FORWARD

- ALSO KNOWN AS THREE

- MOST VERSATILE PLAYER
- ALSO HAVE AN OFFENSIVE GAME
- SIMILAR TO THE SHOOTING GUARD POSITION THEY’RE ABLE TO SHOOT
CONSISTENTLY
- SWISS ARMY KNIFE (THEY CAN DO EVERYTHING ON A BASKETBALL
COURT
 - LEBRON/ KEVIN DURANT/ LARRY BIRD

4. POWER FORWARD

- ALSO KNOWN AS FOUR

- SECOND TALLEST ON THE TEAM
- SCORED THE MAJORITY OF THEIR POINTS IN THE PAINT
- GOOD IN MID RANGE JUMP SHOT
- TIM DUNCAN/KEVIN LOVE

5. CENTER

- KNOWN AS FIVE
- TALLEST AND STRONGEST PLAYER
- SPEND MOST OF THE GAME CLOSE TO THE BASKET
- FOCUS OF THE MOST OFFENSES
- DEFEND/REBOUND

PASSING AND SHOOTING DRILLS FOR BASKETBALL

CHEST PASS

- Start in a balanced stance. Hold the ball with two hands in front of your chest,
keeping your elbows in. See your target without looking at it. Look away or fake
before passing. Step in the direction of your target, extending your arms,
extending your legs, back, and arms. Force your wrists and fingers “through” the
ball. Emphasize forcing your weak hand through the ball – the strong hand tends
to dominate. The ball will go where your fingers direct it. Releasing it off the first
and second fingers of both hands imparts a backspin and gives the ball
direction. Follow through by pointing your fingers at the target with palms facing
down
BOUNCE PASS

- Execute the bounce pass like the chest pass. Pass the ball so that it bounces off
the floor at a distance allowing it to be received about waist level. To judge the
correct distance, aim for a spot two thirds of the way or a few feet in front of the
target. Bouncing the ball too close to you results in a high, slow bounce that is
easily intercepted, but bouncing the ball too close to the receiver makes it too low
to handle. Remember – the ball will go where the fingers direct it. Follow
through by pointing your fingers at the target with the palms of your hands facing
down.

OVERHEAD & SIDEARM PASS

OVERHEAD & SIDEARM PASS

OVERHEAD PASS

- The overhead pass is used when you are closely guarded and have to pass over
your defender; that is, as an outlet pass to start a fast break against pressing
defenders and as a lob pass to a player cutting backdoor to the basket. Like the
sidearm bounce pass, the overhead pass is an option for feeding the low post.
Start in a balanced stance, holding the ball above your forehead with your elbows
in and flexed about 90 degrees. Quickly pass the ball, extending your arms and
flexing your wrists and fingers. Release the ball off the first and second fingers of
both hands. Follow through by pointing your fingers at the target, palms down.

SIDEARM PASS

- The sidearm pass is used when you are closely guarded and have to pass
around your defender. Like the overhead pass, a sidearm bounce pass is an
option for feeding the low post. Except for the start, its execution is similar to the
overhead pass. In the sidearm pass start by moving the ball to one side –
between your shoulder and hip – as you step to the side. Do not bring the ball
behind your body from where it takes longer to execute the pass and the ball
can also be stolen. Follow through by pointing your fingers toward the target,
palms to the side.

SHOOTING
SHOOTING

- As the shot starts the ball is tipped back from your balance hand to your shooting
hand. A good guide when tipping back the ball is to drop your wrist back until
there is a wrinkle in your skin. This angle provides a quick release and consistent
follow-through. Direct your arm, wrist, and fingers straight toward the basket at a
45- to 60-degree angle, extending your shooting arm completely at the elbow.
The final force and control of your shot comes from flexing your wrist and fingers
forward and down. Release the ball off your index finger with soft fingertip touch
to impart backspin on the ball and soften the shot. Keep your balance hand on
the ball until the point of release.

SUCCESS!

- 3 consecutive shots made at each distance

(9ft, 12ft, 15ft)