Basketball

Explanation

Short History

Set of Simple Rules

What is basketball?

Basketball is a team sport.

It is played indoors.

Two teams of five players each try to score

points against one another by throwing aball through a 3 m high hoop.

Each hoop is placed at the end of arectangular court.

Basketball is one of the most popularand widely viewed sports in the world.

History of Basketball

James Naismith, a Canadianphysical educationinstructor inventedbasketball in 1891. Backthen the game was playedwith an ordinary soccerball and peach basketsbetween 2 teams of 9players each. There were13 rules.

Soon metal rims replaced the peachbaskets with netting underneath. Laterpeople cut the netting so that the ballcould go through.

Senda Abbott first introduced basketballto woman in 1892.

Professional basketball started in 1869in New Jersey, USA.

How basketball is played

Basketball is played by two teams whoscore points by throwing a ball into theopposing team's basket. The team whoscores the most points are the winners.

Each team has a squad of 12 players to choosefrom. Five of those players are allowed on thecourt at any one time, with unlimitedsubstitutions.

Players can move the ball around the courtby passing, tapping, throwing, rolling ordribbling.

Duration

The game consists of four quarters of 10 minuteseach, with a 15-minute break at half-time.

There are also two-minutes interval between the firstand second periods, and between the third and fourthperiods.

If the game is tied after the fourth period, it continueswith an extra period of five minutes, then as manyfive-minute periods as are necessary to break the tie.

Main Officials Main officials include one referee and one umpire.

The court is divided between them and they swap places after each foul involving a free throw penalty, as well as after each jump ball decision.

They use whistles and hand signals to make and explain their decisions.

Each game begins with a jump ball.

The referee throws the ball into the air in the centre circle and two opposing players leap up and try to tap it away.

Each player is allowed two taps before the ball hits the

ground, a basket, a backboard or another player.

Set of simple rules

The ball may be thrown in any direction withone or both hands.

A player cannot run with the ball.

A player must throw it from the spot on whichhe catches it, or dribble the ball with one handwhile they are running.

The ball must be held by the hands.

Shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping or striking inany way a player of the other team is allowed.

A foul is striking the ball with the fist.

A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown orbatted from the grounds into the basket and staysthere, providing those defending the goal do nottouch or disturb the goal.

If the ball goes over the backboard, hits the side orthe top of the backboard, then the ball is officially outof play.

SCORING

Points are scored for shooting the basketballthrough the hoop.

Two points for a goal inside the three-pointsemi-circle, and three points for goals scoredfrom outside.

Free throws, taken from the free-throw line andawarded after a foul, are worth one point.

NBA BASKETBALL COURT

FIBA BASKETBALL COURT

SPANISH NATIONAL TEAM