Basic Basketball rules Number of players If you want to play basketball for fun, you have the possibility

of playing on your own. But you can also play team games with either 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 players on each teams. Teams can be mixed, with boys and girls, or not. On a competition level, a team is made up of 5 players playing on the court and 5 players sitting on the bench that can be used for substitution during the whole period of the game. Positions Each player is assigned a position when playing. This position is usually determined by the height of the player. The tallest player on the team usually plays center also known as position 5, while the medium size ones play forwards / position 3 and 4. The shortest players then play guards / position 1 and 2. Scoring A player scores when he manages to throw the ball into the basket, with the ball passing through the basket from above the hoop. Scoring a basket increases the teams score by 3, 2 or one point. If the player successfully shoots from outside of the 3 points line, the basket is worth 3 points; otherwise it is worth 2 points. It is also possible to score one point when shooting from the free throw line, after a foul for instance. Violation A violation occurs when the player breaks one of the rules of Basketball. A violation results in the awarding of the ball to the opponents. It can also result from the player taking more than 2 steps without bouncing the ball on the floor. This is called Traveling. Another example of violation occurs when a player stops dribbling and then starts dribbling again or when he bounces the ball with both hands on the ball. We call this a double Dribble. A violation is also committed if you twist your hand, when in contact with the ball, beyond the vertical, bringing it under the ball. This is called Carry, as the hand must always remain on the top of the ball. Fouls A foul is an illegal action that can be committed by player from one team against a player from the opposing team. Basketball is generally said to be a non-contact game. If contact occurs beyond what is deemed to be reasonable, or if a player thereby obtains an unfair advantage from it, a foul is committed. There are two types of fouls. The first are called defensive fouls. They occur when the offensive player is being fouled by the defender. Defenders should not block, push, trip, strike or hold the player in possession of the ball. The second ones are the offensive fouls. For example, a player in offence commits a foul when charging into a stationary defender.

Referee signals

Administrative signals

Scoring signals

Violation signals

HISTORY & NATURE OF THE GAME Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith; a Canadian teacher. It was rst played with a soccer-style ball and peach baskets as the goals. Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of ve players on the court (usually 2 guards, 2 forwards and 1 centre) each try to score points against one another by forcing a ball through a 10 feet (3m) high hoop. The ball can be advanced on the court by dribbling or passing it between teammates. Disruptive physical contact (fouls) is not permitted and there are restrictions on how the ball can be handled (violations). The nature of the game of Basketball is to try to score more points than the opposing team by throwing - or 'shooting' - a ball through the opening in the top of the basketball hoop, whilst following a set of rules. Whichever team has the most points at the end of the game wins, although additional time may be issued in the rare instance that a game ends in a tie. It is one of the world's most popular a widely enjoyed sports. The hoop that the players must try to shoot their basketballs through is, by regulation, 18 inches in diameter at the rim and mounted to a backboard 10 feet off the ground. During regular play, either team can score a 'field goal' by shooting the basketball through the hoop. This will score then respective teams two points, due to the distance the player will be from the hoop. The 'easiness' of scoring a basket whilst touching or closer to the hoop than the three-point line means a score of two points is possible, while being on or behind the three-point line, as its name suggests, awards the player an extra point (three) for the technicality of their shots. Movement while in control of the ball is governed by a 'dribbling' technique, where the basketball is bounced by the player as they are walking or running, and team mates can also pass the ball to other players on their team in a variety of ways. It is a direct violation of the rules to walk with the ball, carry it, or double dribble, which means to hold the ball after dribbling, and then resume dribbling. Violating the rules in such a way will result in a 'foul'. Other ways a player can earn a foul include engaging in disruptive physical contact (Basketball is primarily a non-contact sport). If an offensive player is fouled upon while shooting, he is usually awarded a free throw from which two points can be scored. 'Technical' fouls exist too, and these are usually issued when certain indiscretions occur. These most commonly include unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of a player or a coach, and can also result in a free throw for the opposing team. Basketball has its own sets of commonly used techniques of ball control such as passing, dribbling and shooting, and has also evolved very many specialized player positioning techniques and offensive/defensive structures. The tallest members of a Basketball team will typically play the 'power forward', 'center' or 'small forward positions', whereas shorter players and more technically minded players may be consigned to the 'shooting guard' or 'point guard' positions. Competitive basketball is carefully regulated by, but in light of this, a whole host of variations on 'traditional' Basketball have been developed for more casual play. Competitive basketball is usually

played indoors on well maintained and perfectly marked out courts, but the less regulated versions of the game can be seen to be played outdoors in a variety or urban and rural areas alike.

Outside the three-point arc Shots scored from outside of the three-point line - the D-shaped arc surrounding each team's basket earn three points. The shooter must have at both feet on the floor outside the three-point line prior to the attempt. Three-point shooting is highly prized by teams and spectators alike, especially if the winning basket is hit from distance on the buzzer. Inside the three-point arc Shots which find the basket from inside of the three-point line are worth two points. An unsuccessful free throw attempt which is tapped into the basket also counts as two points. Free throws A free throw is an unchallenged shot at the basket from the free-throw line, taken while the clock is stopped. They are worth one point. They are awarded after a technical foul a personal foul on a player in the act of shooting or a personal foul after the team committing the foul has exceeded four fouls in that quarter. The number awarded (1-3) depends on the offence. If a player scores despite being fouled, he also gets free throws.