Basketball Basics Rules 3 LEVEL
OBJECT
The game is played with 2 teams. Each team consists of 5 players on
the court at a time. The object of the game is to outscore your opponent
by shooting the ball into your basket and preventing them from putting
the ball into theirs. The ball can be advanced up the floor with the hands
only, either by dribbling or passing to teammates.
PLAYING AREA
The ball is moved down the court toward the basket by passing or
dribbling. The team with the ball is called the offense. The team without
the ball is called the defense. They try to steal the ball, contest shots,
steal and deflect passes, and garner rebounds.
EQUIPMENT
To play a regulation game, you need a basketball and 2 basketball
goals.
Basketballs
Basketball goals
STARTING PLAY
Each team is assigned a basket or goal to defend. This means that
the other basket is their scoring basket. At halftime, the teams switch
goals. The game begins with one player from either team at center
court. A referee will toss the ball up between the two. The player that
gets his hands on the ball will tip it to a teammate. This is called a tip-
off. In addition to stealing the ball from an opposing player.
FUNDAMENTALS
The fundamental skills involved in the game, include:
• Dribbling - advancing the ball up the court by bouncing it with one
hand.
• Passing and catching - moving the ball around the court by
throwing it to teammates.
• Shooting - putting the ball through the hoop.
• Rebounding - gaining possession of the ball from a missed shot that
bounces off the backboard or rim.
• Jumping - an important skill used in rebounding, shooting, and
blocking shots.
• Defending - keeping the opponent with the ball from scoring.
• Moving without the ball - to get open for a pass or shot, players
must break away from their defenders and cut to openings on the
court.
PLAYER POSITIONS
There are a variety of ways players can line up on the court, but
the most common basketball positions are:
• 1# or Point Guard (PG). Usually the best handler.
• 2#or Shooting Guard (SG). Usually the best outside shooter.
• 3# or Wing or Small Forward (SF). Usually the most athletic player on
the team who can play inside the key and outside.
• 4# or Power Forward (PF). Usually one of the taller players on the
team who is a strong rebounder and can move around well around
the key.
• 5# or Center (C). Usually the tallest player on the team who plays
exclusively inside the key and should be a good insider scorer and
rebounder.
SCORING
When a team makes a basket, they score two points and the ball
goes to the other team. If a basket, or field goal, is made outside of the
three-point arc, then that basket is worth three points. A free throw is
worth one point. Free throws are awarded to a team according to some
formats involving the number of fouls committed in a half and/or the
type of foul committed. Fouling a shooter always results in two or three
free throws being awarded the shooter, depending upon where he was
when he shot. If he was beyond the three-point line, then he gets three
shots. Other types of fouls do not result in free throws being awarded
until a certain number have accumulated during a half. Once that
number is reached, then the player who was fouled is awarded a '1-and-
1' opportunity. If he makes his first free throw, he gets to attempt a
second. If he misses the first shot, the ball is live on the rebound.
GAME LENGTH
Each game is divided into sections. All levels have two halves. In
college, each half is twenty minutes long. In high school and below, the
halves are divided into eight (and sometimes, six) minute quarters. In
the pros, quarters are twelve minutes long. There is a gap of several
minutes between halves. Gaps between quarters are relatively short. If
the score is tied at the end of regulation, then overtime periods of
various lengths are played until a winner emerges.
FOULS
Basketball fouls are penalties assessed by the referees for rough
play to keep a player from gaining an advantage over another player. A
player who is fouled is awarded the ball out of bounds unless the foul
occurred during the act of shooting, in which case the player who is
fouled is awarded 2 free throws.
Each player is allowed 5 fouls before they are removed from the
game. Here are some common basketball fouls:
Blocking – A personal foul caused when the defender makes
illegal personal contact with an opponent who may or may not
have the ball. Blocking is called when the defender impedes the
progress of the opponent.
Charging (or Player Control Foul) – A personal foul occurring
when an offensive player makes contact with a defender who has
already established a set position. A player with the ball must
avoid contact with a stationary defender by stopping or changing
direction.
Elbowing – It is a violation for a player to swing the elbows
excessively.
Flagrant Foul – A personal or technical foul, which is violent in
nature. Examples are fighting, striking, kicking, or kneeing an
opponent.
Hand Check – A personal foul caused by a defender making
repeated contact with her hands on her opponent.
Holding – A personal foul caused by illegal contact with an
opponent, which interferes with his freedom of movement.
Intentional Foul – A personal or technical foul, which keeps the
opponent from capitalizing on an advantageous situation. It could
be contact away from the ball or contact when a defender is not
making a legitimate attempt to play the ball or a player. It also
occurs when a player causes excessive contact with an opponent.
Offensive Foul – A foul caused by an offensive player, usually in
the form of charging.
Personal Foul – Illegal contact with an opponent while the ball is
live, which hinders the opponent's offensive or defensive
movement. A personal foul also includes contact by or on an
airborne shooter when the ball is dead.
Technical Foul – A non-contact foul by a player; an intentional or
flagrant contact foul while the ball is dead; or a violation charged
to the head coach because of violations on the sideline or from
bench personnel.
Team Foul – Any foul charged to a team. Once a team reaches 7
team fouls, its opponent is in a bonus free throw situation.
VIOLATIONS
The basketball basic rules include numerous ball handling and time
violations that cause a team to lose possession of the ball. Here are
some common violations:
Back-court Violation – If a player is the last one on her team to
touch the ball before it goes into the back-court, she cannot be
the first player to touch it in the back-court.
Closely Guarded (or Five-second Violation) – Violation that
occurs when a ball handler in his team's front-court is
continuously guarded by any opponent who is within 6 feet of him
while he is either dribbling or holding the ball. The offensive player
has 5 seconds to either get rid of the ball or drive past the
defender.
Double Dribble - When a dribbler touches the ball with both
hands at the same time or when the dribbler picks up the ball and
then starts dribbling again.
Goal-tending – Occurs when a player touches a shot ball while it
is in its downward flight above the rim. It also occurs when a
defender touches a free throw attempt outside the basket.
Lane Violation – A violation called during a free throw situation
against a player who enters the lane too soon.
Ten Seconds in the Back-court – A team has 10 seconds to
advance the ball from their back-court past the half-court line to
the front-court.
Three Seconds in the Lane – An offensive player cannot remain
in the free throw lane for longer than 3 seconds while her team is
in control of the ball in the front-court. She has to clear the lane
completely with both feet to stop the official's count. If she
receives the ball while she is in the lane, she is allowed to stay
beyond 3 seconds in order to drive toward the goal for a shot.
Traveling – A violation caused by moving the feet in any direction
without properly dribbling the ball. It results in a turnover, and the
ball is given to the opposing team. While holding the ball, a player
has to establish a pivot foot which has to remain on the floor at all
times until he passes, shoots, or dribbles. While holding the ball,
his knee cannot touch the floor and if he falls, he must get rid of
the ball before attempting to get up.