 shooting the basketball, the player who was fouled gets to shoot "free throws" from the "foul line". A free throw is a shot that no one is allowed to try to block. Each successful free throw is worth one point.
If you foul a player who is not shooting, the other team gets the ball, and can throw it "in bounds" from the "sideline." Players can do three things with the ball: "dribble" (bounce) the ball, "pass" the ball to a teammate, or "shoot" the ball at the hoop. The player with the ball tries to keep the ball and not let the other team get it.
Once a player commits five fouls, he is no longer allowed to play in the game, and player on the bench must go in the game immediately.
Officials[change | edit source]
In a game of basketball there are a number of people who are not from either team, that are there to help. They are called officials. Officials are very important because without them the game would not run as efficiently. Here is a list of some of these people:
- Umpire There are either one or two umpires in a game of basketball. It is the umpires' job to make the game more fair by enforcing the rules of the game. The umpires take into consideration the spirit and intent of the player before making any call. In the NBA and WNBA, the term "umpire" is not used; the person who has this role is called the referee.
- Referee The use of this term varies between rule sets.
- Under the rules of FIBA (the worldwide governing body for the sport), the NCAA (U.S. college basketball), and NFHS (U.S. high schools), there is one referee in a game of basketball. He is the "head" umpire. The referee has all the jobs of the umpires along with a couple more responsibilities. He is also the one that makes the final decision for most problems and is the one who throws the ball up for the tip off the start of the match.
- Time Keeper There is one timekeeper whose job is to keep track of the time and to tell the umpires when time for each quarter has run out. He is also in control of adding the scores onto the scoreboard.
- Scorekeeper There is one scorekeeper whose job is to keep track of and record all points scored, shots attempted, fouls made and timeouts called.
- Assistant Scorekeeper There is one assistant scorekeeper in a game of basketball. his job is to assist the scorekeeper, by telling him the players who score points, and to hold up a number for each foul called, showing everyone the number of fouls the specified player has for the game.
- Shot Clock Operator There is one shot clock operator and his job in to keep resetting and holding the device when needed or told to by an umpire. This person needs to have good reflexes and quickness, as he has to quickly reset the timer when the game resumes.
It should also be noted that fans and media in North America will often use "referee" to describe all on-court officials, whether their formal titles are "referee", "umpire", or "crew chief".
Basketball terms[change | edit source]
There are some basketball terms which players have to understand when playing the game. Here are some terms:
- Free throw is a basketball throw from the free-throw line from either personal, technical, unsportsmanlike or disqualifying fouls. Each free-throw made is worth one point. The amount of free-throws attempted are determined by the following:
- missed field goal and a drawn foul will result in 2 free throws
- made field goal and a drawn foul will result in 1 free throw
- missed 3-point attempt and a drawn foul will result in 3 free throws
- made 3-point attempt and a drawn foul will result in 1 free throw
- unsportsmanlike foul will result in 2 free throws and the same team's possession. (In the NBA and WNBA, this foul is called a "flagrant foul", with the same penalty.)
- technical foul will result in 2 free throws and the same team's possession. (In the NBA and WNBA, technical fouls result in 1 free throw instead of 2.)
- Field goal is any made shot in normal play. Field goals are worth 2 points, unless the shooter was outside the three-point line, in which case it is worth 3 points.
- Personal f