NATURE AND BACKGROUND OF BASKETBALL

Basketball is a team sport, wherein the objective is to shoot a ball through a basket
horizontally positioned to score points while following a set of rules. Usually, two teams of five
players play on a marked rectangular court with a basket at each width end. Basketball is one of
the world's most popular and widely viewed sports.
A regulation basketball hoop consists of a rim 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high mounted to
a backboard. A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket during regular
play. A field goal scores two points for the shooting team if a player is touching or closer to the
basket than the three-point line, and three points (known commonly as a 3-pointer or three) if the
player is behind the three-point line. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins,
but additional time (overtime) may be issued when the game ends with a draw. The ball can be
advanced on the court by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or throwing (passing) it
to a team mate. It is a violation to move without dribbling the ball (travelling), to carry it, or to hold
the ball with both hands then resume dribbling (double dribble).

Various violations are generally called "fouls". Disruptive physical contact (a personal foul)
is penalized, and a free throw is usually awarded to an offensive player if he is fouled while
shooting the ball. A technical foul may also be issued when certain infractions occur, most
commonly for unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of a player or coach. A technical foul gives the
opposing team a free throw, and the opposing team is also retained possession of the ball.
Basketball has evolved many commonly used techniques of shooting, passing, dribbling, and
rebounding, as well as specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures (player
positioning) and techniques. Typically, the tallest members of a team will play "center", "power
forward" or "small forward" positions, while shorter players or those who possess the best ball
handling skills and speed play "point guard" or "shooting guard".
While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, numerous variations of basketball have
developed for casual play. Competitive basketball is primarily an indoor sport played on a carefully
marked and maintained basketball court, but less regulated variations are often played outdoors
in both inner city and remote areas.

HISTORY
Basketball was invented in December 1891 by the Canadian clergyman, educator, and
physician James Naismith. Naismith introduced the game when he was an instructor at the Young
Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield,
Massachusetts. At the request of his superior, Dr. Luther H. Gulick, he organized a vigorous
recreation suitable for indoor winter play. The game involved elements of American football,
soccer, and hockey, and the first ball used was a soccer ball. Teams had nine players, and the
goals were wooden peach baskets affixed to the walls. By 1897-1898, teams of five became
standard. The game rapidly spread nationwide and to Canada and other parts of the world, played
by both women and men; it also became a popular informal outdoor game. U.S. servicemen in
World War II (1939-1945) popularized the sport in many other countries.
The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect
players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years
before disbanding; its demise spawned a number of loosely organized leagues throughout the
northeastern United States. One of the first and greatest pro teams was the Original Celtics,
organized about 1915 in New York City. They played as many as 150 games a season and
dominated basketball until 1936. The Harlem Globetrotters, founded in 1927, a notable exhibition
team, specializes in amusing court antics and expert ball handling.

In 1949 two subsequent professional leagues, the National Basketball League (formed in 1937)
and the Basketball Association of America (1946) merged to create the National Basketball Association
(NBA). The Boston Celtics, led by their center Bill Russell, dominated the NBA from the late 1950s through
the 1960s. By the 1960s, pro teams from coast to coast played before crowds of many millions annually.
Wilt Chamberlain, a center for the Los Angeles Lakers, was another leading player during the era, and his
battles with Russell were eagerly anticipated. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, also a center, came to prominence
during the 1970s. Jabbar perfected his famed "sky hook" shot while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and
dominated the opposition.

The NBA suffered a drop in popularity during the late 1970s, but was resuscitated, principally
through the growing popularity of its most prominent players. Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, and Magic
Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers are credited with injecting excitement into the league in the 1980s
through their superior skills and decade-long rivalry. During the late 1980s Michael Jordan of the Chicago
Bulls rose to stardom and helped the Bulls dominate the NBA during the early 1990s. A new generation of
basketball stars, including Shaquille O'Neal of the Orlando Magic and Larry Johnson of the Charlotte
Hornets, have sustained the NBA's growth in popularity.

In 1959 a Basketball Hall of Fame was founded in Springfield, Massachusetts. Its rosters include
the names of great players, coaches, referees, and people who have contributed significantly to the
development of the games.
Appendix B. Basic skills in Basketball (How they are properly executed)

Shooting
The 1st basic skill to be learned is shooting. Every basketball player loves to shoot the ball!
The most practiced skill in the game is shooting. Players spend a good deal of their practice time
on shooting drills to improve their skill level. After all, if you can't shoot - you can't score! So, here’s
how you can improve your shooting skills in basketball:
 Remember BEEF (Balance,Elbow, Elbow, Follow Through) when shooting the ball.
 Be relaxed and concentrate on the basket.
 Know when you have a good shot and then take it.
 Be in proper balance when shooting the ball.
 Follow through on every shot you take.
 Jump naturally.
 “Up, hang, shoot!” is an easy way to remember this.
 Make sure you have an arc on every shot you take.
 Be relaxed when shooting free throws. Source: The Form
Trainer Arm Band The
 Practice all of your shots. Ultimate Basketball
Shooting Device @ yhst-
Dribbling 12654132427.stores.yahoo.n
et
Dribbling in basketball is a skill that you should master. It allows you to move around the court
while you’re in possession of the ball. It is a legal method that allows you to advance with the ball
and make a score as opposed to that of passing it to a teammate to shoot it for the basket. This
move involves bouncing the ball off the floor with your hands as you cover the floor. This is how
it’s done:
 ribble the ball with hand and use only the tips
of your finger in dribbling it.
 Employ the wrist and the forearm to push
the ball while covering the court.
 Don’t involve the whole hand to avoid losing
control of the ball.
 Don’t keep your fingers in touch with
each other while dribbling.
 Spread your fingers to allow full control
of the ball as it dribbles. Source: Vector Clip Art Picture of
a Basketball Player Dribbling the Ball in
 Dribble the ball in one side of your body Front ...@ chumpysclipart.com
and not right in front.
 While dribbling in one hand, use the other
hand to drive your defender away from the ball.
Passing
Basketball is a team game. By definition, that means all players are involved with the process of
playing the game and should function as one. One of the primary skills created to accomplish this
is passing. It is a skill that maximizes the involvement of all player in setting up a play to earn
successful shots and earn points for the whole team. To learn more about passing, read and
practice as instructed below:
 Basically, there are two types of pass: air pass and bounce pass.
Air pass travels between players without hitting the floor.
Bounce pass is thrown to the floor so that
it bounces to the intended receiver.
 Air passes include chest pass-a pass that originates
from the chest to the receiver’s chest level;
and overhead pass-a pass that originates Source: "Extract" 2.7.2 Zone Defence
from the forehead.With this pass, aim for your (This is a Member's Only
teammate's chin. Don’t bring the ball behind Section). Basketball ...
basketballcrazy.fortix.com.au
your head, because it can get stolen and it takes
a split-second longer to throw the pass.
 In executing bounce passes, calculate about
3/3 distance from the receiver as the hitting point
so that the ball bounces right to your receiver.
Source: basketball bounce pass.
But for better accuracy, you have to experiment
Bounce Pass – Video Clip.
by yourself because the bounce is directly
proportional with how strong the ball hits the floor. The Chest Pass: The chest ...
avcssbasketball.com

 A good pass is a pass a teammate can catch.

 When passing, step toward your receiver.
 When catching, step toward the pass.
 Like shooting, the ball should have a backspin to it. Source: overhead basketball
pass. Overhead Pass – Video Clip.
The Step Around Pass:
avcssbasketball.com
 This is accomplished by following through on every
pass.
Rebounding
Rebounding is one of the major aspects of the game. It is your ability to jump with power to
gain possession of the ball as it bounces to the rim after a failed shot before it touches the floor.
Just how important is rebounding? Whenever you grab a rebound, your team gains a chance to
shoot again while the other team actually loses it. The difference is double. So, how to make a
good rebound, here’s how...
 Practice good footwork and vertical leap or jumps.
 Anticipate where the ball will land.
 The longer the shot or the harder the rim,
the farther the bounces.
 When a shooter is a soft shooter, this means
he always takes time to put an arc on his shots,
the ball bounces near the ring.
 When a shooter is a hard shooter, this means
there’s a little or no arc on his shots, then the ball
bounces far from the ring. Source: Vector Illustration: Basketball
rebound blue @ dreamstime.com
 Leg power and strong body are needed in rebounding
that’s why it is essential that strength and power exercises
should be considered to conditioning your body.
Running
Running is one of the basic skills that a basketball player should possess. Because in this
sport, speed defines the best. Whether you’re on the offensive or defensive side of the game,
passing, receiving, shooting or rebounding a ball, you always have to run in any way possible.
Here are some tips for you to improve your running skills:
 Always have a good pair of playing shoes.
 Always do a combination of dynamic stretching
and warm-up activities across the court before
going out to play a game. These exercises have
already been introduced to you when you were
in Grade 7 but in case you have forgotten
them already, here they are:
 Dynamic Stretching

Toe Walk Shuffle

Heel Walk Back Pedal
Inch Walk Jogging
High Knees Carioca
Butt Kicks Jumping jacks

Source: Basic Conditioning Drills

for BasketballPlayers @ stack.com
Appendix C. Facilities and Equipment in Basketball
Court Dimensions
The size of the court depends on the playing level. The size of the court for NBA and College
games is 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. It is smaller for High School and Junior High.
The Backboard and Rim
The regulation height above the ground for the rim (hoop) is 10 feet, and the rim is 18 inches in
diameter. Backboards are six feet wide (72 inches) by 42 inches tall, with the inner square being
24 inches wide by 18 inches tall.
The Foul Line
For all size courts the 'foul line' is 15 feet in front of the backboard.
The Key
The key is 12 feet wide, and is the same for all basketball courts. The backboard extends four
feet out over the baseline into the key. A half circle of diameter 6 foot extends from the foul line
away from the basket to complete the key.
The 3-Point Line (Arc)
For NBA Basketball Courts the 3 point arc is 22 feet to the center of the rim on the sides with a
straight line extending out 16 feet 9 inches from the baseline. Past those points the line extends
out 23 feet 9 inches from the center of the rim.
Line Markings
All line markings on the floor are two inches wide and can vary in color.
A. BALL
The basket ball is an inflated sphere with an outer covering.
It is 75 to 78 cm in circumference and weighs 600-650 grams.
It must be made of leather in the official FIBA competitions.
 B. BASKET
Also called goal. It is made up of horizontal circular metal rim
With a net hanging from it. It is mounted 3.05 m above floor level.
C. BACKBOARD
The rigid rectangular board behind the rim.
Standard widths are 24”-42”, 44:-48”,
60”-72”.
D. SHOES
High-topped shoes

Appendix D. Officiating Officials/Rules and Regulations in Basketball

THE OFFICIATING STAFF

The makeup of the officiating corps is strictly a matter of choice. The minimum number is five: a
referee, an umpire, a scorer, a timer and a shot-clock operator. In some cases, eight officials are
used in a lineup comprising a referee, two umpires, a shot-clock operator, two scorers and two
timers.
REFEREE IS OFFICIAL IN CHARGE
The reeree is the official that controls the game. He is the one who tosses the ball up for the
center jump at the start of the game and each overtime period. He duties range from inspecting
and approving all equipment before the game's starting time to approving the final score. In
between, the referee is responsible for the notification of each team three minutes before each
half is to begin and deciding matters of disagreement among the officials. The referee has the
power to make decisions on any point not specifically covered in the rules and even to forfeit the
game if necessary.
OFFICIALS CONDUCT GAME
During actual play, there is no practical difference between the referee and umpire(s). They are
equally responsible for the conduct of the game; and, because of the speed of play, their duties
are dictated essentially by their respective positions on the court from moment to moment. For
this reason, the rules specify that no official has the authority to question decisions made by
another official. The officials' control, which begins 30 minutes before starting time for men and
15 minutes for women and concludes with the referee's approval of the final score, includes the
power to eject from the court any player, coach or team follower who is guilty of flagrant unsporting
conduct. When the referee leaves the confines of the playing area at the end of the game, the
score is final and may not be changed.

As we pointed out earlier, jump balls occur only at the start of the game and all overtimes; but
officials still must concentrate upon throwing the ball up straight. At other times, play resumes
with a throw-in. The team that fails to get the ball after the first center jump will begin the alternating
process.
OFFICIALS' SIGNALS
When a foul occurs, the official is required by the rules to (a) signal the timer to stop the clock, (b)
designate the offender to the scorer and © use his or her fingers to indicate the number of free
throws. When a team is entitled to a throw-in, an official must (a) signal what caused the ball to
become dead, (b) indicate the throw-in spot (except after a goal) and (c) designate the team
entitled to the throw-in.
DUTIES OF SCORERS AND TIMERS
Scorers must (a) record, in numerical order, names and numbers of all players, (b) record field
goals made and free throws made and missed, (c) keep a running summary of points scored, (d)
record fouls called on each player and notify officials when a player-disqualification or bonus-free-
throw situation arises, (e) record timeouts and report when a team' s allotted number has been
used, and (f) record when a squad member has been ejected for fighting. It is the game-clock and
shot-clock operators' responsibility to keep everyone abreast of key factors while carrying out the
timing regulations.
Example of Referees Hand Signals: