Pathfit 4: Basketball basics

• Pathfit 4 discusses basketball

Basics of Basketball

• Basketball is a sport played by two teams
• Each team has five players
• The game is played on a rectangular court

History

• Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian PE teacher at Springfield College in Massachusetts, invented basketball in 1891
• Originally, basketball was played with a soccer ball and a peach basket
• Basketball was first published in a newspaper on January 15, 1892
• FIBA stands for Federation Internationale de Basketball

Game Objective

• Each team aims to score in the opponent's basket
• Teams must also prevent the other team from scoring

Basketball Court Features

• Court dimensions and markings are described in an included image

Basketball Equipment

• Backstops consist of a backboard and basket, with the ring being 45 cm in diameter and a basket net between 40-45 cm in length
• A basketball's circumference is 74.9 – 78 cm, and its weight is 567-650 g
• Other equipment used includes a scoreboard, game clock, and a stopwatch for time-outs

Teams Roles

• A player is a team member who is currently on the playing court and allowed to participate
• A substitute is a team member not on the court, but available to play
• An excluded player is someone who has committed five fouls and can no longer play

Game Duration

• A basketball game consists of four periods
• Each period lasts for ten minutes

Jump Ball and Possession

• A jump ball occurs at the start of the first period
• An official throws the ball in the center circle between two opponents

Substitutions

• A substitution is an interruption in the game requested by a coach or team

Violations in Basketball

• Illegal Dribble occurs when a player dribbles the ball for a second time after stopping
• Traveling is the illegal movement of one or both feet beyond what is allowed
• A player cannot remain in the opponent's restricted area for more than 3 consecutive seconds while their team controls the ball (3 second rule)
• Closely Guarded Player must pass, shoot, or dribble the ball within 5 seconds when closely guarded
• The Twenty-Four Second Rule states that a team must attempt a shot for a field goal within 24 seconds of gaining control of the ball
• Goal tending is when a player touches the ball while it is directly above the rim
• A backcourt violation occurs if the offensive team fails to advance the ball past the half-court line within the allotted time, usually 8 or 10 seconds
• Interference happens when a player touches the basket or backboard while the ball is in contact with the ring

Fouls in Basketball

• Illegal Screening occurs when a player setting a screen does not follow the rules, resulting in an offensive foul
• Charging is illegal personal contact involving pushing or moving into an opponent's torso, with or without the ball
• Blocking occurs when a defender doesn't establish a legal guarding position, impeding the offensive player's movement
• Holding involves interfering with an opponent's freedom of movement
• Pushing is making illegal personal contact using any part of the body
• A personal foul involves illegal contact with an opponent
• A double foul occurs when two opponents commit personal fouls simultaneously
• An unsportsmanlike foul is disrespectful conduct

Types of Fouls

• A disqualifying foul is for unsportsmanlike behavior
• A technical foul is for unsportsmanlike conduct, rule infractions, or behavior that disrupts the game and doesn't involve physical contact
• A flagrant foul involves violent contact with an opponent
• An intentional foul is when a player deliberately makes illegal physical contact with an opponent to stop the clock or prevent an easy basket

Player Fouls

• A player who commits 5 fouls must leave the game immediately and be substituted within 30 seconds

Team Fouls

• A team is in a foul penalty situation when it has committed 4 team fouls in a period
• A free throw is awarded on the 5th team foul

Basic Basketball Skills

• Dribbling (low and high)
• Passing (chest, baseball, overhead, bounce)
• Shooting (set shot, lay up, jump shot)
• Pivot

Basketball Officials

• The referee includes a crew chief and umpires
• The crew chief is the lead official who usually performs the jump ball
• Umpires, also known as referees, have the same responsibilities as the lead official but are only assistants
• The other officials are the Scorer and Timekeepers

Quote

• "Let us be able to lose gracefully and to win courteously; to accept criticism, as well as praise; and last of all, to appreciate the attitude of the other fellow at all time.” - Dr. Naismith