Rocks - Know the Game
BBL Basketball Rules - A Basic Guide
Scoring
A basket made during normal play, a field goal, is worth two points.
A shot from behind the 6.25m arc is worth three.
When a foul is committed, foul shots (free throws), may be awarded.
These are taken from the free throw or foul line 4.6m from the basket and are worth one point.
Time
Four quarters of ten minutes play, with a two-minute gap in between the 1st and 2nd, and 3rd and 4th quarters, and a 15-minute gap at half-time. The clock stops whenever the referee blows his whistle and is re-started when the ball is touched by a player on court.
Teams
Each side has up to ten players on their team. Any five can be on court at any time. A coach can make substitutions as often as he likes, but must wait for an appropriate stoppage in play.
Fouls
Basketball is theoretically a non-contact sport. Therefore the referee will call a foul against any player who makes unnecessary contact. Deliberate contact is penalised more severely with an unsportsmanlike foul and unsporting behaviour by players or coaches can be punished with a technical foul.
Five Fouls
Each player can only commit five fouls during the course of the game. Upon receiving his fifth foul a player has 'fouled out' and must leave the game. A substitute can take his place.
Team Fouls
Each side is allowed to commit four team fouls in each quarter. Upon committing a fifth foul in a quarter the opposing side will be rewarded with two free throws.
Free Throw Shooting
The free throw is awarded if a player is fouled in the act of shooting, a team has committed five or more fouls in the quarter, or a technical or unsportsmanlike foul has been committed. A player is awarded two free throws unless:
He made the shot - in which case he receives the points for his basket and gets one bonus free throw.
The player was shooting a three-point shot - in which case he will be awarded three free throws.
A technical foul was called against a player - in which case one free throw and possession from the halfway line is awarded.
Violations
Other rule infractions are called violations. These are punished with the possession being passed to the other team, either at the side or end line. Violations include:
Running with the ball and not dribbling (travelling/walking)
Dribbling with two hands or stopping dribbling and then recommencing (double dribble)
Kicking the ball (football)
Punching the ball
Taking the ball back into your defending half after you have already had the ball in your opponent's half (back-court/front to rear)
Other violations are time related. These include:
Eight second violation (failing to get the ball into your opponents' half within eight seconds of gaining control)
Five second violation (failing to inbound the ball or pass after finishing a dribble within five seconds)
Three second violation (standing in the painted area (zone/key) underneath the basket you are attacking for more than three seconds)
24 second violation (a team failing to shoot within 24 seconds of gaining control of the ball)
BASKETBALL POSITIONS
Point Guard (1)
The guards are usually the smallest players in the team (small is a relative term in basketball..) and play most of their game away from the basket - on the outside - in both offensive and defensive situations. Having said that, an important part of a guard's game is to be able to attack the basket directly on a fast "drive". The point guard will be an excellent ball-handler and passer with a good "basketball brain" and will run most of a team's offensive plays, hence the common use of "playmaker" to describe this position.
Off Guard (2)
This player will be a skilled long-range shooter - a three-point specialist - and is commonly called the shooting guard. He shares outside duties in offence and defence with the point guard but can also play in tandem with the "small forward" (see below) in a wide offensive role. As with the point guard, the 2 man should also have the ability to drive into the key for a pass or lay-up.
Small Forward (3)
There's that word "small" again. The 3 player will be around the 6' 7" mark and is usually the more agile of the two forwards, who play either side of the basket. A vital skill in this position is the ability to score with the "jumper" or medium-range shot but the small forward will also be expected to mix it under the basket and get his share of rebounds. He will also drop away from the basket and play opposite the off-guard;- one of the appeals of basketball against other team sports is that you get to do something of everything and this is especially true of the 3 position.
Power Forward (4)
The larger of the two forwards, this guy will play on the wing like the small forward but will tend to move in towards the basket to support the centre, rather than away from it to play opposite the off guard. The 4 player will be skilled at both medium-range and close-in shots ("lay-ups"), claiming rebounded balls in offence and defence, "screening" a team-mate as he attacks the basket.
Centre (5)
The big guy. This player will be 6' 7" 240lbs minimum and his hunting ground is under the hoop. During an offence the centre will commonly take a position under the basket and with his back to it, in order to receive the pass or protect a team-mate in possession. The other players tend to revolve around the centre in these situations and the 5 is also called the "pivot" for this reason. In defence, the centre will take on shot blocking and rebound duties
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