Basketball is a sport played by a team of 5 players who compete against another team of 5 players who try to score points on one another's basket by shooting a ball through a hoop. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. The game was invented in December 1891, Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education student and instructor at YMCA Training School in the United States.

Rules of the game

The court size varies from league to league in basketball. A regulation basketball in international games is 28 by 15 meters (approx. 92 by 49 ft) and in the NBA is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 m). Time of the games are broken up into 2 half for college games and 4 quarters for other games. Points are scored one of three ways. You can score 2 points while taking a shot from within the three-point line. Other shots scored from the outside of the three point line score a total of three points. Points can also be scored if a player is fouled while taking a shot. The player fouled is awarded free throw shots taken from the 3-point line. Free throws are awarded 1 point each. There may be a total of 5 players on the court at any one time. A team may also have a total of 7 people they can substitute on the floor for anyone of those 5 players. Referees who look for fouls, unfair play and other game infractions monitor the game.

Terms in Basketball

Foul –personal contact with another player.

Traveling-when a player has possession of the ball and moves both feet more than 2 steps without dribbling the ball.

Double Dribble-bouncing the ball with both hands or catching the ball with both hands while dribbling.

Jump shot-jump shot is taken while in mid-air, near the top of the player jumping.

Lay Up-This shot requires a player to be in motion toward the basket, and to "lay" the ball "up" and into the basket. This shot is typically made off the back board.

Slam Dunk-when a player jumps in the air and shots the ball directly in the basket and shoots the ball straight through the net.

Bounce Pass-passing the ball by bouncing it on the floor towards another player.

Overhead Pass-passing the ball to another player by throwing the ball in the air over one's head.

Positions

Point Guard-organizes the team and the offense. This player controls the ball and starts offensive plays.

Shooting Guard-produces a number of shots and is usually the team's best players who takes the most shots on the team.

Small Forward-often a scorer who cuts to the basket and plays defense rebounds and steals the opposing teams possession of the ball.

Power Forward-plays with the back towards the ball on offense and plays defense against the opposing team's power forward.

Center-normally the tallest player on the floor uses his size for both scoring rebounding and defense in close proximity of the net.