WHAT IS BASKETBALL?

Basketball is a team sport.

It is played indoors.
Two teams of five players each try to score
points against one another by throwing a
ball through a 3 m high hoop.
Each hoop is placed at the end of a
rectangular court.
BASKETBALL IS ONE OF THE MOST
P O P U L A R A N D W I D E LY V I E W E D S P O R T S
IN THE WORLD.
 HISTORY OF BASKETBALL

James Naismith,
A Canadian physical
education instructor
invented basketball in
1891. Back then the
game was played with an
ordinary soccer ball and
peach baskets between
2 teams of 9 players
each. There were 13
rules.
Soon metal rims replaced the peach baskets
with netting underneath. Later people cut
the netting so that the ball could go
through.

Senda Abbott first introduced basketball to

woman in 1892.

Professional basketball started in 1869 in

New Jersey, USA.
 HOW BASKETBALL IS PLAYED
Basketball is played by two teams who
score points by throwing a ball into the
opposing team's basket. The team who
scores the most points are the winners.

Each team has a squad of 12 players to

choose from. Five of those players are
allowed on the court at any one time,
with unlimited substitutions.

Players can move the ball around the court

by passing, tapping, throwing, rolling or
dribbling.
 DURATION
The game consists of four quarters of 10 minutes
each, with a 15-minute break at half-time.

There are also two-minutes interval between the

first and second periods, and between the third
and fourth periods.

If the game is tied after the fourth period, it

continues with an extra period of five minutes,
then as many five-minute periods as are
necessary to break the tie.
 MAIN OFFICIALS
Main officials include one referee and one umpire.

The court is divided between them and they swap places

after each foul involving a free throw penalty, as well as
after each jump ball decision.

They use whistles and hand signals to make and explain

their decisions.

Each game begins with a jump ball.

The referee throws the ball into the air in the centre circle
and two opposing players leap up and try to tap it away.
Each player is allowed two taps before the ball hits the
ground, a basket, a backboard or another player.
 SET OF SIMPLE RULES

The ball may be thrown in any direction with

one or both hands.

A player cannot run with the ball.

A player must throw it from the spot on which

he catches it, or dribble the ball with one
hand while they are running.

The ball must be held by the hands.

Shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping or
striking in any way a player of the other team
is allowed.

A foul is striking the ball with the fist.

A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or

batted from the grounds into the basket and
stays there, providing those defending the
goal do not touch or disturb the goal.

If the ball goes over the backboard, hits the

side or the top of the backboard, then the
ball is officially out of play.
 SCORING

Points are scored for shooting the basketball

through the hoop.

Two points for a goal inside the three-point semi-

circle, and three points for goals scored from
outside.

Free throws, taken from the free-throw line and

awarded after a foul, are worth one point.
NBA BASKETBALL COURT
FIBA BASKETBALL COURT
SPANISH NATIONAL TEAM