Though not considered a contact sport in the same way football is, basketball has become a highly physical, speed-charged game over the past few decades as players have become bigger and more athletic. Even at the high school level, contact is nearly constant and players are quick enough that even a long-time hoops observer might have trouble determining whether a violation was committed. So whether you're a high school coach, referee or aspiring player, you should learn the rules and regulations before hitting the hardwood.
Players
Each team must have five players, for a total of 10 on the court at all times. There are no restrictions or regulations in terms of the size of the players. Coaches may only substitute bench players during dead balls, after the whistle has blown. All players must abide by uniform rules, which usually require team-wide, matching uniforms and no jewelry or headwear other than headbands. Players also are expected to keep their jerseys tucked into their shirts at all times.
Dribbling
When in possession of the ball, players cannot take more than two steps without dribbling the ball. Once a player has dribbled and stopped dribbling, he has discontinued it, meaning he can't dribble again without passing the ball first, otherwise resulting in a double-dribbling violation. Likewise, double-dribble is called any time a player uses both hands to dribble the ball simultaneously. Such violations result in the ball being turned over to the other team. Players also may not place their hands under the ball while dribbling; carrying, also known as palming, is illegal because it provides an unfair advantage to the ballhandler.
Game Length
In most high school leagues and federations, games consist of four periods, each eight minutes in length. After the second period, there is a halftime, which allows both teams to head to the locker rooms for a brief rest and strategy session. Games tied at the end of regulation go to overtime, usually five minutes long. Some high school associations have also instituted the shot clock, which is used in pro and college basketball, and limits teams in possession of the ball to a certain amount of time before they must shoot it. This prevents teams from stalling and milking the clock once they have a lead.
Fouls
Fouls are called when a player makes excessive contact with an opponent, gaining an advantage. When the foul is called during an attempt to shoot the ball, the offensive player is rewarded with two free-throws -- unguarded shots from the top of the lane. When it's the offensive team whistled for a foul, the ball is turned over to the opponent. Players are disqualified from the game once they reach five fouls, and teams are automatically sent to the free-throw line once the other team has committed seven fouls in a given period.
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