Basketball is a team sport that takes place on a rectangular court measuring about 92 feet by 49 feet. Divided in half at the midway point, the court has a hoop at each end located approximately 10 feet above a hard, flat floor. A team strives to win by shooting a basketball through the hoop on its opponent's side of the court more often than the opponent shoots the ball through the opposite hoop.
Basics
A traditional basketball game requires two teams of five players each. The goal is to win by scoring the most points before the end of the predetermined playing time. Accomplishing this objective involves preventing opposing players from scoring as much as possible. A player score points when he makes a field goal, or successfully throws the basketball through the opposing team's hoop. Games are divided into halves; each half ranges from two quarters of 6 minutes each, for high school games, to two quarters of 12 minutes each for professional games.
Positions
Basketball player positions are center, forward and guard. Typically the tallest players, centers remain close to their team's hoop to prevent opponents from scoring. They often do this by blocking thrown balls and knocking them away from the hoop in midair. Forwards play all over the court while making and preventing shots. They also try to intercept the opposing team's unsuccessful shots by gaining possession of the basketball and rushing to the other side of the court to score -- a strategy called rebounding. Guards, frequently the shortest players, facilitate scoring by passing the ball to teammates, stealing the ball from opponents, helping to execute plays and bouncing the ball very quickly as they move it, which is known as dribbling.
Scoring
A basketball player can score up to three points for one successful field goal. The most common score amount is two points, which a player earns when he shoots the ball through the opposing team's the hoop. However, if the player completes the shot from a farther distance -- greater than roughly 22 feet -- he receives three points. A player can also earn one point for a completed field goal if the referee awards a "free throw" after a member of the opposing team commits a foul against that player. Players make free throws from a straight free-throw line, located directly in front of the hoop.
Offenses
The rules of basketball prohibit numerous actions; these prohibited actions are called fouls and violations. If a referee determines that a player has committed an offense, the opponent usually benefits by receiving an opportunity to score points, such as with a free throw. Examples of fouls include flagrant fouls, such as violent contact with an opposing player, similar to kicking or punching, and technical fouls, such as using obscene language or gestures against an opponent during play. More technical in nature, violations occur when players commit errors such as using both hands to dribble or walking with the ball instead of dribbling it.
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