Whether you're the parent of a first-year basketball player, a school administrator or a rookie assistant coach, you don't want to go into your first season of hoops without knowing the basics. Basketball is a relatively simple sport, but it's not as basic as shooting the ball into the basket. Learn the various principles and rules before the season arrives.
The Court
Basketball is played on a court measuring between 84 and 94 feet in length and 50 feet in width. At the midway point is the half-court line. Teams gaining possession of the ball must advance the ball past this line within 10 seconds. Each end of the court features a rectangular area called the key. Players may not remain in this area for more than three seconds at a time when their team has possession of the ball, and the line atop the key is the free-throw line -- where players shoot foul shots after being fouled. The arc that encircles each end of the court is the three-point line.
Scoring
Any basket made from inside the three-point line is worth two points. Players can earn three points when making a shot from behind the three-point arc, but no part of their feet may be touching -- or inside of -- the arc when they leave the floor to take the shot. When players are fouled in the act of shooting, they're awarded two free throws worth one point apiece. Teams can also earn free throws when the opponent surpasses the quarterly limit for fouls, which is usually seven.
Fouls
Defensive fouls are the most common types of fouls in basketball. Defenders may not slap, push, bump, hold or otherwise redirect an offensive player from his intended path by use of physical contact. While some incidental contact is allowed, egregious contact will result in a blown whistle. This not only applies to defenders guarding the ball-handler; off-the-ball fouls are called as well when defenders foul players who are attempting to move without the ball. Offensive fouls are usually called when a ball-handler runs over a defender who has established his position by setting both feet and keeping his body vertical -- rather than leaning one way or the other.
Positions
Five players man the court for each team at any given time. They're broken up into five positions: point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center. The point guard is usually the best ball-handler and passer on the team, and is responsible for leading the offense. Shooting guards are their team's best outside shooters. The small forward is often the most athletic player in the line-up, one who's capable of doing a bit of everything. The power forward and center are the big men, whose duties are grabbing rebounds, scoring from the key and blocking opponents' shots.
Strategy
In college and professional basketball, virtually everyone on the court has the ability to make open jump shots. In high school basketball, though, deadeye shooters are a prized commodity. Coaches will often have players set screens -- stand in the way of the shooter's defender -- to free their top shooters for open jump shots. Teams with great size try to pound the ball inside to their big men for high-percentage, close-in shots.
Game Length
The team with the most points at the end of the game -- which consists of four eight-minute quarters -- is the winner. If the game is tied at the end of the fourth period, the game continues in five-minute overtime periods until one team wins.
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