Rules and REGULATIONS

Basketball Rules
The rules of basketball can vary slightly depending on the level of play (for example professional
rules differ from college rules) or where the game is played (international rules are different from
USA professional rules). These rule differences, however, are usually just variations on the
basic game of basketball and the majority of the rules discussed below can be applied to most
any game of basketball played.

The winner of a basketball game is the team with the most points. You get points by throwing
the basketball through the opponent's hoop or basket. In regular play a basket made from within
the three point line is worth 2 points and a basket shot from outside the three point line is worth
three points. When shooting a free throw, each free throw is worth 1 point.

Rules for the offense

The basketball team on offense is the team with the basketball. When a player has the
basketball there are certain rules they must follow:

1) The player must bounce, or dribble, the ball with one hand while moving both feet. If, at any
time, both hands touch the ball or the player stops dribbling, the player must only move one
foot. The foot that is stationary is called the pivot foot.

2) The basketball player can only take one turn at dribbling. In other words, once a player has
stopped dribbling they cannot start another dribble. A player who starts dribbling again is called
for a double-dribbling violation and looses the basketball to the other team. A player can only
start another dribble after another player from either team touches or gains control of the
basketball. This is usually after a shot or pass.

3) The ball must stay in bounds. If the offensive team looses the ball out of bounds the other
team gets control of the basketball.

4) The players hand must be on top of the ball while dribbling. If they touch the bottom of the
basketball while dribbling and continue to dribble this is called carrying the ball and the player
will lose the ball to the other team.

5) Once the offensive team crosses half court, they may not go back into the backcourt. This is
called a backcourt violation. If the defensive team knocks the ball into the backcourt, then the
offensive team can recover the ball legally.

Defensive Rules

The team on defense is the team without the basketball.

1) The main rule for the defensive player is not to foul. A foul is described as gaining an unfair
advantage through physical contact. There is some interpretation that has to be made by the
referee, but, in general, the defensive player may not touch the offensive player in a way that
causes the offensive player to lose the ball or miss a shot.

Rules for everyone

1) Although the foul rule is described above as a defensive rule, it applies exactly the same to
all players on the court including offensive players.

2) Basketball players cannot kick the ball or hit it with their fist.

3) No player can touch the basketball while it is traveling downward towards the basket or if it is
on the rim. This is called goaltending. (touching the ball on the rim is legal in some games).

Every player on the court is subject to the same rules regardless of the position they play. The
positions in basketball are just for team byasketball strategy and there are no positions in the

five traditional basketball player positions are:

Point guard: The point guard is the team leader and play caller on the basketball court.

A point guard needs good ball handling skills, passing skills as well as strong leadership
and decision making skills. Traditionally basketball point guards were small, fast players
and this is still often the case. However, Magic Johnson changed the way point guards
were used. He was a big 6-8 player that used his height and size to get great passing
angles. Magic's success has opened the door for all sorts of point guards. The key to a
strong point guard today is leadership, passing, and running the team.

Shooting guard: The shooting guard in basketball has the main responsibility of
making long outside shots including the three-point shot. The shooting guard also
should be a good passer and able to help the point guard with the ball handling.
Shooting guards are often the top scorer on a team. Perhaps the best shooting guard in
the history of basketball was Michael Jordan. Jordan could do it all, from scoring to
defense to rebounding. It's this versatility that makes a great shooting guard, but all
shooting guards should be able to extend the defense with their outside shot.

Small forward: Along with the shooting guard, the small forward is often the most
versatile player on the basketball team. They should be able to help with ball handling,
make an outside shot, and get rebounds. The small forward is often a great defensive
player as well. The combination of height and quickness can allow them to defend a
number of positions and take on the best scorer on the opposing team. On many teams
today the small forward and the shooting guard are almost the same position and are
called "wing" players.

Power forward: The power forward on a basketball team is usually responsible for
rebounding and some scoring in the paint. A power forward should be big and strong
and able to clear out some space under the basket. Many great power forwards in the
game today do not score a lot of points, but lead their team in rebounds. Power
forwards are often good shot blockers as well.

Center: The center is usually the biggest or tallest member of the basketball team. In the NBA,
many centers are 7 feet tall or taller. The center can be a big scorer, but also needs to be a
strong rebounder and shot blocker. On many teams the center is the final line of defense. Many
of basketball's greatest players (Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem, Shaq) have been
centers. A strong center presence was long considered the only way to win an NBA
championship. In modern times, many teams have won with other great players (Michael
Jordan), but a strong center is still a prized basketball position on any basketball team.

Bench: Although only 5 players play at a time on any basketball team, the bench is still very
important. Basketball is a fast paced game and players need to rest. A strong bench is key to
any basketball team's success. In most games at least 3 players from the bench will play a
significant amount of time.

Defensive Positions:

There are two main types of defensive basketball strategies: zone and man-to-man. In man-to-
man defense each player is responsible to cover one player on the other team. They follow this
player wherever they go on the court. In zone defense, players have certain positions or areas
of the court they cover. The guards usually play at the top of the key with the forwards playing
closer to the basket and on opposite sides. The center usually plays in the middle of the key.
However, there are a wide variety of zone defenses and combinations of zone and man-to-man
that basketball teams play. Teams will often switch defenses around during a basketball game
to see which works best against a particular opponent.

Shooting Fundamentals

Most shots involve similar physical mechanics. Square your shoulders to the basket,
place the fingers of your shooting hand under the ball, tuck your elbow close to your
body and balance the ball lightly with your non-shooting hand. Extend your shooting
arm toward the hoop and flick your wrist to release the shot. Shoot with your fingers and
generate most of the power with your wrist, not your arm. Follow through directly toward
the target with your shooting hand. You’ll typically aim for a spot above the middle of the
rim. From close range, aim for a spot on the backboard.

Jump Shot

The jumper is used most frequently for mid- to long-range shots, including three-point
attempts, although you can use it from short range to gain separation from a defender.
Jump straight up and use the basic shooting form. Release the ball at the peak of your
jump.

Set Shot/Free Throws

The two-handed set shot was once the common way to shoot from the perimeter. Today
it’s typically only used by young players who lack the strength to shoot with one hand. A
free throw, however, is basically a type of set shot, although it’s almost always
performed with one hand. Use the standard shooting form, but don’t jump.

Layup

You’ll typically shoot layups from very close range after dribbling to the basket, or taking
a pass near the hoop. Typical layup form involves grasping the ball with two hands,
raising it in front of your face and banking it off the backboard, which all occurs while
you’re in motion. A putback of a missed shot is also technically a layup. If you can jump
well enough you may also raise the ball as high as possible and flip it straight through
the rim.

Post Shots

Centers and power forwards who typically operate near the basket often use short
shots. A turn-around jumper begins with your back to the basket. You then jump away
from the hoop while leaning back and simultaneously pivoting about 180 degrees to
face the basket before you shoot. For a hook shot, stride into the lane with your back to
the hoop while keeping your torso between the basket and the ball. Turn your non-
shooting shoulder toward the hoop, jump, raise the ball straight up and flip your wrist to
take the shot.
Dunk

The dunk, basketball’s most spectacular shot, relies more on jumping ability than
shooting skill. If you can jump high enough, and hands large enough to control the ball,
leap, lift the ball above the rim and push or throw it through the net.
Low Dribble
As its name implies, low dribble just means that you must keep the ball bouncing low
nearest to the floor. This can effectively ensure the ball from guards. This entails the
dribblers to extend his hand so as to limit the space the opponent can penetrate.

Speed Dribble
When you have the ball in an open court, you have to take advantage of time while
keeping good control with the ball and your body. You typically need to use speed
dribble to achieve your aim. Speed dribble is use when a player isn't guarded heavily,
he/she isn't forced to protect the ball excessively. This gives him/her a good chance to
make faster dribbling while achieving some distance.

Change-Of-Pace Dribble
You go about this type of dribble by slowing down your motion that may be conceived
as stopping. This would well make the opponent think that you are stopping to pass
the ball. However, once you achieve the reaction from the opponent, you must be
keen to explode with speed then drive through the opponent.

Crossover Dribble
The usual dribble used to deflect the guarding player is the crossover dribble. It is
characterized by one-hand dribbling while pushing the ball in front. After which, the
offensive player would have to explode right through the opponent. While this is good
for achieving distance, it is also prone for steals. To protect the ball, dribbling must be
kept low as the ball passes from one hand to another.

Hockey Dribble
This makes use of a head-shoulder fake combination with an abrupt change of pace.
This is normally used to divert the defender from close guard.

Reverse Dribble
When you are strongly guarded, you can use reverse dribble to avoid the opponent
from stealing the ball. The main drawback of this dribble is the tendency of losing
sight of the ball for some moments, which could further expose it towards stealing
from the back.

Half-Reverse Dribble
This is close to reverse dribbling; but in this the player must make a 90-degree turn
from his/her original position. The movements then must be very quick so as to
prevent the ball from not being caught by a player of the opposing team.

Learn these basic types of dribbling. And you can ward-off hard-core defensive moves.
CHEST PASS

To complete a chest pass:

 Pass the ball from your chest area using two hands.
 Aim for your teammate’s chest.
 Chest passes can be used when you’re not guarded heavily.

PUSH PASS

The push pass is used most often when closely guarded. This pass is similar to the chest
pass, except you push with one hand while taking a step to create space from your
defender.

To complete a push pass:

 Push the ball with one hand toward your teammate’s chest area or shooting pocket.
 Use the hand farthest from the defender to pass the ball. This will typically be your
right hand when passing right and left hand when passing left.

BOUNCE PASS

The bounce pass is frequently used when your on-ball defender has their hands high and
you still need to make a pass. The bounce pass to a teammate regularly occurs when
making a post-entry pass or a pass from the post back out to a teammate if the post player
is double teamed.

 Bounce the ball with strength, so that the ball bounces off the floor to the chest
height of your teammate.

OVERHEAD PASS

You can use the overhead pass (also known as a skip pass) to move the ball from one side
of the court to the other. This can be an effective way to reverse the ball to the opposite end
of the court when other passes aren’t open so a teammate can receive it with enough time
to take a quality shot.

 Raise the ball above your head.

  Use both hands to make a hard, accurate throw to a teammate across the court.
 Aim for your teammate’s chest, head or above their head, depending on how closely
they are guarded.

“As you watch basketball games on TV, try to identify the various types of passes and when
they are most often used,” Ronai says. “That knowledge will make you a more comfortable
and effective basketball player.”

Passing is an essential part to a team’s success on offense. Working on your team’s post-
to-post passing is a good way to help open up the offensive zone.