Basketball Info
What is Basketball and what is March Madness? Bball or Basketball is played by millions of people, both men and
women, in all parts of the world. Professional basketball is watched by
millions more on TV. The game is played between two teams, with five players
per team allowed on the court at any one time. Points are scored by getting the
ball through a hoop called 'the goal' or 'the basket', and the team scoring the
most points wins.
History
In 1891, Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical
education instructor at YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts,
USA, decided to create a new indoor game to keep his students fit during the
cold winter months. He experimented with a team game in which players threw a
soccer ball to each other and scored by throwing it into a peach basket nailed
high on a wall. Later that year he wrote the first version of the rules of what
he now called 'Basket Ball'. In 1906, the baskets were replaced by metal hoops
in front of backboards. The ball still had to pass through the hoop from above
to score a goal, however, as it did when baskets were used.
The game soon spread to other U.S. schools and
universities. In the early twentieth century, basketball competitions and
leagues were set up all over North America, but most didn't last long. Then, in
1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed to organize the
top professional teams in the U.S.A. and Canada into one professional league.
The BAA became the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949, and today the
NBA is the world's top professional basketball league. Most of the world's best
players are with NBA teams, attracted by the competition's popularity, its high
standard of play, and the high salaries.
How the Game Works
Basketball is played on a rectangular court 28 metres
long and 15 metres wide (approx. 92 ft by 49 ft) with a basket at a height of
3.05 metres (10 ft) at each end. Most indoor courts have a floor made of wood.
Points are scored by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket. A goal
scored from inside the three-point line earns two points (see diagram at
right), and a goal scored from outside the three-point line earns three points,
and goals from free throws earn one point.
NBA games are played over four quarters of twelve
minutes. Teams include twelve players, but only five can be on court at one
time. Players can be substituted as often as the coach likes. Each coach has a
limited number of time-outs they can call during a game, and the game clock is
stopped whenever play stops. Several officials oversee each game, including
three on-court referees who call fouls, and table officials who keep score, run
the game and shot clocks, and keep track of fouls and substitutions.
Violations and Fouls
The ball can be moved by throwing it to another player
(called passing) or by bouncing it with one hand while running or
walking (called dribbling). If a player moves both feet without bouncing
the ball, he commits a violation called travelling. If he uses two hands
while dribbling, he commits a violation called double-dribbling. If a
player's hand moves under the ball while dribbling, he commits a violation
called carrying the ball. Violations are also committed when time-limits
are exceeded, and usually result in a free inbound pass for the opposition
team.
A personal foul is committed when a player
challenges another player unfairly, such as by blocking their run or hitting
their arms. A player or coach who argues with a referee commits a technical
foul. Fouls can be punished with a free inbound pass, free throws at goal,
or with sending off. A player who commits five fouls, or six in the NBA, can no
longer take part in the game and is said to have been 'fouled out'.
Shots and Passing
Players shoot for goal with a set shot if both
feet are on the ground, or with a jump shot if the player is in mid-air.
Other shots are the lay up (shooting, often off the backboard, while
moving towards the basket) and the slam dunk (shooting straight down
from above the basket). Passing can be done with a chest pass, a
bounce pass or an overhead pass. More difficult passes are the no-look
pass and the behind-the-back pass, though some coaches don't like
these techniques because they can easily go wrong.
Famous Players
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is a former US player named "the
greatest player of all time" by the NBA. He joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls
in 1984 after an outstanding career at the University of North Carolina. He won
the NBA championship with the Bulls in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998.
He also won two Olympic gold medals with U.S. basketball teams in 1984 and
1992.
Yao Ming
Yao Ming is a Chinese player who went to the U.S.A. and joined
the NBA's Houston Rockets. Standing 7'6" tall (2.29 m), he is one of the
tallest players in the history of the NBA. After joining the NBA draft in 2002,
he was picked by the Houston Rockets and became the first player without any
American basketball experience to be selected first overall in the draft. Yao
Ming has a huge following in China, and he has increased interest in basketball
in China and throughout Asia.
March Madness!!!
Use social media to find out what this is! Or look here: http://www.ncaa.com/sports/basketball-men/d1
March Madness!!!
Use social media to find out what this is! Or look here: http://www.ncaa.com/sports/basketball-men/d1
Source: https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/sports-basketball.htm
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