“Basketball requires teamwork, fast reactions, and endurance. Tall players have the advantage because they are closer to the goal or above other players to shoot and get rebounds. Smaller players also add to their teams as shooters and ball handlers.” (www.powerbball.com)

“A regulation basketball court measures 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. Courts for high school games may be 84 feet long. Most basketball courts are made of wood. Various lines, 2 inches wide mark the court into sections. A basket and a backboard hang over each end of the court. Each backboard must be 4 feet inside the end line. The basket has a rim, net, and backboard support. The rim has a cast iron hoop 18 inches in diameter and not more than 5/8 inches thick. The rim is attached to metal plate bolted to the backboard so it is parallel to the floor and 10 feet above it. Most backboards are made of clear fiberglass or metal. The cotton or synthetic fabric net is attached to the rim and has a hole in the bottom large.” (www.fastbreak.com)

A team gets points by making field goals and free throw shots. Any offensive player may make a field goal from anywhere on the floor while the game clock is still going. Field goals are worth 2 points if a player shoots behind the 3-point line that field goal is worth 3 points.

“The one-handed shot was the most popular shot in basketball until a man named Joe Fulks popularized the Jump shot. Joe played for the Philadelphia Warriors of the NBA from 1946-1954. When he wanted to shoot, Fulks jumped up and released the ball at the peak of the jump. The jump shot was even more accurate and difficult to defend against rather than the one-handed shot. The jump shot became the most popular shooting method in basketball and greatly increased in scoring.” (Encyclopedia world book p. 151)

“In 1968, the Naismith Memorial basketball hall of fame opened on the Springfield college campus. In the 1970’s and 80’s college vastly increased inits popularity. A lot of its popularity came from the frequent regional and national televised games. The NCAA Division I men’s championship tournaments now rank among the most major sports events of the year.” (Encyclopedia world book p. 152)

The officials are a referee, two umpires, or two scorekeepers, and usually one or two timekeepers. The referee is in charge of a game. “The referee and the umpires work on the basketball court to ensure that the players are following the rules. They both call any foul or violation that they see on the court.” (Basketball fanatics p. 23)

“ Playing time in high school games last at least 32 minutes. They are divided into two 16-minute halves, each having 8 minute quarters. The teams take a 1-minute break at the end of the first and third quarters and a 10-minute break between halves. NBA teams play four 12 minute quarters. They take a 1½ minute break between quarters and a 15 minute break between halves.” (www.powerbasketball.com)

“ The coach is a basketball teams teacher. Most colleges and professional teams have one or more assistant coaches to help the coach work with a team. Together they make up a coaching staff. A coach organizes practice sessions to prepare the team for a game. The coach also selects who will start a game and he/she substitutes players, trying to use those players who perform best in certain situations. The coach decides when a team needs a time out, and determines what type of offense and defense will be most effective.” (www.NBA.com)

Some topics in this essay:
, Basketball Fanatics, NCAA Division, Warriors NBA, Hank Luisetti, Naismith Memorial, Olympic Games, Joe Fulks, one-handed shot, field goal, offensive team, world book, jump shot, encyclopedia world, five players, basketball fanatics, free throw, encyclopedia world book, division line 10, college nba games, ball division line, team ball, five players team,