Playing Area and Equipment

 

The standard American basketball court is in the shape of a rectangle 50 feet (15.2 meters) by 94 feet (28.7 meters) high school courts may be slightly smaller. There are various markings on the court, including a centre circle, free throw lines, and a three-point line, that help regulate play. A goal or basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter is suspended from a backboard at each end of the court. The metal rim of the basket is 10 feet (3.0 meters) above the floor. In the professional game the backboard is a rectangle, 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide and 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) high, made of a transparent material, usually glass; it may be 4 feet (1.2 meters) high in college. The international court varies somewhat in size and markings. The spherical inflated ball measures 29.5 to 30 inches (74.9 to 76 cm) in circumference and weights 20 to 22 ounces (567 to 624 grams). Its covering is leather or composition.

Rules

James A. Naismith, a physical education instructor, framed the basic rules of the game. The game had to be played with a light ball that could only be touched with the hands. The player would not be allowed to run with the ball. Moreover, there would be no personal contact. Professional and high school games are divided into four periods. Professional teams play four 12-minute periods with a 20-minute rest between the second and third periods. High school teams play four eight-minute periods, with a ten-minute intermission at halftime. College teams play two 20-minute halves with a 15-minute rest between them. The five players on a basketball team are a center, two forwards, and two guards. The officials for the game are a referee and an umpire, along with two timekeepers and two scorers. The visiting team has the choice of baskets at the start of the game. Play begins when the referee tosses up the ball between two opposing players, who stand inside the center circle. Other players stand outside the six-foot outer circle until the ball is tapped. The player with possession of the ball must pass or bounce the ball to a position from where he or a teammate try to put it in the basket. Any player may shoot at the basket. Points ranging from one to three are awarded for successful throws.

NOTE-ABLE POINTS:

Invented by: James A. Naismith in early 1890s. 

Highest governing body: The Federation International de Basketball Amateur (FIBA). 

Team members: 13 to 15 (5 at a time). 

Court Size: 50 feet (15.2 meters) by 94 feet (28.7 meters). 

Ball Size in Circumference: 29.5 to 30 inches (74.9 to 76 cm). 

Ball weight: (567 to 624 grams). 

Goal or basket Size: 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter. 

Height of basket from floor: 10 feet (3 meters) above the floor. 

Backboard Size: 6 feet wide and 3.5 feet high. 

Olympic: 1936.