Technical details
Basketball is played on a rectangular court, which has a hard surface (often
sprung wood) and a clear height above of at least 7m.
The court is marked with a centre circle, having a radius of 1.8m and two
keyhole-shaped zones at each end.
The baskets are solid iron rings, 45cm in diameter, from which a net is
suspended and behind the rings are mounted backboards.
The ball is pressurised synthetic or leather, weighing a maximum of 650g and
with a circumference of 78cm.
There are five players per team. Games last 40 minutes, consisting of two
20-minute halves with a 15-minute interval at half-time.
Play begins with a 'jump ball' where the ball is tossed in the air and two
opposing players must leap up in an attempt to tap it to their team.
Baskets score two points, except for those taken from the free throw line
after a foul. These score one point. A long distance throw (from beyond 6.25m)
scores three points.
When a basket is scored, the opposition are given a throw-in from the endline
for play to resume.
Players cannot hold the ball for longer than five seconds without shooting,
passing or dribbling.
Teams in control must move the ball from back court to front court within 10
seconds and must make a shot within 30 seconds from gaining control.
Each team is allowed a coach and an assistant coach who can call for
'time-out' (periods where the clock is stopped and the team can consult on
tactics). Teams are allowed two time-outs per half - each of one minute - and
one time-out in any period of extra time.
Five facts
1) Although basketball is dominated by the US, it was invented by Canadian
James Naismith. In 1891 he introduced the game to add variety to sports lessons
at Springfield College, Massachusetts, USA.
2) Basketball was a demonstration sport at the Olympic Games in 1904, before
first appearing as an Olympic sport in the 1936 Games in Berlin.
3) At the Olympic Games, basketball is played under the International
Basketball Federation rules.
4) The USA's 'dream team' of National Basketball Association all-stars beat
Croatia 117-85 in the Barcelona Olympics final in 1992.
5) In the first women's Olympic basketball tournament the Soviet Union beat
the USA 112-77.
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