Nature, Background and History of Basketball

Basketball is a game played between two teams of five players on a

rectangular court, usually indoors. The objective of the game is to shoot a ball
through a basket. It is one of the most popular and widely viewed team sport
in the world.
Shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding, and running are the commonly
used skills used in the game, as well as different positions (player positioning)
defensive and offensive structure and techniques; the “center,” “power
forward” or “small forward are the tallest players of the team, while “point
guard” or “shooting guard” are the shorter players of the team that possess
the best ball handling skills and speed play.

It was invented by the Canadian clergyman, educator, and physician James

Naismith on or about December 1891, at the International Young Men’s
Christian Association (YMCA) Training School (now Springfield College) in
Springfield Massachusetts. It was Luther Halsey Gulick, Naismith’s supervisor
and the College’s first physical education director, who challenged Naismith to
invent a new indoor game for the school’s students to play during the long
New England winter. The first basket used for the first game was a peach
basket and a soccer ball was used for the first two years of playing basketball.

Basic Skills in Basketball

Dribbling
It is an important skill for all
basketball players. This skill will allow you
to move around the court, maneuver past
defenders and execute plays. This involves
bouncing the ball off the floor with your
hands. Proper dribbling requires
ballhandling skills and knowledge of how to
spread your fingers for ball control. It is
also best if you know how to dribble equally
well with both hands.

Here are the tips on basic basketball

dribbling:

• Use your fingertips to dribble, never the palm.

• Dribble on the side of your body, never bounce the ball in front
repeatedly.
• Get used to bouncing the ball off the ground.
• Lower your body slightly so that the ball is bouncing rapidly at waist
level.
• Look up when you are dribbling, not on the ground or on the floor.
• When switching the ball from one hand to another, bounce the ball
across hard and quick.
 • When changing direction, shift the momentum of your body towards that
direction.
Shooting
The act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the
basket. It requires the ability to properly hold and throw the ball into the air
toward the basket while avoiding defenders.

Here is a general procedure that all good basketball shooters more or less
follow:
• half-bent your knees before shooting a
basketball for more potential power.
• Your dominant hand should have its fingers
spread out.
• Only the fingertips should be gripping onto
the ball.
• Your other hand supports the ball on the
side.
• The ball should be brought above the head
in one motion.
• At this point, the angles of your armpit,
elbow, and wrist is at 90 degrees.
• While extending your knees, extend your
forearm and your wrist.
• Make sure you follow through with your wrist
movement. It feels natural to jump upon
release.

Tips on shooting a basketball:

• Always keep track of the distance between

you and the hoop.
• Tuck your elbows inward towards each other when shooting.
• Shoot the basketball at an arc. It increases accuracy.
• Aim at the part inside the rim farthest from your standpoint.
• Use screens and offensive plays to get open.
• Square up your shooting hand with the basketball hoop.
• Grip the basketball tightly with only your thumb and little finger.
• Aim with your index finger or middle finger only.
• Never hesitate due to the fear of a block shot.

Passing

Another skill that when mastered can help you become a complete
basketball player. A pass happens when one player throws the ball to another
player with a purpose of setting up a play or taking a shot.

Points of emphasis in teaching passing:

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 • A good pass is a pass a teammate can catch.
• When passing, step toward your receiver.
• When catching, step toward the pass.
• Like shooting, the ball should have a backspin to it. This is accomplished
by following through on every pass.

Basic Passes

Chest Pass. The pass originates from the chest. It is thrown by gripping the
ball on the sides with the thumbs directly behind the ball. When the pass is
thrown, the fingers are rotated behind the ball and the thumbs are turned
down.

Bounce Pass. Is thrown

with the same motion
however it is aimed at the
floor. It should be thrown far
enough out that the ball
bounces waist high to the
receiver.

Overhead Pass. Is often

used as an outlet pass.
Bring the ball directly
above your
forehead with both hands
on the side of the ball and
follow through. Do not bring
the ball behind your
head, because it can get
stolen, and it takes a split-
second longer throw the
pass.

Rebounding

The objective of this is to

successfully gain possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free
throw, as it rebounds from the hoop or backboard. This plays a major role in
the game, as most possessions end when a team misses a shot. The team with
the most possessions has a better chance of winning.

How to rebound:

• Find a good position on the court.

• Get low to the ground.
• Spread your arms.
• Box out your opponent, if necessary.
• Jump towards the ball.
 • Grasp the ball with both hands, if possible.
• Have a plan to pass the ball.
• Learn to anticipate missed shots.
Running

This is an important skill in basketball. You will find yourself running back
and forth as the game quickly transitions between offense and defense. When
you have the ball, running will help you to avoid defenders and get to the
basket quicker. On defense, you often will find yourself needing to run after the
opponent, especially during fast breaks.

Tips to improve running:

1. Lean forward.
2. Run on the balls of your feet.
3. Swing your arms and hands from cheek to cheek (that is butt cheek to
face cheek) alongside your body – don’t allow your arms to cross-over in
front of your body.
4. Always do a combination of dynamic stretching and warm-up activities.

Equipment and Facilities in Basketball

Every Filipino love basketball. When you go around the Philippines, you
can see basketball courts even in the small villages or provinces. Thus, we
should be familiarized with the different equipment and facilities used in
Basketball.

Equipment in Basketball

1. Ball – a ball of basketball is most of the time

made of leather with the official size of 29.5 to
30 inches in circumference for men’s game and
28.5 inches in circumference for women’s game.
It should weigh 18 to 22 ounces. When bounced
off 6 feet from the floor, a well inflated ball
should bounce 49 to 54 inches in height.

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 2. Uniform - When one starts coaching a basketball team, the most
important requirement for a team is to have a uniform. This helps one in
differentiating a team from another. A uniform consists of a jersey
(shirt), shorts, numbers on the front and back of the shirts for
identification.

3. Basketball sneakers - Basketball shoes

help prevent injuries, in part, by providing
adequate ankle support. High-
top sneakers offer the best ankle support;
these shoes should also lace up to the top
to help provide a snug fit.

4. Water Bottle - is a container that is used to hold water, liquids or other

beverages for consumption. The use of a water bottle allows an
individual to drink and transport a beverage from one place to another.
A water bottle is usually made of plastic, glass, or metal.

To avoid/prevent dehydration:

 Drink a cup of water 4 hours before the game and another half-cup of
water for every 10 to 15 minutes while playing basketball.

 Replenish electrolytes like sodium and potassium which are lost through
perspiration with sports drinks or enhanced water.

 To lower your body temperature and reduce sweating use wet towels or
a water mist on the skin.
  When you’re working out or exerting yourself, alcoholic and caffeinated
beverages, such as coffee, tea and soda, are not recommended for
optimal hydration.

5. Scoreboard - is a large board

that displays the score in a
game.

6. Whistles - are used by the referees to give

signals on the game.

7. Timer – used to
regulate the playing time and track the
duration of the game.

Facilities in Basketball

Court dimensions. The court is a flat, hard surface free from obstructions, 28m
long and 15m wide, measured from the inner edge of the boundary line.

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Backboard and Rim. The height above the ground for the rim is 10 feet, and
the rim is 18 inches in diameter. 72 inches wide by 42 inches tall is the size of
the backboard, with the inner square of 24 inches wide by 18 inches tall.

At the backcourt is the team’s own basket, inbounds part of the backboard and
the part of the playing court limited by their own end line, side lines and center
line.

The front court consists of the opponents’ basket, inbounds part of the
backboard and the part of the playing court limited by the end lines behind the
opponents’ basket, side lines and inner edge of the center line nearest to the
opponents’ basket.

Lines

All lines are white,

5cm wide
and clearly
visible.
 Dimension of a Half Court in Basketball

Basic Rules and Regulations of Basketball

Basketball regulations might fluctuate slightly based on the level of

competition (for example, professional rules differ from collegiate rules) or the
location of the game (international rules are different from USA professional
rules and the Philippines as well. These rule modifications, on the other hand,
are typically variants on the core game of basketball, and the bulk of the rules
discussed here can be applied to almost any game of basketball.

RULES FOR THE OFFENSE:

The offensive basketball team is the one that has the ball. When a player has
the basketball, he or she must observe the following rules:

1. The ball must be bounced, or dribbled, with one hand while both feet are
moving. If both hands touch the ball at the same moment or the player
stops dribbling, the player can only move one foot. The motionless foot
is referred to as the pivot foot.

2. The basketball player is only allowed to dribble once. In other words,

once a player has stopped dribbling, he or she cannot begin dribbling
again. A player who resumes dribbling is charged with a double-dribbling
infraction and loses possession of the ball to the other side. After
another player from either team touches or obtains control of the
basketball, a player can begin another dribble. This usually occurs
following a shot or a pass.
3. The ball must remain within the boundaries of the field. If the offensive
team loses the ball out of bounds, the ball is turned over to the opposing
team.

4. While dribbling, the player's hand must be on top of the ball. Carrying
the ball occurs when a player touches the bottom of the basketball while
dribbling and continues to dribble, and the player loses the ball to the
opposing team.

5. The offensive team is not allowed to return to the backcourt once they
have crossed half court. A backcourt violation is what this is known as.
The offensive team can lawfully reclaim the ball if the defensive team
knocks it into the backcourt.

DEFENSIVE RULES (The team without the basketball)

Do not foul. Gaining an unfair advantage through physical contact is defined as

a foul. The referee must make some decisions, but in general, the defensive
player may not contact the attacking player in such a way that the offensive
player loses the ball or misses a shot.
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 1. Despite the fact that the foul rule is referred to as a defensive rule, it
applies to all players on the floor, including attacking ones.
2. Basketball players are unable to kick or hit the ball with their fist.
3. No player is allowed to touch the basketball when it is falling towards the
hoop or on the rim. This is referred to as goaltending. (In some games,
touching the ball on the rim is permitted.)

POINTING SYSTEM

Free Throw – 1 point

Goal Shot within the perimeter – 2 points

Beyond the 3-point line – 3 points

Engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activities may require one to exert

much effort. These physical activities require players to use their strength and
muscle power in order to perform. In that case, players may experience
different temporary health conditions that may hinder them to perform these
physical activities at their best. These temporary health conditions may be the
following

Dehydration - it is an abnormal depletion of body fluids. It happens when the

body loses greater amount of water than the amount being taken in. To avoid
dehydration drink water before and after an exercise, replenish the
electrolytes, have regular breaks, and avoid alcoholic and caffeinated
beverages.
Overexertion - it occurs when people push themselves too hard during a
physical activity: sports and exercises; motion control video games such as
Nintendo Wii and PlayStation Move; and hobbies like woodworking, building
and remodeling. To avoid injuries because of overexertion, maintain proper
posture, use safe and efficient workspaces, use proper lifting techniques, carry
lighter loads, and know your body limitations.

Hypothermia - is a condition of having an abnormally low body temperature,

usually caused by prolonged exposure to cold temperature. To avoid
hypothermia, wear warm but breathable layers of clothing, pay attention to
shivering (if severe, stop exercising and go indoors), take several breaks in an
exercise to maintain core body temperature, and bring extra clothes.

Hyperthermia - it occurs when the body's core temperature begins to

rise. Heat stress, heat fatigue, and heat exhaustion are the stages of
hyperthermia. To avoid hyperthermia, take a regular break, drink
adequate water, wear comfortable clothing and find a shady place to
rest.

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