Basketball

Basketball is a team sport. A team is made up of five players. The aim of the game is to throw a ball through a hoop called a basket to score a goal each time. There is a basket at each end of a court, which is a rectangle shape. The basket is a little over 45 centimetres (18 ins) in diameter, placed about three metres (10 feet) above the ground, with a board behind it.

A basketball court is a rectangle with a basket at each end, and can be inside or outside.

Each goal is worth points, and the team with the most points at the end of the game wins. If the game is a draw when the time is up, extra time is played until one team scores and wins.

A female player shoots for goal

Players move the ball up the court towards their team's goal by bouncing it while walking or running, which is called dribbling. They can also throw the ball to a team mate, which is called passing. When a player jumps in the air and pushes the ball down through the hoop to score a goal, that is called a slam dunk. It is usually the tallest players who can do this. There are fewer slam dunks in women's basketball because there are fewer very tall players than in the men's teams.

This player dribbles the ball past someone from the other team

If someone breaks a rule, that is called a foul, and generally a free throw is given to the other team. A referee is in charge and makes sure the rules are being kept.

There are times when the referee throws the ball straight up in the air and a player from each team jumps for it, then passes it to teammates. This is called a tip off.

There are basketball games for male teams, for female teams and for people in wheelchairs. The Australian men's basketball team is called the Boomers, the female team is the Opals, and the wheelchair teams are the Rollers and the Gliders.
Find out about them here: http://www.basketball.net.au/

Go here to read about basketball at London 2012 Olympic Games : http://www.london2012.com/basketball

Photographs © [2007] Jupiterimages Corporation

If you use any part of this in your own work, acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
Sydenham, S. & Thomas, R. Basketball [Online] www.kidcyber.com.au (2012).

Updated April 2012 ©kidcyber.com.au