Over the past few years, basketball has been one of the fastest growing sports. It's fast, exciting, fun and exhausting!
You can play 'one on one' or a full court competition. All you need is a ball, a basketball hoop and backboard, a court and lots of energy.
In a normal game of basketball, you have 5 players each side; 2 guards, 2 forwards and a centre. You may have heard of specialist positions such as a 'point guard'. This usually occurs is the higher levels of competition and if you're just starting out, ask your coach or teacher which position they think you might be best suited for.
The aim of basketball is to get the ball down to your end of the court and shoot a basket to score points. A field shot is worth 2 points if shot within the 3 point line, and obviously worth 3 points if shot outside the 3 point line.
You must bounce the ball in your journey down the court and if you stop bouncing it, you either have to pass to one of your team mates or take a shot. Most of the passes used in basketball are chest passes and bounce passes.
You can't run outside the lines of the court, you have to get the ball over half way within ten seconds and once you go over half way, you can't go back. Once in your half, your team has 30 seconds in which to weave around the defence to get good positioning and shoot.
Obviously the defences job is to stop you shooting a basket and try to get the ball from you to get it into their basket. Limited body contact is allowed. If you are 'fouled' whilst taking a shot, you get to go to the 'free throw line' for 2 free shots. If you are fouled in general play, you get a pass from the side line and the person who fouled you is noted. If a person fouls more than 5 times, they are out of the game.
There are a few other rules and if you want to find out more, contact NSW Basketball.
With role models such as Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze, Michele Timms and Robyn Maher you have some great Australian sport stars to look up to. Also, with the recent success of the Boomers and the Opals, Australia is definitely showing it's strength in international basketball competition.
BASKETBALL NSW - (02) 9746 2969
