7th Grade Basketball

Study Guide

 

History/Background

          The game of basketball was actually developed to help condition football players during the winter months.  In 1891 Dr. James Naismith, the physical education director at the YMCA College in Springfield, Massachusetts, introduced the game. The first basketball games were played with a soccer-style ball and peach baskets as the goals.  Originally there was no limit to the numbers of players on a team or the number of balls used in play.  It was not uncommon to have as many as 50 players on the floor using four or five balls at a time.

          The official game of basketball was not played until 1892. The game and rules were published in a YMCA magazine and distributed throughout the country. The game quickly became popular at other YMCAs, playgrounds, schools, colleges, and community centers.   The first intercollegiate basketball game was played in 1896 (Yale vs. Connecticut Wesleyan) and women formulated their own rules in 1899.

 

The Game

          Basketball is played by two teams of five players. They attempt to outscore their opponent by passing, bouncing, handing or dribbling the basketball into position for shooting the ball into their offensive basket.

Game begins by an official tossing the ball in their air at mid-court while two players from opposing teams attempt to tip the ball to their teammates.  Play continues until the designated time expires.  The game is governed by a scorer, timer, and two or three floor officials.

A team scores a field goal when one of its players shoots the ball from the field into its offensive goal. A free throw is scored similarly, although play is stopped for the free throw shot. Two or 3 points are awarded for a field goal, and 1 point for a free throw.

After each field goal the team not scoring puts the ball into play from out of bounds behind the baseline near its own defensive basket. The game continues until either team commits a violation or foul, at which time the fouled player attempts a free throw or possession of the ball changes. A change of possession follows a violation, and the opposing team takes the ball out of bounds.  When a foul is committed the opponents may either be given the opportunity to shoot one or two free throws or be awarded the ball out of bounds.

 

 

Terminology

 

Jump Ball: A means of putting the ball in to play by having an official toss it upward between two players.

 

Jump Shot: A Field goal attempt in which the ball is released at the top of a vertical jump; also called a jumper.

 

Lay-Up: A shot from alongside the basket, using the backboard as a guide.

 

Personal Foul: Any of a variety of body-contact fouls: five or in professional ball, six personal disqualify the player who commits them.

 

Pivot: Placing one foot in contact with the floor only allowing movement with one foot.

 

Rebound: A shot that caroms off the basket or backboard and remains in play, to be recovered by either team.

 

Steal: Capture of the ball from the hands of a player by the defender, and intercepted pass.

 

Pick: A legal method of providing shooting room for a teammate by taking a position that “picks off”, or blocks, a defensive player.

 

Free Throw: An unobstructed shot from the foul line, worth one point, awarded as a penalty for a foul by the opposing team.

 

Traveling: Illegally moving the ball by violating the dribbling rules.