BASKETBALL
1. HISTORY
Basketball history dates back to 1891 when Dr. James Naismith, a physical education teacher at Springfield YMCA International Training School in Massachusetts in the USA, needed to interest impatient and bored students. The objective of the game was to throw the basketball, into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of the gym balcony. Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. After a while, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed.
In 1932, the International Basketball Federation was founded. In 1936 basketball was included in the Olympic Games. Since 1976, there have also been basketball tournaments for women. The highest-level professional basketball competition was created in 1946 in New York.
The highest Czech competition for men is the Mattoni NBL (National Basketball League), the equivalent league for women is called the Trocal League.
2. EQUIPMENT
basket, basketball, court, jersey, shorts, basketball shoes
3. BASKETBALL COURT
Under International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, the court is a little smaller than in NBA, measuring exactly 28 m by 15 m. The baskets are always 3.05m above the floor (except possibly in youth competition).
surface – if wood – usually maple
4. POSITIONS
1 - POINT GUARD: usually the fastest player on the team, organizes the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right player at the right time.
2 – SHOOTING GUARD: creates a high volume of shots on offense, mainly long-ranged; and guards the opponent's best perimeter player on defense.
3 – SMALL FORWARD: often primarily responsible for scoring points via cuts to the basket and dribble penetration; on defense seeks rebounds and steals, but sometimes plays more actively.
2 AND 3 usually called - WINGS
4 – POWER FORWARD: plays offensively often with their back to the basket; on defense, plays under the basket (in a zone defense) or against the opposing power forward (in man-to-man defense).
5 - CENTRE: uses height and size to score (on offense), to protect the basket closely (on defense), or to rebound.
4 AND 5 – usually called – POST PLAYERS
The above descriptions are flexible. While most teams describe two players as guards, two as forwards, and one as a center, on some occasions teams choose to call them by different designations.
5. BASKETBALL RULES
Fill in these words:
faul, centre, behaviour, ritual, free throw, basket, positions, referee, shoot, halves
Basketball is a ball game in which players try to score the maximum number of points in their opponent's ______.
Basketball is played by two teams. The teams have 10-12 players. There are 5 players per team on the court at any one time during a match. Players play in these ______: point guard, wing position and ______. The aim of the team is to ______the ball into the opponent's basket and to prevent the opponent from getting the ball or reaching the basket. It is allowed to pass, throw, dribble, hit or roll the ball in any direction. The winner of the game is the team that has achieved more points at the end of the playing time after the fourth quarter, or after any overtime, if it is necessary. The playing time is divided into two ______, each divided into two quarters of ten minutes. A team may start the game with a______, such as a battle cry. If the score after the second half is tied, the match continues with a 5-minute overtime period then further 5-minute extensions if necessary. Players of the attacking team, who have control of the ball, have 24 seconds to shoot the ball at the basket. If this does not happen, it is considered a foul and the team loses the ball. The basis of the game lies in the offense and defence of an individual, in the combinations between the players and in the systems of the game.
Basketball is a contact sport but certain forms of personal contact with an opponent or unsportsmanlike ______are considered violations of the rules and punished by a ______. The game is controlled and offences against the rules are supervised by a ______. A player who commits five personal fouls is informed by the referee then the offending player must automatically leave the game. Once a team commits 4 personal or technical fouls in one quarter, each following foul which would normally be punishable with a throw in, is penalized with two penalty throws. A ______allows a player to score one point unopposed by shooting at the basket from behind the free-throw line.
6. INDIVIDUAL PLAYING SKILLS
PASSSING – chest pass, one-handed chest pass, one-handed overhead pass, bounce pass
SHOOTING – jump shot, above-the head-shot, jump shot after receiving a pass
DRIBBLING – low dribbling, high dribbling
DEFENCE – zone defence, man marking, full-court press
REBOUND – defensive rebound, offensive rebound
LAY-UP SHOT – lay-up shot after dribbling, lay-up shot after passing