1. Basketball

2. Definitions
• Basketball game
– Basketball is played by two (2) teams of five
(5) players each. The aim of each team is to
score in the opponent’s basket and to prevent
the other team from scoring.
– The game is controlled by officials, table
officials and a commissioner, if present.

3. • Basket: opponents’/ own
– The basket that is attacked by a team is the
opponents’ basket and the basket which is
defended by a team is the team’s own basket.
• Winner of a game
– The team that has scored the greater number
of points at the end of playing time shall be
the winner.

4. Court
• Playing Court
– The playing shall have a flat, hard surface free from
obstructions with dimensions of twenty-eight (28) m in
length by fifteen (15) m in width measured from the
inner edge of the boundary line.
• Backcourt
A team’s backcourt consists of its team’s own
basket, the inbounds part of the playing court limited
by the endline behind the team’s own basket, the
sidelines and the centre line.

5. • Frontcourt
– A team’s court consists of the opponents’
basket. The inbounds part of the backboard
and the part of the playing court limited by the
end line behind the opponents’ basket, the
sidelines and the inner edge of the centre line
nearest to the opponents’ basket.
• Lines
– All line shall be drawn in white colour, five (5)
cm in width and clearly visible.

6.  Boundary line
The playing court shall be limited by the
boundary line, consisting of the endlines and
the sidelines. These lines are not part of the
playing court.
Any obstruction including seated team bench
personnel shall be at least two (2) m from the
playing court.

7.  Centre line, centre circle and free-throw semi-
circles
The centre line shall be marked parallel to the
endlines from the mid-points of the sidelines. It
shall be extended 0.15 m beyond each sideline.
The centre line is part of the backcourt.
The centre circle shall be marked in the centre of
the playing court and have a radius of 1.80m
measured of the outer edge of the circumference.
If the inside of the centre line is painted, it must
be the same colour as the restricted areas.
The free-throw semi-circles shall be marked on the
playing court with a radius of 1.80m measured to
the outer edge of the circumference and with their
centres at the mid-points of the free-throw lines.

8.  Free-throw lines, restricted areas and free-
throw rebound places
The free-throw line shall be drawn parallel to each
endline. It shall have its furthest edge 5.80m from
the inner edge of the endline and shall be 3.60m
long. Its mid-point shall lie on the imaginary line
joining the mid-points of the two (2) endlines.
The restricted areas shall be the rectangular areas
marked on the playing court limited by the
endlines, the extended free-throw lines and the
lines which originate at the endlines, their outer
edges being 2.45m from the mid-points of the
endlines and terminating at the outer edge of the
free-throw lines. These lines, excluding the
endlines, are part of the restricted area. The
inside of the restricted areas must be painted.

9. Free-throw rebound places the restricted areas, reserved for
players during free-throws
Three-point field goal area
 Two (2) parallel lines extending from and perpendicular to the
end line, with the outer edge 0.90from the inner edge of the
sidelines.
 An arc of radius 6.75m measured from the point on the floor
beneath the exact centre of the opponents’ basket to the outer
edge of the arc. The distance of the point on the floor from the
inner edge of the mid-point of the mid-point of the end line is
1.575m. The arc joined to the parallel lines.
The three-point line is not part of the three-point field goal
area.

10. Team bench areas
The team bench areas shall be marked
outside the playing court limited by two (2)
lines as shown in diagram 1.
There must be fourteen (14) seats
available in the team bench area for the
coaches, the assistant coaches, the
substitutes and the team followers. Any other
persons shall be at least two (2) m behind the
team bench.
Throw-in Lines
The two (2) lines of 0.15m in length shall
be marked outside the playing court at the
sideline opposite the scorer’s table, with the
outer edge of the lines 8.325m from the inner
edge of the nearest endline.

11. No-charge semi-circle areas
The no-charge semi-circle lines shall be
marked outside the playing court, limited by:
 A semi-circle with the radius of 1.25m measured from
the point on the floor beneath the exact centre of the
basket to the inner edge of the semi-circle. The semi-
circle is joined to:
 Two (2) parallel lines perpendicular to the endline, the
inner edge 1.25m from the point on the floor beneath
the exact centre of the basket, 0.375m in length and
ending 1.20m from the inner edge of the endline.
The no-charge semi-circle areas are completed by
imaginary lines joining the ends of the parallel lines
directly below the front edges of the backborads.
The no-charge semi-circle lines are not part of the no-
charge of the semi-circle areas.

12. Equipment
The following equipment will be required:
 backstop units, consisting of:
Backboards
Basket comprising (pressure release) rings and
nets
Backboard support structures including padding
 Basketballs
 Game clock
 Scoreboard
 Twenty-four (24) second clock
 Stopwatch or suitable (visible) device (not the
game clock) for timing time-outs

13.  Two (2) separate, distinctly different and loud
sound signals
 Scoresheet
 Player foul markers
 Team foul markers
 Alternating possession arrow
 Playing floor
 Playing court
 Adequate lighting

14. Officials and their Duties
1. REFEREE- the official in charge of the
game. His duties are:
 Put the ball in play at the center circle to
start each half period and extra period of
the game.
 Administer penalties.
 Watch the players in lanes and free throw
line during free-throw.
 Disqualify a player for fouls.
 Indicate each goal made.
 Order time-in
 Sign score book at the end of the game.
He shall carefully examine the score sheet
at the end of each half and of each extra
period or at anytime he feels necessary,
approve the score and/or confirm the time
that remains to be played.

15.  Shall inspect and approve all equipment to be used
during the game.
 Designate the official time piece and recognize the
table officials.
 He shall not permit any player to wear objects, which
are dangerous to the other players.
 He shall make the final decision if the officials disagree
on whether or not a goal shall count.
 He shall have power to stop a game when conditions
warrant it. He shall also have the power to determine
that a team shall forfeit the game if it refuses to play
after being instructed to do so or if the team, by its
action, prevents the game from being played.
Kinds of Referee:
1. Lead Referee
2. Trail Referee

16. 2. OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER AND ASSISTANT
SCORER
 Sit at the table alongside the court.
 Shall use the official score sheet.
 Keep a record of the names and numbers of
players who are to start the game and of all
substitutes who are enter the game. When
there is an infraction (violation) of these rules
pertaining to a substitution of a line-
up, substitution or numbers of players, he
shall notify the nearer official as soon as
possible after the infraction is discovered.
 Record the personal and technical fouls
called on each player and shall notify the
referee immediately when the 5th foul (for
games of 2 x 20 minutes) or the 6th foul (for
games of 4 x 12 minutes is called on any
player. Similarly he shall record the technical
fouls called on each coach and shall notify the
referee.
 The scorer shall notify the officials at the next
time-out opportunity when a team has
requested a charged time-out record the
time-outs and notify the coach through an
official which is the Assistant Scorer.

17. 3. TIMEKEEPER:
 The timer operates the clock
according to the rules governing when
time is in (ball in play) and when it is
not.
 Shall keep a record of playing time
and time of stoppage as provided in
these rules.
 Shall note when each half is to start.
 To notify the teams and the officials or
cause them to be notified at least
minutes in advance.
 The 30-second operator shall operate
the 30-second device and shall start
as soon as a player gains control of a
live ball on the court.

18. 4. COACH
 At least 20 minutes before the game is scheduled to begin, each
coach or his representative shall give the scorer a written list of the
names and numbers of the team members who are to play in the
game, as well as the names of the captain of the team, the coach
and the assistant coach.
 At least 10 minutes before the game, both coaches shall confirm
their agreement with the names and numbers of their team
members and the names of the coaches inscribed by signing the
score sheet. At the same time they shall indicate the five players
who are to start the game. The “A” will be the first to provide this
information.
 Only the coach or the assistant coach may makes the request for
changed time-out.
 When a coach or assistant coach requires a substitution to be
effected, the substitute must report to the scorer to make the request
and must be ready to play immediately.

19.  If there is an assistant coach his name must be inscribed on
the score sheet before the beginning of the game (his
signature is not necessary). He shall assume the
responsibilities of the coach if for any reason, the coach is
unable to continue.
 The team captain, shall act as coach if there is no coach or if
the coach is unable to continue and there is no assistant
coach inscribed on the score sheet (or the later is unable to
continue). If the captain must leave the playing court for any
valid reason, he may continue to act as coach. However, if he
must leave following a disqualifying foul, or if he is unable to
act as coach because of injury, his substitute as captain shall
replace him as coach.
 Only the coach, whose name is inscribed on the score
sheet, is permitted to remain standing during the game. This
also applies to any individual who replaces the coach for any
reason.

20. 5. CAPTAIN
 When necessary, captain shall represent
his team on the court.
 He may address an official to obtain
essential information. But this should be
done in a courteous manner and only when
the ball is dead and the clock is stopped.
 When the captain leaves the playing court
or any valid reasons, the coach shall inform
an official o the number of player who will
replace him as captain on the court during
his absence.
 The captain may act as coach.
 The captain shall designate the jumper of
his team in a jump ball situation and the
free-throw shooter determined by the rules.

21. 6. GUARDS AND FORWARDS: should possess the following:
1. FORWARDS:
1. ability to shoot consistently from different positions
2. ability to rebound
3. ability to vary style and speed
4. ability to plan and execute plays
5. ability to remain calm under pressure
2. GUARDS
1. ability to feel out strength and weaknesses of
opponents and to analyze pattern of movements
2. ability to stay with the players and to anticipate
possible plays
3. ability to steal or tie the ball without fouling
4. ability to rebound and pass accurately
5. ability to shift pattern of defensive play