Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a

rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter)
through the defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to a backboard at each
end of the court) while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points,
unless made from behind the three-point line, when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or
designated to shoot a technical foul is given one or more one-point free throws. The team with the most points at the end of
the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play (overtime) is mandated.
Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which
require considerable skill. On offense, players may use a variety of shots—the lay-up, the jump shot, or a dunk; on defense,
they may steal the ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect a rebound, that
is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball,
to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling.
The five players on each side at a time fall into five playing positions: the tallest player is usually the center, the tallest and
strongest is the power forward, a slightly shorter but more agile big man is the small forward, and the shortest players or the
best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard, who implements the coach's game plan by managing the
execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and
one-on-one.
Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States,
basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports.[1] The National Basketball
Association (NBA) is the most significant basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of
competition.[2][3] Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as
the Euro league and FIBA Americas League.
The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national teams from
continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA (NCAA Women's Division I Basketball
Championship is also popular), whereas strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women.
Rule: Games are played in four quarters of 10 (FIBA)[35] or 12 minutes (NBA).[36] College men's games use two 20-minute
halves,[37] college women's games use 10-minute quarters,[38] and most United States high school varsity games use 8-minute
quarters; however, this varies from state to state.[39][40] 15 minutes are allowed for a half-time break under FIBA, NBA, and
NCAA rules[37][41][42] and 10 minutes in United States high schools.[39] Overtime periods are five minutes in length[37][43][44] except
for high school, which is four minutes in length.[39] Teams exchange baskets for the second half. The time allowed is actual
playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than
the allotted game time, typically about two hours.
Five players from each team may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is
stopped. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel
such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers.
Equipment: The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with
baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboard(s),
alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems. A regulation basketball court in international games
is 91.9 feet (28.0 meters) long and 49.2 feet (15 meters) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15
meters).[34] Most courts have wood flooring, usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the
longer court dimension.[49][50] The name and logo of the home team is usually painted on or around the center circle.
The size of the basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a
"295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (623.69 grams). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72 cm) in
circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (567 grams). In 3x3, a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3
game, a dedicated ball with the circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions
(men's, women's, and mixed teams).

Violations The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled
or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running).
The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball
is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds.
There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known
as traveling. Nor may a player stop his dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered
stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble. Within a dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by
placing his hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball. A team, once having established ball
control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these
rules results in loss of possession.
The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For the offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession;
for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds.
Fouls; An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a
personal foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive
players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if
they are fouled in the act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free
throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.6 m) from the basket.
The referee is responsible for judging whether contact is illegal, sometimes resulting in controversy. The calling of fouls can
vary between games, leagues and referees
There is a second category of fouls called technical fouls, which may be charged for various rules violations including failure
to properly record a player in the scorebook, or for unsportsmanlike conduct. These infractions result in one or two free
throws, which may be taken by any of the five players on the court at the time. Repeated incidents can result
in disqualification. A blatant foul involving physical contact that is either excessive or unnecessary is called an intentional foul
(flagrant foul in the NBA). In FIBA and NCAA women's basketball, a foul resulting in ejection is called a disqualifying foul,
while in leagues other than the NBA, such a foul is referred to as flagrant.

Positions Although the rules do not specify any positions whatsoever, they have evolved as part of basketball. During
the early years of basketball's evolution, two guards, two forwards, and one center were used. In more recent times specific
positions evolved, but the current trend, advocated by many top coaches including Mike Krzyzewski is towards positionless
basketball, where big guys are free to shoot from outside and dribble if their skill allows it.[52] Popular descriptions of positions
include:
Point guard (often called the "1") : 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.
Shooting guard (the "2") : creates a high volume of shots on offense, mainly long-ranged; and guards the opponent's best
perimeter player on defense.
Small forward (the "3") : 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.
Power forward (the "4"): 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).
Center (the "5"): uses height and size to score (on offense), to protect the basket closely (on defense), or to rebound.
The above descriptions are flexible. For most teams today, the shooting guard and small forward have very similar
responsibilities and are often called the wings, as do the power forward and center, who are often called post
players. 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.

Strategy there are two main defensive strategies: zone defense and man-to-man defense. In a zone defense, each
player is assigned to guard a specific area of the court. Zone defenses often allow the defense to double team the ball, a
manoeuver known as a trap. In a man-to-man defense, each defensive player guards a specific opponent.
Offensive plays are more varied, normally involving planned passes and movement by players without the ball. A quick
movement by an offensive player without the ball to gain an advantageous position is known as a cut. A legal attempt by an
offensive player to stop an opponent from guarding a teammate, by standing in the defender's way such that the teammate
cuts next to him, is a screen or pick. The two plays are combined in the pick and roll, in which a player sets a pick and then
"rolls" away from the pick towards the basket. Screens and cuts are very important in offensive plays; these allow the quick
passes and teamwork, which can lead to a successful basket. Teams almost always have several offensive plays planned to
ensure their movement is not predictable. On court, the point guard is usually responsible for indicating which play will occur.

ShootingShooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the basket, methods varying with
players and situations.
Typically, a player faces the basket with both feet facing the basket. A player will rest the ball on the fingertips of the
dominant hand (the shooting arm) slightly above the head, with the other hand supporting the side of the ball. The ball is
usually shot by jumping (though not always) and extending the shooting arm. The shooting arm, fully extended with the wrist
fully bent, is held stationary for a moment following the release of the ball, known as a follow-through. Players often try to put
a steady backspin on the ball to absorb its impact with the rim. The ideal trajectory of the shot is somewhat controversial, but
generally a proper arc is recommended. Players may shoot directly into the basket or may use the backboard to redirect the
ball into the basic common shots that use the above described setup are the set shot and the jump shot. The set shot is
taken from a standing position, with neither foot leaving the floor, typically used for free throws, and in other circumstances
while the jump shot is taken in mid-air, the ball released near the top of the jump. This provides much greater power and
range, and it also allows the player to elevate over the defender. Failure to release the ball before the feet return to the floor
is considered a traveling violation.
Another common shot is called the lay-up. This shot requires the player to be in motion toward the basket, and to "lay" the
ball "up" and into the basket, typically off the backboard (the backboard-free, underhand version is called a finger roll). The
most crowd-pleasing and typically highest-percentage accuracy shot is the slam dunk, in which the player jumps very high
and throws the ball downward, through the basket while touching it.
Another shot that is becoming common[citation needed] is the "circus shot". The circus shot is a low-percentage shot that is flipped,
heaved, scooped, or flung toward the hoop while the shooter is off-balance, airborne, falling down, and/or facing away from
the basket. A back-shot is a shot taken when the player is facing away from the basket, and may be shot with the dominant
hand, or both; but there is a very low chance that the shot will be successful.
A shot that misses both the rim and the backboard completely is referred to as an air ball. A particularly bad shot, or one that
only hits the backboard, is jocularly called a brick. The hang time is the length of time a player stays in the air after jumping,
either to make a slam dunk, lay-up or jump shot.

Rebounding The objective of rebounding is to successfully gain possession of the basketball after a missed field goal
or free throw, as it rebounds from the hoop or backboard. This plays a major role in the game, as most possessions end
when a team misses a shot. There are two categories of rebounds: offensive rebounds, in which the ball is recovered by the
offensive side and does not change possession, and defensive rebounds, in which the defending team gains possession of
the loose ball. The majority of rebounds are defensive, as the team on defense tends to be in better position to recover
missed shots.
Passing A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. Most passes are accompanied by a step forward to
increase power and are followed through with the hands to ensure accuracy.
A staple pass is the chest pass. The ball is passed directly from the passer's chest to the receiver's chest. A proper chest
pass involves an outward snap of the thumbs to add velocity and leaves the defence little time to react.
Another type of pass is the bounce pass. Here, the passer bounces the ball crisply about two-thirds of the way from his own
chest to the receiver. The ball strikes the court and bounces up toward the receiver. The bounce pass takes longer to
complete than the chest pass, but it is also harder for the opposing team to intercept (kicking the ball deliberately is a
violation). Thus, players often use the bounce pass in crowded moments, or to pass around a defender.
The overhead pass is used to pass the ball over a defender. The ball is released while over the passer's head.
The outlet pass occurs after a team gets a defensive rebound. The next pass after the rebound is the outlet pass.
The crucial aspect of any good pass is it being difficult to intercept. Good passers can pass the ball with great accuracy and
they know exactly where each of their other teammates prefers to receive the ball. A special way of doing this is passing the
ball without looking at the receiving teammate. This is called a no-look pass.
Another advanced style of passing is the behind-the-back pass, which, as the description implies, involves throwing the ball
behind the passer's back to a teammate. Although some players can perform such a pass effectively, many coaches
discourage no-look or behind-the-back passes, believing them to be difficult to control and more likely to result in turnovers or
violations.

Dribbling: dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand and is a requirement for a player to take
steps with the ball. To dribble, a player pushes the ball down towards the ground with the fingertips rather than patting it; this
ensures greater control.
When dribbling past an opponent, the dribbler should dribble with the hand farthest from the opponent, making it more
difficult for the defensive player to get to the ball. It is therefore important for a player to be able to dribble competently with
both hands.
Good dribblers (or "ball handlers") tend to bounce the ball low to the ground, reducing the distance of travel of the ball from
the floor to the hand, making it more difficult for the defender to "steal" the ball. Good ball handlers frequently dribble behind
their backs, between their legs, and switch directions suddenly, making a less predictable dribbling pattern that is more
difficult to defend against. This is called a crossover, which is the most effective way to move past defenders while dribbling.
A skilled player can dribble without watching the ball, using the dribbling motion or peripheral vision to keep track of the ball's
location. By not having to focus on the ball, a player can look for teammates or scoring opportunities, as well as avoid the
danger of having someone steal the ball away from him/her.

Blocking A block is performed when, after a shot is attempted, a defender succeeds in altering the shot by touching the
ball. In almost all variants of play, it is illegal to touch the ball after it is in the downward path of its arc; this is known
as goaltending. It is also illegal under NBA and Men's NCAA basketball to block a shot after it has touched the backboard, or
when any part of the ball is directly above the rim. Under international rules it is illegal to block a shot that is in the downward
path of its arc or one that has touched the backboard until the ball has hit the rim. After the ball hits the rim, it is again legal to
touch it even though it is no longer considered as a block performed.
To block a shot, a player has to be able to reach a point higher than where the shot is released. Thus, height can be an
advantage in blocking. Players who are taller and playing the power forward or center positions generally record more blocks
than players who are shorter and playing the guard positions. However, with good timing and a sufficiently high vertical leap,
even shorter players can be effective shot blockers.
I have actively participated in the Olympiads conducted by the SOF. I secured school rank 3 in the
National Science Olympiad (NSO) and International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in class XI. Also, I
managed to score a 9.8 CGPA in class X. I also actively participated in quizzes and drawing
competitions held at school level. I also actively participated in classroom discussions.