Basket at the Buzzer

At the end of any playing period or at the end of the game, if the shot was released before the time expired and the buzzer sounded, the basket will count(if made).

Holding Foul-definition

Holding is personal contact foul with an opponent that interferes with his freedom of movement. This holding can occur with any part of the body.

Illegal Screening

A foul will be called for illegal screening when there is an attempt to illegally delay or prevent an opponent who does not control the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court. Remember, the foul will be called on the player causing the contact.

Pivot Foot

You must establish a pivot foot if you have the basketball and are not dribbling. If you catch the ball with both feet on the ground, you may use either foot as the pivot foot(in which one foot remains in contact with the same point on the ground). If you catch the ball while moving or after dribbling,if you land on 2 feet simultaneously, either foot may be used as the pivot foot. If one foot is touching the floor, when the second foot touches the floor, the first foot becomes the pivot foot. A player may make one step and then jump simultaneously on two feet, in which case neither foot may act as a pivot foot.

Pushing Foul

A pushing foul occurs when there is personal contact (with any part of the body) that takes place when a player forcibly moves or attempts to move an opponent who has or does not have control of the ball.

What is a Foul?

Basketball, in theory, is a non-contact game. However, it is obvious that when you have 10 players moving with great speed inside a limited space, contact cannot be avoided. If contact occurs in a "bona fide" (normal basketball play)attempt to play the ball and does not place the opponent at a disadvantage, the contact may be considered incidental and no foul will be called. Contact from behind is not a normal basketball play, and the player who is behind is usually responsible for the contact because of his position in relation to his opponent and the ball. The player responsible for the contact receives the foul.

Out-of-Bounds

A player is out of bounds when any part of his body is in contact with the floor or any object on, above or outside of the boundary lines. The ball is out of bounds when it touches a player who is out of bounds, or the supports or the back of the backboards or it touches the floor or any object on, above or outside a boundary line.

Fouls/Player in the Air

A player who has jumped from a spot has a right to land in that same spot. If he does not jump straight up and makes contact with his opponent who has taken a legal guarding position, it is the jumper´s foul. Moving under a player who is in the air and causing contact is usually an unsportsmanlike foul(dangerous play), and can be a disqualifying foul.

Legal Guarding Position

To be in a legal guarding position, the defender is facing his opponent, has both feet on the floor in a normal stance for his/her heighth.

Dribbling Rule

A dribble starts when a player throws, taps, or rolls it on the floor and touches it again before it touches another player. The dribble is completed when the player touches the ball simultaneously with both hands or the ball comes to rest in one or both hands. Accidentally losing and then regaining control(fumble),tapping the ball in order to gain control,tapping the ball from the control of another player, blocking the pass and then recovering the ball are NOT considered to be dribbles.

Violations

A violation in an infraction of the rules. The penalty is loss of the ball by the team that committed the violation. The ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from out-of-bounds at the closest point where the violation occurred.

Fouls & Free Throws

If you are fouled while you are shooting, you will be awarded 2 free throws if it was a 2 point attempt and 3 free throws if it was a 3 point attempt for a basket. Free throws are not awarded on a charging foul. For all other fouls, if it is the 7th-9th team foul in the half, you will shoot 1+1(if you make the first free throw, you get another shot; if you miss the first free throw, the ball is in play). On the 10th foul and thereafter for every foul, you will shoot 2 free throws.

10 Second Rule

In boy´s basketball, they have a rule called the 10 second rule, in which when a player gains control of a live ball, the offensive team has 10 seconds to cross over half court. If a team fails to do this, it is a violation and the ball is awarded to the opposing team.

Forfeit

A team loses a game by forfeit if 1) they refuse to play after being told to do so by the referee, 2) by its actions, it prevents the game from being played, or 3) the team is not able to field 5 players to start the game.

Principle of Verticality

The principal of verticality means that a player is entitled to his/her space that is occupied, plus all vertical space above that player. Therefore if a defender has his/her arms in that vertical space above the offensive player, and the offensive player with the ball jumps up and there is contact with the defender´s arms, it is a foul by the offensive player.

Blocking/ Charging Foul

Blocking is personal contact which impedes the progress of an opponent. Charging is personal contact, with or without the ball, by pushing or moving into an opponent´s torso. When judging a block/charge, the official shall use the following principles: 1)the defender must establish an initial legal guarding position, 2)the defender may remain stationary or move laterally or backwards in order to maintain the guarding position, 3)In moving to maintain the guarding position, one or both feet may be off the floor for an instant, as long as the lateral or backwards movement is considered normal defensive movement,4)the defensive player must be on the spot first, and contact must occur on the torso.

Backcourt Rule

A player whose team is in control of the ball which is in the frontcourt(past halfcourt line) may not cause the ball to go in his backcourt. He or a member of his team must have touched it last before going in the backcourt. It is a violation and the ball is awarded to the opposing team. Important: a player is considered in the backcourt until he has both feet on the ground in the frontcourt. So, if a teammate is already in the frontcourt(both feet and the ball) and passes to a teammate who is not yet legally in the frontcourt, then that is a backcourt violation.