Basketball: Introduction
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world with millions of people enjoying the game across many different nations each weekend. If you want to be a part of this excitement, one of the best things that you can do is learn as much as you can about basketball history and basketball rules. There are many different types of basketball including indoor and outdoor versions, which will have their own unique rules and play sets. Because there are so many different types of basketball, it is important to understand the various rules that go along with each type so that you can play to your strengths and play according to what is expected of you on every single play.
Referring to the International Basketball Federation, Basketball is a team game where two competing teams, usually made up of five players each, play each other on a rectangular field or on the hardwood or smaller court surface of your choice against the object of your game. The object of the game is to get the basketball into the basket of your opponent by utilizing any of a variety of techniques and strategies. One of the basketball rules that is incredibly interesting is called the basketball rule wherein if your team scores three points during one-half of an exhibition game against another team, you may re-start the same half, but with only five players. This rule was implemented so that one team would have a distinct advantage over the other when the playing time comes around again. For example, if a team was on an exhibition team with a small roster and they played against a team with a big roster, the small team probably would not have enough players to last the entire half.
Basketball history goes back thousands of years and even farther than the game we call basketball. Early civilizations such as the Chinese, Egyptians, and Romans created a number of different basketball variations. They used nets called "sparrows" and tall poles known as "rampets" to shoot the basketball with. Ball handling skills and hand/eye coordination were extremely important for these early basketball players, so imagine how advanced the sport must have been back then. Today we still use many of the same skills and techniques in basketball; however, the game is now played between two teams on a hardwood court inside a large facility.