History of Basketball in CanadaThe

History of Basketball in Canada
The roots of basketball are firmly embedded in Canada. In 1891 the game was invented by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian who hailed from Almonte, Ontario.
Having been given the task of creating a new indoor sports activity while conducting a physical education class at the international YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts, Naismith designed what we now call basketball. The original game involved 13 rules and a peach basket hung ten feet above the floor. Even though it took place in the United States, at least ten of the players who participated in the first-ever game were university students from Quebec.

Basketball was invented by Canadian Dr. James Naismith.
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Basketball played by school and local amateur teams has been part of the Canadian sports scene since the turn of the century. Hoops teams representing Canada have participated in Olympic Games since 1936 and in the World Championships since 1954.
One of the most storied amateur teams in Canadian basketball history is the Edmonton Commercial Graduates (Grad's), a group of Canadian women who dominated the sport in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Over 25 years, the Grad's played 522 games at home and abroad, against both women's and men's teams. The Grad's accomplished a record-breaking winning streak of 147 games and throughout their basketball tenure won a remarkable 502 times.
The National Basketball Association also has origins in Canada. The NBA's first game was played in Toronto over fifty years ago, on November 1, 1946 when the New York Knickerbockers defeated the Toronto Huskies 68-66 at Maple Leaf Gardens. The teams were part of the Basketball Association of America, the forerunner to the NBA.
The Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies joined the NBA beginning in the 1995-96 season, becoming the first non-U.S. cities to join the league since the Toronto Huskies were one-year members of the BAA. In summer 2001, the Grizzlies relocated from Vancouver to Memphis, Tennessee.

The Rules
Basketball is a team sport. Two teams of five players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground. The game is played on a rectangular floor called the court, and there is a hoop at each end. The court is divided into two main sections by the mid-court line. If the offensive team puts the ball into play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds to get the ball over the mid-court line. If it doesn't, then the defense gets the ball. Once the offensive team gets the ball over the mid-court line, it can no longer have possession of the ball in the area in back of the line. If it does, the defense is awarded the ball.



Basketball Court 1
Basic Basketball Rules
Two teams each have up to five players on the court at one time. Teams score by shooting the basketball through the hoop. The hoop is an 18 inch cylinder attached to the backboard and positioned 10 feet off the ground. Each team tries to prevent their opponent from scoring by either stealing the ball or blocking an attempted shot. The ball is moved down the court by either passing it to a teammate or dribbling it.

Check with your league for Game Duration, Size of Basketball, Basket Height

Violations

Play stops on all rules violations with the other team gaining possession.

Ball Handling Violations
Double Dribble - When a player stops dribbling, holds the basketball, and then starts dribbling again or when a player dribbles the ball with two hands at the same time.

Traveling - Taking more than one and a half steps without dribbling while the player has possession of the ball or when you stop dribbling and move or change your pivot foot.

Back Court - When the team with possession of the ball travels over the midcourt line into the frontcourt and then crosses back into the backcourt.

Time Violations
Three-Second Rule - No offensive player can be in the free-throw lane for longer than 3 seconds at a time.

Five-Second Possession Violation - When a ballhandler is being defended within six feet in the frontcourt, and fails to get rid of the basketball within five seconds.

Ten-Seconds In The Backcourt - When the offensive team takes ten or more seconds to move the basketball across the midcourt line into the front court.

Five-Second Inbound Violation - When passing the ball inbounds after gaining possession, players have five seconds to get the ball to a teammate.
Space or Lane Violation
Lane Violation - During a free throw situation, if you enter the lane too soon, it's called a lane violation and results in a turnover or the other team gets another free throw attempt.
Fouls
Play stops on all fouls
After a foul is committed and depending on the type of foul , one of two things will happen. A. The opposing team will gain possession of the ball, or B. The fouled player shoots free throws.
Common Fouls
Shooting Foul - When a defender makes contact with an offensive player who is in the act of shooting the basketball.

Technical Foul - Violations and misconduct that are detrimental to the game. These are penalized by free-throw opportunities

Reaching In - When a defender attempts to steal the basketball and the defender extends their arm and hand and makes contact with the opposing ball handler.

Charging - Happens when an offensive player runs into a defender who has an established position.

Holding - When a players uses their hands to interfere with or limit an opponent's freedom of movement.

Hand Check - When a defender uses one or both hands on the opposing the ball handler.

Reaching In - When attempting to steal the basketball, the defender extends their arm and hand and makes contact with the ball handler.

Blocking - When a player uses their body position to prevent their opponent from advancing down the court.

Flagrant Foul - A foul committed in an violent and harmful manner.

Other Important Rules

Game Duration, Size of Basketball, Basket Height , how many timeouts and duration, player foul limit,and time violations - Check with your local league officials.