RULE ONE – THE GAMEArt. 1 Definitio

RULE ONE – THE GAME
Art. 1 Definitions
1.1 Basketball game
Basketball is played by 2 teams of 5 players each. The aim of each team is to score in the opponents' basket and to prevent the other team from scoring.
The game is controlled by the officials, table officials and a commissioner, if present.
1.2 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 their own basket.
1.3 Winner of a game
The team that has scored the greater number of points at the end of playing time shall be the winner.
RULE TWO – COURT AND EQUIPMENT
Art. 2 Court
2.1 Playing court
The playing court shall have a flat, hard surface free from obstructions (Diagram 1) with dimensions of 28 m in length by 15 m in width measured from the inner edge of the boundary line.
2.2 Backcourt
A team's backcourt consists of its team's own basket, the inbounds part of the backboard and that part of the playing court limited by the endline behind their own basket, the sidelines and the centre line.
2.3 Frontcourt
A team's frontcourt consists of the opponents' basket, the inbounds part of the backboard and that part of the playing court limited by the endline behind the opponents' basket, the sidelines and the inner edge of the centre line nearest to the opponents' basket.
2.4 Lines
All lines shall be drawn in white colour, 5 cm in width and clearly visible.
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Rule Two – Court and equipment
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2.4.1 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 2 m from the playing court.
2.4.2 Centre line, centre circle and free-throw semi-circles
The centre line shall be marked parallel to the endlines from the mid-point of the sidelines. It shall extend 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 1.80 m measured to the outer edge of the circumference. If the inside of the centre circle 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 1.80 m measured to the outer edge of the circumference and with their centres at the mid-point of the free-throw lines (Diagram 2).
2.4.3 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 5.80 m from the inner edge of the endline and shall be 3.60 m long. Its mid-point shall lie on the imaginary line joining the mid-point of the 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 2.45 m from the mid-point of the endlines and terminating at the outer edge of the extended free-throw lines. These lines, excluding the endlines, are part of the restricted area. The inside of the restricted areas must be painted in one colour.
Free-throw rebound places along the restricted areas, reserved for players during free throws, shall be marked as in Diagram 2.
2.4.4 3-point field goal area
The team's 3-point field goal area (Diagram 1 and Diagram 3) shall be the entire floor area of the playing court, except for the area near the opponents' basket, limited by and including:
• The 2 parallel lines extending from and perpendicular to the endline, with the outer edge 0.90 m from the inner edge of the sidelines.
• An arc of radius 6.75 m 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 endline is 1.575 m. The arc is joined to the parallel lines.
The 3-point line is not part of the 3-point field goal area.
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OFFICIAL BASKETBALL RULES 2014
Rule Two – Court and equipment
Diagram 1 Full size playing court
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Rule Two – Court and equipment
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2.4.5 Team bench areas
The team bench areas shall be marked outside the playing court limited by 2 lines as shown in Diagram 1.
There must be 14 seats available in the team bench area for the team bench personnel which consists of the coaches, the assistant coaches, the substitutes, the excluded players and the team followers. Any other persons shall be at least 2 m behind the team bench.
2.4.6 Throw-in lines
The 2 lines of 0.15 m in length shall be marked outside the playing court at the sideline opposite the scorer’s table, with the outer edge of the lines 8.325 m from the inner edge of the nearest endline.
2.4.7 No-charge semi-circle areas
The no-charge semi-circle lines shall be marked on the playing court, limited by:
• A semi-circle with the radius of 1.25 m 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:
• The 2 parallel lines perpendicular to the endline, the inner edge 1.25 m from the point on the floor beneath the exact centre of the basket, 0.375 m in length and ending 1.20 m 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 backboards.
The no-charge semi-circle lines are part of the no-charge semi-circle areas.
0.375 m
Diagram 2 Restricted area
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OFFICIAL BASKETBALL RULES 2014
Rule Two – Court and equipment
Diagram 3 2-point/3-point field goal area
2.5 Position of the scorer's table and substitution chairs (Diagram 4)
1 = Shot clock operator
2 = Timer
3 = Commissioner, if present
4 = Scorer
5 = Assistant scorer
Playing court
Team bench area
Substitution chairs
Substitution chairs
Team bench area
Χ
Χ
1
2
3
4
5
Χ
Χ
Scorer's table
The scorer's table and its chairs must be placed on a platform. The announcer and/or statisticians (if present) can be seated at the side of and/or behind the scorer’s table.
Diagram 4 Scorer's table and substitution chairs
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Rule Two – Court and equipment
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Art. 3 Equipment
The following equipment will be required:
• Backstop units, consisting of:
▬ Backboards
▬ Baskets comprising (pressure release) rings and nets
▬ Backboard support structures including padding
• Basketballs
• Game clock
• Scoreboard
• Shot clock
• Stopwatch or suitable (visible) device (not the game clock) for timing time-outs
• 2 separate, distinctly different and loud signals, one of each for the
▬ shot clock operator,
▬ scorer/timer.
• Scoresheet
• Player foul markers
• Team foul markers
• Alternating possession arrow
• Playing floor
• Playing court
• Adequate lighting
For a more detailed description of basketball equipment, see the Appendix on Basketball Equipment.
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OFFICIAL BASKETBALL RULES 2014
Rule Three - Teams
RULE THREE - TEAMS
Art. 4 Teams
4.1 Definition
4.1.1 A team member is eligible to play when he has been authorised to play for a team according to the regulations, including regulations governing age limits, of the organising body of the competition.
4.1.2 A team member is entitled to play when his name has been entered on the score-sheet before the start of the game and as long as he has neither been disqualified nor committed 5 fouls.
4.1.3 During playing time, a team member is:
• A player when he is on the playing court and is entitled to play.
• A substitute when he is not on the playing court but he is entitled to play.
• An excluded player when he has committed 5 fouls and is no longer entitled to play.
4.1.4 During an interval of play, all team members entitled to play are considered as players.
4.2 Rule
4.2.1 Each team shall consist of:
• No more than 12 team members entitled to play, including a captain.
• A coach and, if a team wishes, an assistant coach.
• A maximum of 5 team followers who may sit on the team bench and have special responsibilities, e.g. manager, doctor, physiotherapist, statistician, interpreter, etc.
4.2.2 During playing time 5 players from each team shall be on the playing court and may be substituted.
4.2.3 A substitute becomes a player and a player becomes a substitute when:
• The official beckons the substitute to enter the playing court.
• During a time-out or an interval of play, a substitute requests the substitution to the scorer.
4.3 Uniforms
4.3.1 The uniform of the team members shall consist of:
• Shirts of the same dominant colour front and back.
All players must tuck their shirts into their playing shorts. 'All-in-ones' are permitted.
• Shorts of the same dominant colour front and back, but not necessarily of the same colour as the shirts. The shorts must end above the knee.
• Socks of the same dominant colour for all players of the team.
4.3.2 Each team member shall wear a shirt numbered on the front and back with plain numbers, of a solid colour contrasting with the colour of the shirt.
The numbers shall be clearly visible and:
• Those on the back shall be at least 20 cm high.
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• Those on the front shall be at least 10 cm high.
• The numbers shall be at least 2 cm wide.
• Teams shall use numbers 0 and 00 and from 1 to 99.
• Players on the same team shall not wear the same number.
• Any advertising or logo shall be at least 5 cm away from the numbers.
4.3.3 Teams must have a minimum of 2 sets of shirts and:
• The first team named in the programme (home team) shall wear light-coloured shirts (preferably white).
• The second team named in the programme (visiting team) shall wear dark-colour