First, some facts for you to think about:

• Basketball is the most played team sport in the United States with 32 million people playing in 2005.
• In 2004 almost 8 million people said that basketball was their favorite sports activity, far exceeding the number of people who said any other team sport.
• 450 million people participate in basketball worldwide.
• At the pace of one bounce every two seconds, you can bounce the ball 1,440 times in a 48- minute game

The game of basketball is played on a court.  The court is made up of wood, concrete for inside use in a gym, or made up of asphalt for outdoor use like in a playground. College courts run 94 feet long by 50 feet wide, but elementary courts can vary in length.

The object of the game is for one team to get more points than the other team before time runs out.  The ball used in basketball has several different sizes.  A 28.5 circumference is used for women teams, and a 29.5 circumference is used for men teams.  The ball is covered with leather or vinyl cover stretched of round rubber tubing that is filled with air for good bounce.

Each team has five players on the court at one time versing each other. Substitutes can be put in for any player on the court when the play stops or it is a dead ball. 

The length of the game depends on what age is playing.  College teams usually play two twenty minute halves.  In high school and youth basketball plays four eight minute quarters with a half-time of three minutes after two periods are played.

There are two ways players can move the ball.  They are passing the ball or dribbling the ball.  When a team has the ball it is on offensive.  When the team does not have the ball it is playing defense.

When the offense has the ball, their team has a chance to score points in three different ways.

1. A shot taken from behind the three point line and basket made will add three points are added to the team’s score.
2. A shot taken from inside the three point line and basket made will add two points to the team’s score.
3. A shot taken from the free throw line and basket made will add one point to the team’s score.

There are many rules and regulations that come with the game of basketball. To make sure both teams abide by them there are two referees who officiate each game.  For elementary games sometimes only one referee is needed.