Basketball - factfile Basketball scoring, rules and officials

Scoring

In a game of basketball there are three clear ways to score points.

1. If a shot is successfully scored from outside of the three-point line, three points are awarded.
2. If a shot is successfully scored from inside of the three-point line, two points are awarded.
3. If a team is awarded a technical foul then they will receive between one and three free shots. Each shot scored will be awarded with one point.

Rules

• A basketball team can have a maximum of five players on the court.
• Player substitutions can be made at any time and there is no restriction on the number of substitutions made.
• A ball can travel through dribbling or passing.
• A player is no longer able to dribble with the ball once the player puts two hands on the ball. This does not include catching. At this point, a player must either pass or shoot.
• If a team wins possession back in their own half, they have ten seconds to get it into their opponent's end or a foul will be called.
• An attacking team has 24 seconds from gaining possession of the ball to shoot at the basket.
• After the shot is taken, the clock is restarted for another 24 seconds.
• After a team scores a basket, the ball is returned back to the opposition to start again.
• All fouls that are committed throughout a game are to be accumulated and when a certain number is reached, the umpire will award a free throw.
• Depending on where a technical foul is committed, the umpire may award a number of free throws a player will receive.
• Violations can be awarded by the officials in basketball for player handling errors. These include travelling, double dribble, goal-tending and back court violation.

Officials

During a competitive game of basketball there are two referees, a scorekeeper, timekeeper and a shot clock operator. To ensure that everybody is aware of a decision made, the referees perform a series of hand and arm signals.