Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which the ball is thrown with the hands into the opponent's basket (ring). The aim of each team is to throw the ball into the opponent's ring (basket) and prevent the other team from gaining possession of the ball and throwing it into their own basket.
Disciplines
History
The birthplace of basketball is Springfield, Massachusetts (USA). 1891 is considered to be the date of invention of basketball. The creator of this sport is the physical education teacher James Naismith.
The emergence of basketball in Russia dates back to the early years of the twentieth century - the first basketball match was held in St. Petersburg in 1906. In 1936, basketball was included in the programme of the Berlin Olympics. In 1947, the USSR Basketball Federation joined the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), allowing Soviet basketball players to reach the international level. The Russian Basketball Federation succeeded the USSR Basketball Federation in 1992 and was recognised by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Rules
The game starts with a toss up in the centre circle between a player from each team. Each team has 5 time-outs during the 4 quarters and 1 time-out in each overtime period.
Points are awarded as follows
– 1 point – for a ball released by a free-throw;
– 2 points – if the ball is released from the 2-point zone;
– 3 points – for a ball released from the 3-point zone.
The team with the most points at the end of the period wins.
Top Three Facts
Around 450 million people around the world play basketball.
More than 1.7 million people play basketball in Russia.
On average, a basketball player runs 4.5 kilometres, makes over 150 accelerations and jumps about 100 times per game.
Competition Venue
