Shooting and Playing a Short Game

1Shooting: remember BEEF

• B = Balance: feet about shoulder-width apart, shooting-side foot a little in front, knees bent.
• E = Eyes: look at the front of the ring and keep looking at it.
• E = Elbow: shooting hand under the ball, elbow under the ball and pointing at the basket. Your other hand rests on the side of the ball, only to guide it.
• F = Follow-through: straighten your legs and your shooting arm together, and flick your wrist so your fingers point down into the basket.

Start close to the basket and move back only when you score often. A soft shot that goes high, then drops down, has the best chance. No hoop? Practise with a big woven basket on a chair, or a square drawn high on a wall. Remember, basketball began with baskets!

2The rules of a short game

• 5 players on each team are on the court at one time.
• The game starts with a jump ball: the referee throws the ball up between two players, who try to tap it to a teammate.
• A basket is worth 2 points, or 3 points from outside the three-point line. A free throw is worth 1 point.
• You may not walk or run with the ball (travelling), dribble with two hands, or kick or punch the ball. The other team gets the ball.
• A full game has four quarters. School games are much shorter.

3Fouls

Pushing, holding, hitting or tripping another player is a foul. If the player you fouled was shooting, they get free throws: shots from the free-throw line that nobody may block, 1 point each. If they were not shooting, their team gets the ball. A player with five fouls must leave the game.

4Fair play, safety and hygiene

• Basketball is a no-contact game: play the ball, not the player.
• Help up a player who falls, and accept the referee's calls.
• Take off watches and jewellery, and check the court for stones and water.
• After the game, cool down, drink water, and wash your hands and face.

Try it yourself

Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.