The game of basketball is generally played on a flat and hard surface which should be free from obstructions. The court is rectangular in shape and is divided into two equal halves. The playing court has dimensions of 28 metre X 15 metre (length by width) which is measured from the inner edge of the boundary line.

Regulation lengths are:

• End lines & Side lines: The playing court is limited by the boundary line which consists of the endlines and the sidelines and these lines are not part of the playing court. All lines on the court are of same colour with 5 cm in width and should be clearly visible.
• Centre line: The centre line is marked parallel to the end lines from the midpoint of the sidelines & it extends 0.15 metre beyond each sideline.   
• Centre circle: The centre circle is marked in the centre of the playing court with radius of 1.8 metre measured to the outer edge of the circumference.
• Free-throw semi-circles: The free-throw semi-circles are marked on the court with a radius of 1.8 metre measured to the outer edge of the circumference with their centres at the midpoint of the free-throw lines. 
• Free-throw line: It is drawn parallel to each end line. It has its furthest edge 5.8 metre from the inner edge of the end line and 3.6 metre in length. The midpoint of the line lies on an imaginary line joining the midpoint of the 2 end lines. 
• Throw-in line: These are two lines of 0.15 metre in length which are marked outside the playing court at the side line opposite to the scorer’s table. The outer edge of the lines is 8.3250 metre from the inner edge of the nearest end line.  
• 3-point goal area: The 3-point line is not part of the 3-point goal area which is the entire floor area of the playing court, except for the area near the opponent’s basket, limited by and including,
  • The two parallel lines extending from and perpendicular to the end line, with the outer edge 0.9 metre from the inner edge of the side lines.
  • An arc of radius 6.75 metre 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 midpoint of the end line is 1.575 metre and the arc is joined to the parallel lines. 
• No-charge semi-circle areas: The no-charge semi-circle lines are part of the no-charge semi circle areas which are marked on the playing court limited by,
  • A semi-circle with the radius of 1.25 metre 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 two parallel lines perpendicular to the end lines, the inner edge 1.25 metre from the point on the floor beneath the exact centre of the basket, 0.375 metre in length and ending 1.2 metre from the inner edge of the end line. 
• Restricted Area: The restricted area is a rectangular area marked in each half of the playing court limited by the end lines, the extended free-throw lines and the lines which originate at the end lines, their outer edges being 2.45 metre from the midpoint of the end lines and terminating at the outer edge of the extended free-throw lines. All these lines, excluding the end lines form part of the restricted area. 
• The team bench: The team bench area is marked outside the playing court which is limited by 2 lines. It has 16 seats available for the team personnel who consist of coaches, assistant coaches, substitutes, excluded players and accompanying delegation members.  
• Scorer’s table: The scorer’s table area is marked outside the playing court near the centre line which divides the court into two equal halves. Generally, the personnel seated on the table are limited to shot clock operator, timer, scorer and assistant scorer.

Basket: The specifications are as follows.

• The basket or hoop has a net around its circumference which is of 18 inch diameter, firmly hung horizontally from a rectangular backboard.
• The rectangular backboard (generally flat & transparent for better visibility) is of 3.5 feet height and 6 feet width. The backboard is marked with a 2 inch white rectangle (24 inch by 18 inch) centred behind the basket. 
• The cord net is 15 inch to 18 inch in length and the cord of the net should not have less than 30 threads and not more than 120 threads.
• The rim of the hoop is 10 feet above the ground.     

Ball: The specifications are as follows,

• Basketball is an orange coloured and rough textured spherical ball with black contours usually made of leather or composite tough materials.
• For international play, the size of the basketball is 30.7 inch circumference for the men’s game and 29 inch circumference for the women’s game. 
• The basketball is inflated to a pressure of 7.5-8.5 PSI.

Other equipment: The other equipment used for convenience is, 

• Game clock that makes a beep at the end of each period 
• Bordering lights on the backboards that light up and indicate that a period is about to end
• Adequate lighting system set up for indoor games

A total of 12 player’s form the squad with 5 players from each team allowed being a part of the playing court which may be substituted. The substitution can be made either by the official who allows the substitute to enter the playing court or after a request is made by the substitute to the scorer during a time-out/interval of play.

• The game is split into four equal quarters of 10 minutes each and the total duration of the match is 40 minutes. If the score is tied at the end of the 4th period, the game continues with as many extra time periods of 5 minutes as necessary to break the tie. 
• After first & third quarters, a two minute break interval is allowed while after the second quarter, a 15 minute half-time interval break is allowed. Apart from that, depending upon the various governing bodies, time outs are also allowed to the teams during the game.
• Ends are changed after half time interval. In case the match reaches the extra time period, the teams continue to play towards the same baskets as in the 4th period.

• The play starts with a jump ball wherein, the official tosses the ball in the centre circle between any two opponents at the beginning of the first period. 
• Each jumper stands within the half of the centre circle nearest to his basket with one foot close to the centre line. 
• All other periods begin when the ball is at disposal of the player taking the throw-in.

To score a basket in basketball, the ball must pass through the hoop from above. The shot has to originate from somewhere on the playing area and if the ball does not pass completely through the hoop, no points are counted. The scoring for a successful basket is done as follows:

• Three-Point shot: Any basket from a shot taken from outside the three-point line during the game counts for three points.
• Two-Point shot: Any basket from a shot taken from inside the three-point line during the game counts for two points.
• One-Point shot/Free Throw: Each free throw made counts as one point.

There are six common faults that a player can commit in the game of basketball. The penalty of a foul is that the opponent’s team player is given free throw-in depending upon the position on the playing court where the foul is committed. The player is asked to leave the game in case he/she commits 5 fouls during the play and has to be substituted within 30 seconds. The various fouls are explained as follows:

• Personal fouls: The personal foul occurs in case of any illegal physical contact which might be hitting, pushing, slapping, holding or illegal picking. 
• Charging: It is an offensive foul that is committed when a player pushes or runs over a defensive player. 
• Blocking: Blocking is illegal personal contact resulting from a defender not establishing position in time to prevent an opponent’s drive to the basket.
• Flagrant foul: This kind of foul occurs when there is violent contact with the opponent which might be hitting, kicking or punching.
• Intentional foul: It is a judgemental call given by the officials, in case, a player makes a physical contact with another player with no reasonable effort to steal the ball.
• Technical foul: The technical foul is more related to the ‘manners’ in which the game is played instead of any physical contact among the players. This foul brings coaches as well in its preview and is generally given in case of foul language, obscenity, obscene gestures or even arguing with the match officials.

The various violations are explained as follows:

• Walking/Travelling: The player commits a travelling violation if he/she takes a step and a half without dribbling the ball. In other words, a player moving his/her pivot foot once he/she has stopped dribbling is travelling.
• Carrying/Palming: This violation occurs when a player dribbles the ball with his/her hand too far to the side of or, sometimes, even under the ball.
• Double Dribble: Double dribbling violation occurs when the player dribbles with both hands on the ball at the same time or picks up the dribble & then starts to dribble again. 
• Held ball: In certain cases, two or more players gain possession of the ball at the same time and to avoid any tussle between the players, the referee awards the ball to one team or the other on rotational basis. 
• Goaltending: This violation occurs if a defensive player interferes with a shot while it is on the way down/up toward the basket or while it is in the cylinder above the rim. In case the violation is committed by the offensive player, the ball is awarded to the opponent for a throw-in.   
• Backcourt violation: This violation occurs if once the ball is brought across the mid-court line and it is passed back across the mid court line. 
• Time restrictions: A player passing the ball inbounds has 5 seconds to pass the ball and in case he/she is not able to pass within the time then the ball is awarded to the opponent. Other time restriction rule includes that the player can not possess the ball for more than 5 seconds when being closely guarded. Also, once a team has possession of the ball they have 24/30 seconds (men/women) to shoot the ball. Also, a player cannot remain in the opponent’s restricted area for more than 3 consecutive seconds when his/her team has control over the ball.

The penalties awarded for committing the personal fouls are as follows:

• Two free throws are awarded to the player if he/she gets fouled while taking a shot and the shot doesn’t goes in. In case the shot goes in, then one free throw is awarded to the player.
• Three free throws are awarded to the player is he/she is fouled while shooting from a three-point goal area and the ball does not goes in. In case the shot goes in, then one free throw is awarded to the player.
• Inbounds – In case the player is fouled while he/she is not shooting, the ball is given to the team on which the foul was committed upon and they get 5 seconds to pass the ball onto the court from the nearest side line or baseline.

The designated match officials for the game of basketball are as follows:

• Crew Chief
• Officials/Umpires/Referees
• Scorer & Assistant scorer 
• Timer
• Shot clock operator

Dot Drills

Hop & Sprint Drill

Ball around Body Drill

Basic Dribble Drill

Body Dribble Drill

High & Low Dribble Drill

Front & Back Dribble Drill

Weave & Dribble Drill

Cone Dribble Drill

Figure 8 Dribble Drill

Crossover Dribble Drill

Group Dribble Drill

Chest Pass Drill

Bounce Pass Drill

Overhead Pass Drill

Pair Passing Drill

Weaving Drill

Monkey Drill

Passing through Ring Drill

Pass till Drop Drill

Wall Shooting Drill

Arc Shooting Drill

3 Point Line Shooting Drill

Pair Shooting Drill

Half Court Shooting Drill

Lay Up Drill

Catch the Ball Drill

Wall Rebounds Drill

Huddle Drill

Backboard Taps Drill

Box Out Rebounding Drill

Mirror Drill

Closed Defending Drill

Defensive Turnover Drill

Ball-Player-Positioning Drill

Jump Block Drill