Chapter 1 HOOP DREAMS History’s first men’s basketball game didn’t look much like modern basketball In fact the 1891 contest looked downright bizarre It involved two nine-man teams a soccer ball and two peach baskets In 1893 Smith College in Massachusetts modified the rules and organized the first women’s basketball game Those early players may not have known their game would lead to a major sport worldwide
Today basketball is a popular action-packed sport It pits two five-player teams against each another as they race against the clock Each team’s goal is to score as many points as they can by shooting the ball into the opposing team’s basket Know the Court Basketball is played both indoors and outdoors on large rectangular courts split into two halves Two baskets are located at the opposite ends of the court The basket is
sideline baseline lane throw free basket line point three baseline basket line throw free sideline usually 10 feet 3 meters high Each basket is surrounded by the three-point shooting line free throw line and the free throw lane Baselines and sidelines surround the court and determine what is out of bounds Basketball Basics To move down the court players can either pass the ball to a teammate or they can dribble the ball Once they get close enough to the basket they can try to score Players from the opposite team can try to prevent this by stealing
