Introduction
Picture of Dr. James Naismith statue, he is the one who invented basketball in 1891 in Springfield
The picture is from Wikipedia
Basketball was initially an indoor sport; more of a winter game. However it has grown to become mostly a summer sport. For this reason it will feature in the 2016 Summer Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro this coming August.
But do you know why was the sport developed? Basketball was designed to keep youths busy during the long northern USA winters and this is why this sport that we love so much was invented. Basketball was a creation of a 30 years old Canadian medical doctor;Dr. James Naismith. Since its invention in the 1890s, it has evolved and nowadays it’s an outdoor sport as well as indoor one. Basketball is an indoor sport only if the weather is nasty. Basketball is one of the sports that allows for substitution, unlike hockey where substitutions are not allowed.
The basketball sport were a demonstration sport in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St Louis in USA but made their debut in the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin together with Handball. Women basketball would feature in the Summer Olympics in the 1976 Montreal Canada, home country of the sport inventor. Basketball will feature in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics for both men and women teams.
Basketball is unlike football or soccer in many aspects, firs the soccer goal is a long rectangular with a huge net at the back, but the goal used in basketball is small basket fixed on top of a post, this basket is known as the hoop. This hoop is made of a small ring measuring less than half a meter in diameter with a small net hanging on and this where the player put the ball to score varied points.
Basketball invention and the evolution of the basket or the hoop
Basketball is an invention of a 30 years old, Canadian from Ontario; Dr. James Naismith. He invented the basketball sport in the USA, Massachusetts’s; Springfield in 1891; this in the northern part of the USA. It’s therefore true to say that basketball is a fairly recent sport. In the initial stages of the sport development, peach baskets were used as the goals, first as uncut at the bottom and eventually removal of the bottom was done allowing the ball to pass smoothly and also since someone had to climb for ball retrieval after a score.
Picture of Dr. James Naismith statue holding a basketball
The picture is from Wikipedia
The hoop; this is the ring and the hanging net, was developed and the rest is history. It’s due to the use of these peach baskets that it got its name; basketball; however at the initial stage of the sport’s development it was known as duck on the rock. In fact some people suggested that the new game be known as Naismith ball, but since James Naismith was a modest man, he suggested that the new sport be known as Basketball. To carry forward the originality of the peach basket, the today’s ring is attached to a hanging net making the impression of the basket that allows the ball to fall through smoothly. This metal ring or hoop has a diameter of 45 centimeters and is located at top of a post some three and half meters from the ground. The post that has the ring or the hoop has a board attached behind it; this backboard as it known ensures the ball gets in the hoop.
Basketball fouls and penalties
Fouls are either due to technical infringement or body contacts. When a foul is due to technical infringement, a single throw by the side that did not commit the foul is allowed, however if the foul is due to body contact that was deliberate then in such a case two penalties are awarded to the offended side.
Goals in basketball are not made equal and their value in points varies depending on the position of the scorer. Goals can get the highest value of 3 points, or 2 and 1 point, all dependent on the scoring player’s position in the pitch. For example a goal scored on a normal play maybe awarded three or two points, while that scored due to a free throw like a penalty is worth only a single point.
Basketball is very fast paced game, a tactical sport that is played by strategy as opposed to body might. It requires stamina, speed, focus as well as agility. The players’ heights are of critical importance as well as such players’ ability to jump in a fast paced game being an added advantage. The strategy must be devised by the team even before a match starts. Defense in basketball can be man to or woman to woman or a team zoning defense. In team zoning defense a team defends a zone.
Basketball is governed a Geneva based federation; International Basketball Federation commonly known by its initials FIBA. FIBA which was established in 1932 is the mandated body that sets the sports standards, give guidelines of participation for national leagues like NBA or regional championships as well as multi-sporting events like 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. Let’s all meet in Rio during the 2016 Summer Olympics ad witness history being made by 24 teams from around the world as they play
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