How Basketball will be played at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

Basketball at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics; the balls features

The Basketball Sport at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics will use a ball made of leather panels and will weigh between 0.6 to 0.65 kilograms (600 to 650 grams). This ball will have a diameter of about 24.2 cm and a circumference of 76 cm. This circular ball is almost similar to that of Associate Football; Soccer. However, except for the shape of the ball, the similarities with soccer end there. Unlike football that is played by hitting and kicking the ball, no such actions will not be allowed at the Olympics and hence no using of ones feet to hit the ball for whatever reasons. In Rio 2016, basketball players will only be allowed to pass the ball using the hands to throw and bounce. Just like Handball, Rugby and Water polo, only hands will be allowed to pass the ball from one player to the other.

However, unlike rugby, a basketball player will not be allowed to run with the ball but instead dribble it and passes it to the next player. A player will only be allowed to take two steps when in possession of the ball then passes it to the next person. If the player wants to move with ball more than the two steps, then such a player will need to bounce the ball on the ground as he or she moves fast; this is known as dribbling.

Basketball at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics; players organization and role

A basketball match is played by five players for each of the competing side in court or a pitch that measures 28 meters by 15 meters. Each of the five players has a role in the team and names attached to each of the positions.

Forwards are either power forwards or small forwards. The power forwards for the different teams participating in the basketball sport will be some of the teams’ strongest players and they will have a role and responsibilities of rebounds and defense of their side. On the other hand the small forwards will not be small literally since they need to be the tall and agile, a critical physical feature if they are to play their role of putting the ball in the basket as precise as possible.

Besides the height and agility, the small forwards will need to be focused as this is skill required if they are to shoot as accurately as possible. Besides the forwards, the teams will also have a shooting guard, whole role will be to score the goals; baskets. Not everyone ca be a shooting guard, such a basketball player needs to be precise and accurate in the shootings, he or she is actually the team’s marksman or markswoman.

The basketball teams qualified for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics must have at least one tall player, taller than the rest of the teammates whose role is play at the center and is known as the center player and with the role of defending the team. No basketball team can succeed in a basketball match if they luck the player who is like the brain of the entire team. Such a player is the point guard, and he or she ensures that the team is organized especially during an attack. The point guard is the team’s brains and wits, no team can survive without such a person.

Basketball at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics; how the match will be played

Goals or baskets as they are referred to, will be awarded when a player passes the ball in the hoop of the opponent’s side but unlike soccer, all goals or baskets will not be equal. The baskets will get their score or points according to where they were scored from.

As such, what is known in associate football as penalty will be referred to as free throw in the Rio games. This will be a shot towards the offending team’s basket when a foul is committed and any score resulting from such a throw will give the shooting team a single point. The Rio’s Carioca one and Youth Arena; where the basketball pitches be located will have a three-point line and when a score results from a ball thrown from outside that circle, three points will be awarded with 2 points awarded for baskets scored from a throw within the circle.

Besides, there is time limit of how long a player can stay with the ball with the attackers not allowed to possess the ball for more than 3 seconds. Players are not allowed to make body contact with the opponents’ players either in attack or defense. In basketball especially in competitive games like the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, each of the team will be allowed 24 seconds before shooting the ball.

Each of the matches will start at the center circle going either side. The start is usually an upward throw of the ball and the first player to take hold by snatching ball has the honors of attacking and shooting it towards the opposite sides baskets. Length of a Summer Olympics match will be 10 minutes for four periods all come to a total of 40 minutes and each of these 10 minutes period is known as a quarter.

We will definitely experience and see a lot of alley loops; the passes that will be thrown towards the opponents baskets with one of the attacking players jumping and catching the ball in the midair and slam ducks before he or she hits the floor and I can tell you this will be thrilling. What about air balls; these are the balls that be shot but fail to even touch the basket’s ring and miss the backboard all together.

Michael Jordan as he goes for a slam dunk in an NBA match

This photo is credited to Steve Lipofsky at basketballphoto.com

The basketball players are thrilling, just witness them move fast and quick with deliberate intentions of losing their tail and get an opportunity to shot and score a basket in what is known as the cut. I can tell you, there is no way you going to miss such thrilling moments that will remain with you all forever. I still remember the USA’s dream team made of Michael Jordan and Magic Jonson among other NBA professional players. Their action in the Barcelona’s 1992 Summer Olympics remain vividly glued to my mind as I recall with nostalgia their cuts, alley loops and oh the misses of the air balls and I wish I could sit down and paint such moments for posterity. This is the reason why you cannot miss the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics basketball matches, either by going to Rio or by watching on your telly.