The seconds on the shot clock tick down. As you dribble down the court, you notice your teammate is wide open in the corner. You throw a high pass to them. Your teammate catches it, shoots, and you watch as the ball passes cleanly through the net. The crowd cheers. Moments like that are what make basketball so exciting. Basketball is a sport that is popular around the world. Originating in the late nineteenth century, it has really come a long way from soccer balls shot into peach baskets! The basic rules in basketball are simple: you must keep the ball bouncing, called dribbling, with your hands as you run. If you stop and move your feet without dribbling, it is called traveling, and your team loses possession of the ball. Shooting is another key part of basketball. To shoot, you must propel the ball toward the basket, with enough force and accuracy to make it through the net. The most common shooting form uses one hand under the ball and the other on the side for balance; then, you shoot mostly with the hand underneath the ball. In the NBA, the National Basketball Association, the three-point line is 23 feet away from the goal. Shots made inside this line are worth two points, while shots made beyond it are worth three. If a player gets fouled while shooting the ball, they receive free throws, which are uncontested shots from a line 15 feet from the basket. Each shot is worth one point. A foul on a shot taken inside the three-point line awards two free throws, while a foul on a shot outside the line gives three. Basketball can be fun, but it is sometimes hard to play, especially if you don't have a local court. Still, there's something exhilarating about seeing your ball swish through the net. That's why I like basketball so much.
Maverick