BASKETBALL
TERMENOLOGIES
CHRISTINE PALACIO OSTOS
ALJAY ABEJARON

TERMS AND DEFINITION
AIR BALL:
This is an unblocked shot that
does not touch the board or
the hoop. The shot clock does
not get reset once this shot is
played, unlike a normal shot.

AIR PASS:
A direct pass to a receiver that does
not touch the ground.
ASSIST:
A pass to a teammate that results in a
successful shot immediately after one
dribble.

BACKCOURT VIOLATION:
The backcourt is the half of the court that
belongs to the team that is attacking. If the
ball reaches the frontcourt and is then
taken to the backcourt it is a violation. Also,
if the ball is not taken out of the backcourt
within 8 seconds, it is considered a
violation in the NBA.

BANK SHOT:
A shot that hits the board before
going through the basket.
Also known as the end-line, this is
the line that marks the boundary of
the court on either end where the
basket is present.
BASE LINE:

BLOCK:
To get a hand to a shot which
results in the shot not going
through the basket.
BOUNCE PASS:
A pass that reaches a teammate
after bouncing on the ground.

DRIBBLE
To bounce the ball while
moving.
DOUBLE DRIBBLE
A violation where the
player dribbles the ball
using both hands.

DUNK
A trademark basketball
move where the player
jumps high enough to reach
above the basket, and then
slams the ball into the
basket with either one hand,
or both hands.

FREE THROW
The chance to score one point, via an
unopposed throw from the free throw
line. A free throw is the direct result of
a foul while the other player is
shooting. Depending on the location
of the shooter, he will either get 2 free
throws, or 3 free throws.

REBOUND
To collect the ball after a player has
taken an unsuccessful shot. The
rebound can be collected by the
attacking team or the defending team.
JUMPSHOT
A shot that is taken while
jumping on one spot.

SHOT CLOCK
24 seconds is the amount of
time a team must take to
make the ball touch the
basket or to score. If the team
is unable to do so within 24
seconds, the shot clock is said
to run out.

TRAVEL
To move one’s pivot foot while
making a pass.
LAY UP
A shot that is taken while the player is
running, in order to get as close to the
basket as possible.

HALF TIME
The period of rest between the
two halves of the game.
SHOT CLOCK
24 seconds is the amount of time
a team must take to make the
ball touch the basket or to score.
If the team is unable to do so
within 24 seconds, the shot clock
is said to run out.

OFFENSIVE FOUL
A foul committed by a player belonging to
the team that is attacking, and is attempting
to score.
TECHNICAL FOUL:
A serious foul committed by a team, after
which the fouled player gets a free throw
and the fouled team gets to keep
possession whether the player makes the
shot or not.

CENTER
The center, or the
centre, also known
as the five or the
pivot, is one of the
five positions in a
regulation basketball
game.

PIVOT FOOT
In the simplest terms
possible, the pivot foot is
the foot that remains in
contact with the floor while
a player controls the ball
while stopped.

SCREEN
A screen is a blocking
move by an offensive
player in which they
stand beside or behind a
defender in order to free
a teammate to either
shoot a pass or drive in
to score.

TURNOVER
In basketball, a turnover
occurs when a team
loses possession of the
ball to the opposing
team before a player
takes a shot at their
team's basket.

VIOLATION
A violation in
basketball is called
on any player who
breaks or violates a
rule of the game
defined in the league
rulebook.

POINT GUARD
The point guard
(PG),also known as
the one, is typically
the team's shortest
player and best ball
handler and passer.

SHOOTING GUARD
The shooting guard
(SG)— also known as
the two or the off
guard— is, along with
the small forward, often
referred to as a wing
because of its use in
common positioning
tactics.

POWER FORWARD
The power forward
(PF), also known as
the four, often plays
a role similar to that
of the center, down
in the "post" or "low
blocks".

SMALL FORWARD
Small forwards are
responsible for scoring
points and defending,
and often are
secondary or tertiary
rebounders behind the
power forward and
center.

FAST BREAK
In a fast break, a team
attempts to move the
ball up court and into
scoring position as
quickly as possible, so
that the defense is
outnumbered and does
not have time to set up.

SLAM DUNK
A slam dunk, also simply
known as dunk, is a type of
basketball shot that is
performed when a player
jumps in the air, controls the
ball above the horizontal
plane of the rim, and scores
by shoving the ball directly
through the basket with one
or both hands

BACK BOARD
It is a raised
vertical board with
an attached basket
consisting of a net
suspended from a
hoop.

ALLEY-OOP
An alley-oop in basketball
is an offensive play in
which one player passes
the ball near the basket to
a teammate who jumps,
catches the ball in mid-air
and dunks or lays it in
before touching the
ground.

JUMP BALL
A jump ball is a
method used
to begin or
resume play in
basketball.

FIELD GOAL
In basketball,
a field goal is
any shot taken
from the court
during play.

ZONE DEFENSE
Zone defense is a type of
defense, used in team sports,
which is the alternative to
man-to-man defense; instead
of each player guarding a
corresponding player on the
other team, each defensive
player is given an area to
cover.

PERSONAL FOUL
In basketball, a
personal foul is a
breach of the rules
that concerns illegal
personal contact with
an opponent.

CHARGING
Charging is a type of
personal foul that occurs
when a player with the
ball runs into an
opponent while making
no attempt to stop
and/or change direction.

THANK YOU
AND
GOD BLESS!!