DEFINITIONS

Status of the Ball

• The ball can either be live or dead.

Live Ball

The ball becomes live when:

• During the jump ball the ball leaves the hand of the referee on the toss.
• When the ball is at the disposal of the free throw shooter.
• When the ball is at the disposal of the player taking a throw in.

Dead Ball

The ball becomes dead when:

• A free throw or basket is made.
• An official blows his/her whistle when the ball is live.
• The game clock sounds to end a period.
• The shot clock sounds while a team is in control of the ball.

Jump Ball/Held Ball

• A jump ball occurs when an official tosses the ball in the centre circle between any two opponents at the beginning of the first quarter.

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• A held ball occurs when one or more players from opposing teams have one, or both hands firmly on the ball so that neither player can gain control without undue roughness.

Alternating Possession

• Alternating possession is a method of causing the ball to become live with a throw-in rather than a jump ball.

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Control of the Ball

• Team control starts when a player of that team is in control of a live ball by holding or dribbling it, or has a live ball at his/her disposal.

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• Team control continues when a player of that team is in control of a live ball or the ball is being passed between team mates.

Control of the Ball Cont’d

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Team control ends when:

• An opponent gains control.

• The ball becomes dead.

• The ball has left the player’s hand on a shot.

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�Pivot

• A pivot is the legal movement in which a player who is holding the ball, steps once or more than once in any direction with the same foot, while the other foot, called the pivot foot, is kept at its point of contact with the floor.

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Front Court Status

• Player has both feet and the ball in the front court.

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Back Court Status

• Player has both feet and the ball in the back court, or touching the mid court line.

Screening

• Screening is an attempt to delay or prevent an opponent without the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court.

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Violation

• A violation is an infraction of the rules that is penalized by awarding the ball to the opponents for a throw in from out-of-bounds at the place nearest to where the infraction took place.

Point of Interruption

• The status of the ball when the official blows his/her whistle to stop the game. Used to determine possession after double fouls, technical fouls, double free throw violations, etc.

Foul

• An infraction of the rules involving illegal personal contact with an opponent and/or unsportsmanlike behaviour.

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Incidental Contact

• Contact that occurs unintentionally and does not hinder an opponent from participating in normal defensive, or offensive movements is considered incidental, and is not considered a foul.