Basketball: Basketball is played by two teams

of five players each. The purpose of each team

is to score into the opponents' basket and to

prevent the other team from securing the ball

or scoring. The ball may be passed, thrown,

tapped, rolled or dribbled in any direction,

subject to the restrictions laid down in the

rules of basketball.

In basketball, the ball is played with the

hands. It is a violation to run with the ball,

kick it or strike it with the fist. Kicking the

ball means striking it or blocking it with the

knee, any part of the leg below the knee, or

the foot. Such action is a violation only when

it is done deliberately. To accidentally

contact or touch the ball with the foot or leg

is not a violation.

Blocking: Personal contact which impedes the

progress of an opponent.

Charging: Personal contact, with or without the

ball, by pushing or moving into an opponent's

torso.

Dribble: A dribble STARTS when a player, having

gained control of the ball, throws, taps or

rolls it on the floor and touches it again

before it touches another player. The dribble

is COMPLETED the instant the player touches the

ball simultaneously with both hands or permits

the ball to come to rest in one or both hands.

There is no limit to the number of steps a

player may take when the ball is not in contact

with his/her hand.

A player shall not dribble a second time after

her/his first dribble has ended, unless it is

after s/he has lost control because of:

a. A shot for the goal,

b. A tap by an opponent, or:

c. A pass or fumble that has then touched or

been touched by another player.

Guarding From The Rear: Personal contact with

an opponent by a defensive player from behind

the opponent. The mere fact that the defensive

player is attempting to play the ball does not

justify his/her making contact with an

opponent.

Handchecking: The action by a defensive player

in a guarding situation where the hand(s) are

used to contact an opponent to either impede

his progress or to assist the defensive player

in guarding his/her opponent.

Holding: Personal contact with an opponent that

interferes with his freedom of movement. This

contact (holding) can occur with any part of

the body.

Illegal Use Of Hands: Occurs when a player

contacts an opponent with his/her hand(s) in an

attempt to play the ball. If such contact is

only with the opponent's hand while it is on

the ball, it shall be considered incidental.

Pivot: Takes place when a player who is holding

a live 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.

Pushing: Personal contact with any part of the

body that takes place when a player forcibly

moves or attempts to move an opponent who has

or does not have control of the ball.

Illegal Screening: An attempt to illegally

delay or prevent an opponent who does not

control the ball from reaching a desired

position on the playing court.

A player shall not throw the ball against a

backboard and touch it again before it touches

another player unless, in the opinion of the

Official, it was a shot.

Travel Rule: Traveling or progressing with the

ball (inside the playing court), is the moving

of one or both feet in any direction while

holding the ball.