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Basketball Game Clock

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Table of Contents

  • Game Clock
  • NBA Game Clock
  • College Basketball Game Clock
  • Buzzer Beaters
  • Game Clock Stops
  • Game Clock in Overtime
  • FAQ

Game Clock

The game clock in basketball keeps track of the amount of time left in the current half or quarter during a game. The game clock differs between the NBA, NCAA, and other leagues. The NCAA plays two 20-minute halves while the NBA plays four 12-minute quarters. The game clock is the official clock used for all games and is displayed on the scoreboard. The game clock is mainly stopped for fouls, timeouts, and injuries.

NBA Game Clock

In an NBA game, there are four quarters that each last 12 minutes. This makes the total duration of an NBA game 48 minutes long. The game clock will start with 12 minutes on the clock and tick until it reaches zero.  Once the clock reaches zero, the quarter ends. It will reset to 12 minutes for the next quarter.

College Basketball Game Clock

In college basketball, there are two halves, each lasting 20 minutes. With only 40 minutes of total game time, this differs from the game clock in the NBA. However, the rules surrounding the game clock and stoppages remain the same. The game clock starts and ticks until it reaches zero. Once the clock reaches zero, the half ends. An NCAA game clock starts at 20 minutes and ends at zero for each half.

Buzzer Beaters

A buzzer-beater is when a player makes a basket while the game clock hits zero. Usually, the term buzzer-beater is in reference to a game-winning shot, but you can also hit a buzzer-beater at the end of a half or quarter. As long as the ball leaves a player's hands before the game clock reaches zero, the basket will count if it is made. Buzzer beaters are rare, but when they happen in a game, they are exciting for fans and players.

Game Clock Stops

As mentioned above, the game clock always ticks, but it will temporarily stop when the ball is declared dead by a referee. Here are some of the reasons the game clock stops:

  • A foul or violation is assessed
  • A player is injured
  • The ball is carried or thrown out of bounds
  • A timeout is called
  • During free throws
  • A referee stops play for video review or to fix the game clock
  • After a made basket in the last minute of the second half or overtime (NCAA) or the last two minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime (NBA)

Once the ball is put back into play with a jump ball or throw-in, the game clock starts ticking again. The game clock starts once a player touches the basketball. It does not stop unless there is another stoppage of play. The game clock in the stadium is the same as the clock on television broadcasts. This can often lead to technical difficulties between the clock on tv and in the stadium.

Game Clock in Overtime

In basketball, the time put on the game clock for overtime differs from regulation time. In both the NBA and NCAA, the game clock is set for a single five-minute overtime period. In high school basketball, overtime is usually four minutes. However, if the score is still tied after the first overtime period, additional overtime periods will be added until a winner is decided. This can significantly increase the length of a basketball game. The rules for stopping the game clock in overtime are the same as in the fourth quarter of NBA games or the second half of NCAA basketball games. 

FAQ

When does the game clock stop in basketball?

The game clock stops whenever a foul is called, an injury occurs, the ball goes out of bounds, during free throws, and for timeouts. In the NCAA and the NBA, the game clock also stops after a basket is made during the last two minutes of the fourth quarter, the last minute of the second half, or during any overtime periods. In each of these instances, the referee stops the clock and gameplay by blowing their whistle.

Does the game clock stop after a made basket in basketball?

In NCAA basketball, the game clock only stops after a made basket during the last minute of the second half or during an overtime period. In an NBA game, the game clock only stops after a basket is made during the last two minutes of the fourth quarter or during any overtime periods. In high school basketball, there are no similar rules regarding made baskets and stoppage of the game clock.

How long is the game clock in basketball?

The length of a game clock depends on which basketball league the current teams are playing in. For an NCAA basketball game, the game clock has two halves, each consisting of 20 minutes. For an NBA game, the game clock has four quarters, each consisting of 12 minutes. In high school basketball, the length of the game clock can vary by league and location, but each quarter is typically 8 minutes long. The length of a game will be longer than the time on a game clock due to stoppages and breaks between play periods.

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Pages Related to Basketball Game Clock

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RULE NO. 5: Scoring and Timing

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Scoring

Timing

End of Period

Tie Score – Overtime

Stoppage of Timing Devices

Timeouts – Mandatory/Team

Timeout Requests

Time-In

 

 

Section I—Scoring

  1. A legal field goal or free throw attempt shall be scored when a ball from the playing area enters the basket from above and remains in or passes through the net.
  2. A successful field goal attempt from the area on or inside the three-point field goal line shall count two points.
  3. A successful field goal attempt from the area outside the three-point field goal line shall count three points.
    1. The shooter must have at least one foot on the floor outside the three-point field goal line prior to the attempt.
    2. The shooter may not be touching the floor on or inside the three-point field goal line.
    3. The shooter may contact the three-point field goal line, or land in the two-point field goal area, after the ball is released.
  4. A field goal accidentally scored in an opponent’s basket shall be added to the opponent’s score, credited to the opposing player nearest the player whose actions caused the ball to enter the basket.
  5. It is a violation for a player to attempt a field goal at an opponent’s basket. The opposing team will be awarded the ball at the free throw line extended.
  6. A successful free throw attempt shall count one point.
  7. An unsuccessful free throw attempt which is tapped into the basket shall count two points and shall be credited to the player who tapped the ball in.
  8. If there is a discrepancy in the score and it cannot be resolved, the running score shall be official.

Section II—Timing

  1. All periods of regulation play in the NBA will be twelve minutes.
  2. All overtime periods of play will be five minutes.
  3. Fifteen minutes will be permitted between halves of all games.
  4. 2:30 will be permitted between the first and second periods, the third and fourth periods and before any overtime period during local games.  For national TV games 3:30 will be permitted between the first and second periods, the third and fourth periods and 2:30 before any overtime period.
  5. A team is permitted a total of 30 seconds to replace a disqualified player.
  6. The game is considered to be in the two-minute part when the game clock shows 2:00 or less time remaining in the period.
  7. The publicaddress operator is required to announce that there are two minutes remaining in each period.
  8. The game clock shall be equipped to show tenths-of-a-second during the last minute of each period.

 

Section III—End of Period

  1. Each period ends when time expires.
    1.  EXCEPTIONS:
      1. If a field goal attempt is in flight toward the basket, the period ends when the goal is made, missed or touched by an offensive player.
      2. If the official’s whistle sounds prior to :00.0 on the clock, the period is not over and time must be added to the clock.
      3. If a field goal attempt is in flight toward the basket when the horn sounds ending a period, and it subsequently is touched by: (a) a defensive player, the goal, if successful, shall count; or (b) an offensive player, the period has ended.
      4. If a timeout request is made as time expires for a period, the period ends and the timeout shall not be granted.
      5. If there is a foul called on or by a player in the act of shooting the period will end after the foul is penalized (See Rule 13—II—b(ii)).
  2. If the ball is dead and the game clock shows :00.0, the period has ended even though the horn may not have sounded.
    1. EXCEPTION: See Rule 13—II—b(ii)

 

Section IV—Tie Score—Overtime

If the score is tied at the end of the fourth period, play shall resume in 2:30 without change of baskets for any of the overtime periods required.

 

Section V—Stoppage of Timing Devices

  1. The timing devices shall be stopped whenever the official’s whistle sounds.
  2. The timing devices shall be stopped:
    1. During the last minute of the first, second and third periods following a successful field goal attempt.
    2. During the last two minutes of regulation play and/or last two minutes of over- time(s) following a successful field goal attempt.
  3. Officials may not use official time to permit a player to change or repair equipment.

 

Section VI—Timeouts – Mandatory/Team

  1. Each team is entitled to seven (7) charged timeouts during regulation play. Each team is limited to no more than four (4) timeouts in the fourth period. Each team will be limited to two (2) team timeouts after the later of (i) the three-minute mark of the fourth period or (ii) the  conclusion of the  second mandatory timeout of the fourth period.
  2. In overtime periods, each team shall be allowed two (2) team timeouts.
  3. There must be two mandatory timeouts in each period.
    1. If neither team has taken a timeout prior to 6:59 of the period, it shall be mandatory for the Official Scorer to take it at the first dead ball and charge it to the home team. If no subsequent timeouts are taken prior to 2:59, it shall be mandatory for the Official Scorer to take it and charge it to the team not previously charged.
    2. The Official Scorer shall notify a team when it has been charged with a mandatory time-out.
    3. Mandatory timeouts shall be 2:45 for local games and 3:15 for national games.  Any additional team timeouts in a period beyond those which are mandatory shall be 1:15.
    4. No mandatory timeout may be charged during an official’s suspension-of-play.
      1. EXCEPTION: Suspension-of-play for Infection Control. See Comments on the Rules—N
  4. A request for a timeout by a player in the game or the head coach shall be granted only when the ball is dead or in control of a player on the team making the request. A request at any other time shall be ignored.
  5. During a timeout, all substitutions are legal for both teams.
  6. This rule may be used for any reason, including a request for a rule If the correction is sustained, no timeout shall be charged.
  7. If a timeout is charged to the offensive team during the last two minutes of the fourth period and/or last two minutes of any overtime period and (1) the ball is out-of-bounds in the backcourt (except for a suspension of play after the team had advanced the ball), or (2) after securing the ball from a rebound in the backcourt and prior to any advance of the ball, or (3) after the offensive team secures the ball from a change of possession in the backcourt and prior to any advance of the ball, the timeout should be granted. Upon resumption of play, the team granted the timeout shall have the option of putting the ball into play at the 28’ hash mark in the frontcourt or at the designated spot out-of-bounds. If the ball is put into play at the hash mark, the ball may be passed into either the frontcourt or If it is passed into the backcourt, the team will receive a new 8-second count.   However, once the ball is (1) thrown in from out-of-bounds, or (2) dribbled or passed after receiving it from a rebound or a change of possession, the timeout shall be granted, and, upon resumption of play, the ball shall be in-bounded on the sideline where play was interrupted. In order for the option to be available following these conditions, a second timeout must be granted to the offensive team.  The time on the game clock and the shot clock shall remain as when the timeout was called.
  8. A timeout shall not be granted to the defensive team during an official’s suspension- of-play.
    1. EXCEPTION: Suspension of play for Infection Control. See Comments on the Rules-N.
  9. If a player is injured as a result of a player on the opposing team committing a flagrant foul or unsportsmanlike act, play will resume when playing conditions are safe and no timeout will be charged, unless a mandatory is due, as a result of any delay due to the player’s injury.
  10. If a team calls a timeout because one of its players is injured and, at the expiration of the timeout play is unable to resume due to that player ’s injury, play will resume when playing conditions are safe.
  11. Requests for a timeout in excess of those available to the team at that point in the game (as set forth in subsection (a)) shall be granted and a technical foul shall be Following the timeout, the ball will be awarded to the opposing team and play shall resume with a throw-in nearest the spot where play was interrupted.
  12. If a team has no timeouts remaining and a player is injured and cannot be removed from the playing court during a stoppage of play, no excessive timeout will be charged and play will resume when playing conditions are safe.

 

Section VII—Timeout Requests

  1. If an official, upon receiving a timeout request by the defensive team, inadvertently signals while the play is in progress, play shall be suspended and the team in possession shall put the ball in play immediately at the sideline nearest where the ball was when the signal was given. The game and shot clock shall remain the same.
  2. If an official, upon receiving a timeout request from the defensive team, inadvertently signals for a timeout during the act of shooting but prior to the release of the ball on:
    1. a successful field goal or free throw attempt, the point(s) shall be scored.
    2. an unsuccessful field goal attempt, the offensive team shall put the ball in play immediately at the sideline nearest where the ball was when the signal was given.
    3. an unsuccessful free throw attempt, the official shall rule disconcerting and award a substitute free throw.
  3. If an official, upon receiving a timeout request, inadvertently signals for a timeout:
    1. after the ball is released during a successful field goal or free throw attempt, the points shall be scored.
    2. while the ball is loose or after the ball is released during an unsuccessful field goal or free throw attempt which will remain in play, play shall be resumed with a jump ball at the center circle between any two opponents in the game.
  4. When a team is granted a timeout, play shall not resume until the Time-out Clock has expired. The throw-in shall be nearest the spot where play was suspended. The throw-in shall be on the sideline, if the ball was in play when the request was granted.
  5. A player shall not be granted any timeout if both of his feet are in the air and any part of his body has broken the vertical plane of the boundary line. This rule also applies to the midcourt line except during throw-ins in the last two minutes of the fourth or last two minutes of any overtime period.
  6. A timeout can be granted only at the time of the request.

 

Section VIII—Time-In

  1. After time has been out, the game clock shall be started:
    1. On a free throw that is unsuccessful and the ball continues in play, the game clock shall be started when the missed free throw is legally touched by any player.
    2. If play is resumed by a throw-in from out-of-bounds, the game clock shall be started when the ball is legally touched by any player within the playing area of the court.
    3. If play is resumed with a jump ball, the game clock shall be started when the ball is legally tapped.

how long is a half in basketball, how many quarters are there in a basketball game

Oleg Panasyuk

Time in basketball is the most important factor in the control of the match, both by referees and teams. It is divided by the time of the segments, the time for the team to attack, controls various rules: from throwing the ball from outside the court to the time spent in certain zones.

But the most important element of the game is the time of the match itself: the division of the game into segments. This component may differ from league to league, depending on their regulations.

How many quarters are there in basketball? How long is a quarter in basketball? How are they different from timings?

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A quarter in basketball: what is the difference from a half

According to the rules of the International Amateur Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), matches are divided into quarters - segments that divide the match into equal parts. Previously, matches under the auspices of FIBA ​​consisted of 2 halves (two halves) of 20 minutes of pure playing time, but since 2000 there have been changes in the rules.

According to the new rules adopted in 2000, the match consists of quarters of 10 minutes of pure time each (in the NBA - of quarters of 12 minutes).

The only ones who keep the rule of dividing the match into halves are American students - NCAA.

Basketball game duration and timing

The total duration of basketball games may vary. According to the rules of basketball matches, time stops after the whistle of the referee (stopping the game) and the ball leaving the court. This is called net match time. The net time of matches under the auspices of FIBA ​​is 40 minutes. Under the auspices of the NBA - 48 minutes.

In case of a tie at the end of the regular time of the game, extra time is assigned - overtime. Overtimes are played until the winner of the meeting is determined - their number is not limited by the rules. Each overtime consists of 5 minutes of pure time.

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How many quarters are there in a basketball game

There are 4 quarters in a basketball game. FIBA - 4 quarters of 10 minutes. NBA - 4 quarters of 12 minutes.

How long is a half in basketball

A half is considered to be half of a basketball match without breaks between parts of the half. A half consists of 20 minutes of playing time. Previously, a basketball game consisted of two halves, each lasting 20 minutes. Now in this format they play in the US student league.

How long is the fourth quarter

Unlike the 20-minute halves, the quarter is shorter in time. For example, the fourth quarter of a basketball game lasts 10 or 12 minutes (depending on federation rules). A quarter can drag on for 20, 30 or more minutes. This is explained by the fact that at the end of the meeting, the team that concedes (with a slight difference in the score) can use the tactics of deliberate fouls. The meaning of the tactic is that the team that is inferior in the score begins to violate the rules against the opponent's players, trying to provoke the latter to miss free throws.

How long is a break in basketball

The longest break in basketball is between the second and third quarters (between halves of a basketball game) — 15 minutes. After a long break, the teams change half of the court. Between the rest of the segments, basketball players rest for two minutes.

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Basketball - Change

Basketball (English basket - basket, ball - ball) is a sports team game with a ball. Basketball is played by two teams, each consisting of five players. The goal of each team is to throw the ball with their hands into the opponent's net ring (basket) and prevent the other team from taking possession of the ball and throwing it into their own basket. The team with the most points wins the match.
Basketball has been included in the program of the Olympic Games since 1936 years old.
Basketball came to Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1923, the first official basketball rules were published in the USSR.
Basketball is currently very popular due to its spectacle and unpredictability, it is played both at the Olympics and in courts around the world.
Basketball is the best ball game!!!
Currently, basketball is one of the most popular sports. The number of officially registered players worldwide exceeds 200 million people. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in 2002 included 173 countries.


Regular basketball lessons improve coordination of movements, train the respiratory and circulatory organs, develop muscles, and strengthen the nervous system. In many countries of the world, basketball lessons are included in the physical training program for students in secondary schools and higher educational institutions.
Currently, over 4 million people play basketball in Russia (half of them are schoolchildren).
The Soviet (Russian) basketball school is still considered one of the strongest in the world.


Some types of basketball:


Mini basketball.
Mini-basketball is played by teams of five players each, although "reduced" teams are also allowed - up to 2ґ2. Often there are matches between mixed teams (which include both boys and girls). The game is played in four halves of 6 minutes.


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