How to fill out a basketball score sheet

How to Keep a Basketball Score Sheeet

How to Keep a Basketball Score Sheet

Keeping track of the score in basketball games is something that every person involved in the sport does, even if you are just an avid fan watching the match.

But basketball also includes detailed statistical categories other than the points a team compile when they successfully put the ball into the hoop. If you are tasked to be a scorekeeper, you also have to tally rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers and other important numbers essential in the rules of basketball.

This is not just one of those easy drills as the stats has to be accurate and should not include any discrepancy. If you are new to filling out a basketball stat sheet or you just want to refresh your knowledge of it, then read on as we go through the basics of basketball statistics.

Writing down the players' names and numbers

The first category to fill out consists of the names of the players and their jersey numbers, as well as the names of the coaches. You write down their names on the longest boxes you can see on the stat sheet, then place their numbers on their corresponding small boxes. The boxes for the coaches' names are usually located at the top, right beside the names of the teams. You have to be accurate in writing down their numbers because the referees will do a hand signal of a player's number when he commits a foul.

Moreover, the number printed at the back of a player's jersey is usually the largest one you can see on his uniform, making it easier for you to tally his points when he scores. In terms of the sequence of the players' names, you can list them down numerically so that you can find them on the stat sheet more quickly. After that, you should mark with an asterisk the starting line-up of each team or basically the first five players fielded in by the coaches. You can do this first category of the stat sheet by yourself, or you can ask the coaches or the managers to write them down for you.

Marking Change of Possesion on a Basketball Stat Sheet

Another important non-statistical category in basketball stat sheets is marking the change of possessions. This occurs in jump-ball situations, but there is a big difference between amateur and professional leagues. In amateur leagues, teams only jump for the ball at the start of the game and to begin an overtime period.

If there is a situation when there is a tie-up for the ball, the referees will refer to the scorekeeper to see which team will be rewarded with the possession. That is the main reason why you should be careful in marking this category. It is usually located at the top right corner of basketball stat sheets, in which you encircle the squad who won the first possession.

After that, you then just draw a line through each squad so that you would easily know who will be rewarded with the next possession.

Keeping track of team and individual player points

Now, we dive deep on most vital stat: points. It is the primary reason why we have a stat sheet in basketball. Two essential things to consider is that points are separated into two: team points and individual player points. You record team points through the Running Score section. When a player scores, you just put a slash mark in the corresponding box to keep track of teams' total points. As soon as a quarter ends, you will put the teams' total points in the Quarter Score section. After you record each made basket in the Running Score section, you then proceed to the players' points section. When a player makes a two-point basket, you just write "2" in the box. You write "3" when he successfully hits a three-pointer, then "1" for each free throw made. The individual scores are divided by the four quarters, which means that you have to record somebody's stats under the corresponding quarter.

Recording team and individual player fouls and timeouts

Yet, that is not where basketball stat sheets end. The next critical category you have to track is the fouls. Just like in the scoring section, there are team fouls and players' fouls. When a referee calls a foul, immediately record it at the teams' fouls section so that you would know if they hit the penalty situation. As for the individual fouls, you can see the boxes of the personal fouls beside the scoring section for the players. If someone commits a personal foul, put a slash mark on the "P1" box in the section. If he reaches five fouls, you have to inform the referees because it means that he has fouled out of the game and is not allowed to continue playing. You can also see the technical foul boxes in this section. Should someone be called for a technical foul, put a slash mark on the "T1" box. Bear in mind that a technical foul is also counted on the five allowed fouls for each player, and two technical fouls means that he is ejected from the game. Also, be reminded that timeouts are recorded in the stat sheet. This category is located at the Teams are usually allowed seven timeouts in games, and two timeouts for every quarter. Make sure you got this right so that coaches would know if they have already used up their allowed timeouts.

Tallying assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, turnovers and field goal attempts

Then, there are the other individual basketball stats that you have to keep track of if the tournament's committee deems it necessary. Usually, basketball stat sheets just record points and fouls under the individual categories. However, there is also the possibility that you need to mark down a player's assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, turnovers and field goal makes and misses. Today's coaches have been very mindful of these statistics as a helpful tool in figuring out the strengths, weaknesses and tendencies of their hoopers. But the thing is you cannot track all these stats alone so you have to ask help from two or three more people to watch the plays and mark down the stats.

We start with tracking each player's assists. Usually, point guards are the ones who tally the most assists but basketball has become a positionless game so everyone has the chance to dish out assists. When a player passes the ball to his teammate, who then successfully scores, you immediately mark a slash mark on the assists category of that hooper who passed the ball. Another important stat in basketball is the rebounds. Coaches would always say that a team controls games by controlling the rebounds. As the stats tracker, you have to be alert in identifying which player made the rebound, whether it be on offense or defense. Same with the assists, you just have to put a slash mark at the rebounds category and then just add it up for the total number of rebounds after the game. The next stat categories are defensive stats such as steals and blocks. These defensive stats act as excellent barometer for how players exert tremendous effort on defense, something that has been very underrated because most aspiring basketball athletes only want to score. Again, whenever a defensive player steals the ball or disrupts the passing lane and tips the ball to his teammate, put another slash mark on his corresponding steals section. On the other hand, if defensive players successfully blocks a shot from the opposing team, you just have to do the slash mark you did in the assists, rebounds and steals category. Coaches put a lot of emphasis in their squad's defense, so expect them to really dive deep in looking at their players' steals and blocks tally.

Then their are the other stats like field goal attempts and turnovers. Coaches would want to know how efficient their players are shooting the basketball, which is the main reason why you also have to tally how many times a hooper has shot the ball. Shots are divided by three sections: two-point shots, three-pointers and free throws. Also be reminded that you don't just keep track of how often a player shoots the ball. You should also mark how many times he has successfully put the basketball into the hoop. Through this, his coaches will be able to know how well he is shooting the basketball. Lastly, you also have to track players' turnovers as this is another barometer that tells how teams are executing their offensive plays during the games. When a player is handling the basketball then the defender from the opposing team steals it from him, that is automatically a tally in his turnovers count. Offensive fouls are also counted as turnovers so make sure to ask referees what kind of fouls they are calling.

How to Keep a Basketball Scorebook

Basketball scorebooks allow you to keep a complete record of a game. Utilize them to keep statistics for your team, monitor game information for the coaching staff or serve the official scorer. Track field goals, free throws, personal fouls, technical fouls, timeouts and alternating possessions for held balls in these books.

Filling Out The Roster

Start by putting in correct team information. List the players in numerical order, from the smallest number to the largest. Designate the starters by checking the appropriate box, if your scorebook has one. Make sure the information is listed accurately. Teams that give the official scorer an incorrect roster -- or fill out the official scorebook incorrectly -- can be penalized with technical free throws.

Recording Fouls

Be very sure of foul calls before recording them. If you are an official scorer or you're keeping the book on behalf of the coaching staff, ask officials for a clarification if you are not sure. The official NCAA Scorebook features the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 to the left of the player's name and a box under each numbers. Draw a line through the 1 for the first foul, a line through the 2 for the second foul and so forth. Write the time of each foul under the number, if there is space for it. Chronicle team fouls one by one in the designated area, using the number of the player charged to denote the foul. If you are keeping the book on behalf of the coaching staff, your record-keeping will be vital if there is dispute on foul totals at some point in the game.

Recording Technical Fouls

Learn the technical foul rules at your level of competition; in some cases a technical foul also counts as a personal foul. Record technical fouls in a separate area with a notation on the time, the type of technical foul and which individual received it -- unless it was a bench technical on no one person.

Tracking Time Outs

Tracking timeouts is another critical function if you're keeping the scorebook for a team. Keep a count in the space allotted and add the time of the stoppage under the notation if you can. Differentiate between a regular timeout and a 20-second timeout, if there are such things at your level.

Documenting Individual Scoring

For regular field goals, put down a 2 in the player's column for that quarter or half. For 3-point field goals, put down a 3. For a free throw attempt, put down a 0. For a made free throw attempt, put a X inside that 0. For two-shot fouls, connect the 0s with a small "v" underneath them. For one-and-one foul calls, connect the 0s with an inverted "v" on top. If a player misses the front end of the one-and-one, you would put down a 0, attach the inverted "v" on top and leave the second spot blank -- because the player did not get the second shot.

Providing Team Totals

For the team totals, add up the number of regular field goals in each quarter or half and put down that number with (2) next to it in the total box. Add up the 3-point field goals and put (3) next to that number in the total box. In the free throw column, add up the makes and misses and put those numbers in the total box. Then add up the game totals in the total boxes underneath the individual player summaries.

Recording Running Score

Keep a running score if your scorebook has an easy format for that. In the Official NCAA Scorebook, there are numbers 1 through 136 displayed for this purpose. If player makes a basket to give his team 16 points for the game, draw a line through the 16 and put the player's number under that. Record the time of the basket as well, if you want that much detail.

Although the Official NCAA Scorebook doesn't include columns for missed field goals, assists, rebounds, blocked shots and steals, you can keep those statistics too. One simple way to track missed shots is to put down a 1, 2 or 3 for each free throw, field goal and three-point shot taken. Then circle the shots that are made.

Basketball rules: protocol.

Pic. 8 Protocol

B.1 The protocol shown in Fig. 8, approved by the FIBA ​​Technical Commission.

B.2 It consists of 1 original and 3 copies on different colored paper.

Original on white paper intended for FIBA. The first copy on blue paper is for the host organization, the second copy on pink paper is for the winning team, and the last copy on yellow paper is for the losing team.

Note: 1. It is recommended that the scorer use 2 different colors of pens, one for the first and third periods and one for the second and fourth periods.

2. The protocol can be prepared and completed electronically.

B.3 Not later than 20 minutes before the start of the game the scorer must prepare the score sheet as follows:

B.3.1 He must record the names of both teams in the appropriate boxes at the top of the score sheet. Team ‘A’ is always recorded as the local team (host team) or the team listed first on the schedule (for tournaments or games played on a neutral playing ground). The other command is command 'B' .

B.3.2 Then the scorer should write down:

• Name of the competition.

• Serial number of the game.

• Date, time and place of the game.

• Names of the chief judge and judge(s).

9 Protocol header

B.3.3 Command 'A' is at the top of the protocol, and command 'B' is

at the bottom.

B.3.3.1 In the first column, the scorer must record the license number (last 3 digits) of each player. For tournaments, a player's license number is only shown for the first game of their team.

B.3.3.2 In the second column, the scorer must PRINT the name and initials of each player in jersey order, using the list of team members provided by the coach or his representative. The team captain is indicated by the entry (CAP.) immediately after his last name.

B.3.3. 3 If the team is represented by less than 12 players, the scorer must cross out the empty columns in the score sheet.

B.3.4 At the bottom of the section for each team, the scorer should enter (PRINT) the names of the team's coach and assistant coach.

B.4 Not later than 10 minutes before the start of the game both coaches must:

B.4.1 Confirm their agreement with the names and corresponding numbers of their team members.

B.4.2 Confirm the names of the coach and assistant coach.

B.4.3 Specify the 5 players who should start the game by placing a small ‘x’ next to the player’s number in the ‘Ac. in Game'.

B.4.4 Sign the protocol.

Team ‘A’ coach must be the first to provide this information.

B.5 At the start of the game the scorer must circle an ‘x’ for the 5 players of each team who start the game.