How to get into the zone basketball

7 Tips To Enter The Zone In Basketball

“In basketball - as in life - true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when things are going your way. Of course, it's no accident that things are more likely to go your way when you stop worrying about whether you're going to win or lose and focus your full attention on what's happening right this moment.” Phil Jackson

This state that’s summed up so perfectly by Phil Jackson is not some elusive state that’s only tested by few elite professional basketball players who give off a sense that this is some innate talent. In more cases than not, these players consistently perform at their optimal.  Why? because they purposefully practice getting into what is known as the Flow State or as you may have heard it called, The Zone in basketball.

Some may confuse getting into the zone with memorizing the plays or spending hours of practice. Sure, this is a path that must be walked. But, where are you during these practices? Are you as Phil Jackson said; “focus your full attention on what's happening right this moment. ”  Or are you shooting hoops wondering what your friends are doing or thinking what you’re doing after practice?

“Everything just slows downs, you have supreme confidence. You get into the zone and just try and stay there. You don’t think of your surroundings. Everything becomes invisible.  You're kind of locked in”   Kobe Bryant.

The Zone is often described as the feeling of invincibility, where time slows down and the multitude of noise from the crowd, court, players all blur into one sound. This results in a razor focus on the game. Being in the zone allows the players to achieve their best performance on the court. The vast majority of Basketball players have different ways to get themselves into the zone, but very few are successfully consistent at hacking into it. The Zone is the same as what Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls ‘The Flow State’. His terminology comes from years of research on top performances from a multitude of disciplines. The word Flow was consistently used to describe how it felt when in the Zone.

Before I jump into the main part, I’m gonna explain the 8 Common elements when experiencing the flow state by Csikszentmihalyi:

1. Immediate Feedback

When you’re in the zone, your mind and body give feedback to your actions immediately. As soon as you have the opportunity to shot the ball or drive to the basket you’ll go for it directly and without hesitation. You won’t see anyone guarding you since your mind and body already knows what to do and where to go. The flow state allows you to react immediately because your mind is clear.

2. There is no fear of failure

A person in the zone won’t hesitate because he/she is afraid to fail. Other players might be better than you in shooting or they might be bigger and taller than you. These factors will put the sense of failure to others, but these won’t matter when you’re in the flow state. While you dribble the basketball, you don’t let failure get in your head, you go for it and make the basket. All the worries you have in failing will disappear in the flow state. It gives you the confidence to give your best performance.

3. Your activities becomes autotelic

Most people play basketball just because they love it. While in the zone, the more you play the more it becomes fulfilling for yourself. This fulfillment is not about fame or money but something inside us. It gives satisfaction to what you’ve worked on the basketball court and the hours you spent at practice.

4. Your concentration is at its peak

We experience distractions not only physically but also mentally. These happen a lot on the basketball court, the noise of the audience, the intimidating players, or other teams taking the lead. All of these can get in our heads and affect our concentration. In the zone, our concentration is at its peak, our focus is on our actions and winning the game. It won’t matter how good the player guarding you when you’re in the zone distraction won’t matter. Concentration allows us total awareness of our skills and actions.

5. The balance between challenge and skills

When the game is too easy, a player might not give the best of his/her abilities; if it’s too challenging his/her skill might not be enough. In the zone, you’ll experience the balance between challenge and skills. The game will not be boring and not too difficult when you’re in the zone. This will allow you to use the peak of your abilities whether it's handling the ball or guarding the other play. The balance gives you the best opportunity to have fun in playing but you take it seriously because it challenges you. Flow occurs between “too much” and “too little" in any sport, activity, or situation.

6. Effortlessness

Under the flow state, you are much more flexible and relax. Others may see a player in court looking tired, but they don’t realize he/she is in the zone. Your mind and body are in a harmony in the flow state, the strain of the game won’t affect you. Your actions will not require too much effort and you do it smoothly. Decision-making is also effortless in the flow state. You can make decisions in seconds even if the game is hard.

7. Altered state of time

Time seems to slow down in the flow state or it could go fast. You might not notice you’ve been on the court the whole game. When the time comes for you to make the crucial game-winning shot time slows down allowing you to be completely aware of the situation. The perception of time is altered when you’re in the flow state.

8. Clarity of goals

In the flow state, you can see your goals clearly even if the situation is hazy. You are in control of your mind and body, therefore, you know exactly know what to do in the situation. When your teammate passes you the ball, you already know what to do. There will be no hesitation on your part because you focus on your goal.

“When you’re in that zone there’s nothing really the defense can do… It doesn’t matter who’s stick you because everything looks good. ” Gilbert Arenas

In the NBA, legends like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Phil Jackson were taught the art of mindfulness by author George Mumford. He may not be as famous as them but, George helped them achieved championships. A calm and clear mind is important not only for players but also for coaches to get themselves together and enter the zone in unity. George helped Phil Jackson with the idea of “five fingers, one breath, and one mind.”  As you begin to be mindful, you let go of your ego and distractions, and entering the zone can become automatic.

Meditation is one strong method to develop mindfulness. After Phil Jackson’s stint with the Chicago Bulls, he went to Los Angeles to coach the Lakers. George Mumford also went to the Lakers, where he then taught Kobe Bryant the art of meditation. As the NBA’s greatest player, Kobe is one of the best examples of a player who enters the zone and wins not only games but championships. Meditating clears your mind from all the noise and you can focus on entering the zone.

The NBA can throw a lot of distractions and stress to players and coaches, so developing the ability to trigger a group flow in the Zone is the secret weapon to success.

Mindfulness has helped Kobe, Jordan, and Phil Jackson win championships in the NBA. They can get into the zone in the most crucial of games because they practice mindfulness. The ability to be in the zone is through consistent, purposeful mental and physical training with the intention to be in the Flow State/The Zone.

1. Training

Wisely pushing yourself in physical training and practice games weeks prior to the game is essential. Psychological toughness is important but physical training allows you to improve your skills on the court. If your abilities on the basketball court have been tested and practiced, you’ll be more confident mentally to be the best player. Consistent training and improvement will boost your mental resilience allowing you to be a well-versed player. You’ll feel more confident removing doubts and uncertainties about your performance with the ball and on the court.

2. Get a motto

If you have a motto for yourself, or you need to get one, repeating it before the game starts or when you’re in the court to assist you to feel more confident and stronger. Quotes or slogans from the best players in basketball are okay, in the NBA, coach Doc Rivers adopted “Mental Toughness” as his motto. You can also create your own motto or memorize words that hype you and gives you self-confidence.

3. Relax

Allow yourself time to relax before the game. A player is usually hyper and anxious and it can affect your performance when you’re on the court. Meditate, listen to music, or a quick nap before the game starts helps your mind get into the zone and relaxes your body before you step in court.

4. Visualize

Picture yourself playing in your best form and scoring the winning shot in the game. Visualization allows you to plan ahead on how to react to certain plays and difficulties. While you're in the court, visualization also helps you maintain muscle memory that improves the speed of your reflexes and makes critical decisions. Practice visualizing during practices, before the start, and during timeouts in the game.

5. Forgive yourself

It’s normal to make mistakes; even the greatest basketball players cannot complete the play or miss the shot. Your confidence can be affected if you allow your failures to stay inside your head. Learn from your mistakes and move on and finish the game. Failures are lessons that make great players.

6. Be Autotelic

Phil Jackson hinted at being autotelic with his quote at the beginning  “stop worrying about whether you're going to win or lose and focus your full attention on what's happening right this moment.”  Being autotelic means to do something simply because you love it,  not for the potential reward. The goal for playing basketball is a reward in itself.  Autotelic comes from the Greek words, autos meaning self, and telos meaning goal.

7. Conduct Mindfulness Meditations

There are plenty of basketball players who practiced meditation before and after the game to enter the zone. In fact, meditation is one of elite athlete’s hidden techniques for optimum performance. Meditation allows you to conquer the most common ‘blind spots’ that tend to hinder sports performance. By practicing physical and mental meditations, you can be able to deactivate certain parts of your brain. The result is an improved ability to  activate your subconscious  and enter the zone where “Everything just slows downs, you have supreme confidence”

A study recently published by Fadel Zeiden found that as little as 4 days of meditation gives significant improvements in mood, stress levels, deep cognitive processing,  efficiency,  working memory, long-term memory, and improvement of sustained attention. Zeiden used a 20min meditation to attain these results. So by incorporating meditation into your training does not need to be time-consuming and overwhelming. But the results will open the door of your potential to enter the Zone and trigger the flow.

Check out and hack the flow state aka the Zone in basketball using the courses I am giving you for free! This is packed with tutorials, physical and mental meditations.

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References:

Consciousness and Cognition. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2017, from https://www.journals.elsevier.com/consciousness-and-cognition/

Delice Coffey | Basketball Psychology Articles. (n.d.). How to Get Into the Zone. Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://www.sportspsychologybasketball.com/2012/08/how-to-get-into-the-zone/

Ireland, K. (2015, October 15). How to Get in the Zone Before a Basketball Game. Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/541679-how-to-get-in-the-zone-before-a-basketball-game/

Ireland, K. (2015, October 15). How to Get in the Zone Before a Basketball Game. Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/541679-how-to-get-in-the-zone-before-a-basketball-game/

Lee, M. S. (2015, June 15). Michael Jordan's Mindfulness Meditation Coach: The Secret Weapon of Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant and You. Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-sandler-and-jessica-lee/michael-jordans-mindfulne_b_7523748.html

Meditation Increases IQ - 4 Days of Meditation Improves Cognitive Efficiency. (2016, March 10). Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://www.i3mindware.com/increase-iq/mindfulness-cognitive-efficiency/

Peterson, D. (2010, June 02). How Do Athletes Get 'In the Zone' of Peak Performance? Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://www.livescience.com/32620-how-do-athletes-get-in-the-zone-of-peak-performance.html

Rodic, D. (2016, April 18). Kobe Bryant, The Beatles and a Child Chess Prodigy - My Experience Practicing Their Most Important... – The Mission. Retrieved March 31, 2017, from https://medium.com/the-mission/kobe-bryant-the-beatles-and-a-child-chess-prodigy-my-experience-practicing-their-most-important-390b16ab82b4#.p7vwwb4k4

Rudick, D. (2015, May 27). This mindfulness teacher gets results (just ask Kobe) - The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 31, 2017, from https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2015/05/27/this-mindfulness-teacher-gets-results-just-ask-kobe/mMYGHRJSziVp4DLq2gAzcJ/story.html

how to get into the zone and maximise performance

by Adam Nicholls in Endurance psychology

Fitness woman standing against color lights background

Coaches, athletes, and commentators often attribute episodes of excellent performance to athletes being in a psychological state known as the ‘zone’. Professor Adam Nicholls , explains what this psychological state is, and provides proven techniques for accessing the zone

Being in the zone is an extremely positive mental state, in which an athlete is completely and totally connected to his or her performance, and perceives that all challenges can be overcome during a particular competition or on a particular day¹. Being in the zone is particularly desirable for endurance athletes, because it represents a mindset that is associated with superior performance. There are a number of terms that are also used to describe being in the zone, which include: ‘being in a bubble’, ‘performing on autopilot’, or ‘being in complete control’.

The nine dimensions of flow

Sport psychology researchers have studied the zone for over 30 years, in an attempt to understand more about the workings of this construct. These studies have revealed and confirmed that flow consists of nine dimensions (see Figure 1)^{2 3}. It is important to note that not every athlete will experience each dimension of the zone, as there is often individual variation.

*Challenge-skills balance – According to researchers from the University of Queensland the most important factor that determines whether an athlete will get in the zone or not, is his or her perception of something called ‘the challenge-skills balance’⁴. When an athlete does not feel that he or she has the required ability in a race, anxiety will occur. This theory also says that when an athlete feels that his or her abilities exceed the challenges posed in a race (eg poor opposition) boredom will ensue. If the challenge posed is low among an individual with low ability, apathy will occur. Only when there is an optimal balance between the challenges of the situation and the ability of the athlete will the athlete get into the zone (see figure 2).

*Concentration – When athletes have been interviewed about being in the zone, many described a clear focus on what they wanted to do, which often lasted for hours. Furthermore, when athletes experienced this concentration, they were aware of where their competitors were and the bigger picture of what they needed to do, but perceived these competitors to be of no negative influence. This is because athletes had complete concentration.

*Action – awareness merging – When an athlete is in the zone there is a merging of action and awareness. That is, athletes are unaware of themselves as separate from their actions and experience a feeling of oneness with the activity. Athletes have reported that their actions feel effortless and spontaneous. For example, endurance runners have reported sections of a marathon that felt completely effortless⁵.

*Clear goals – Athletes in the zone have a clear sense of what they want to accomplish during their races. As a race progresses, so does this clarity of this moment-to-moment intent. Athletes have also reported knowing exactly what they had to do before the race started, and how they were going to accomplish it.

*Clear feedback – When in the zone, athletes often report experiencing immediate and clear feedback about how they are performing. Feedback usually comes from the activity itself, such as feelings about pace or feelings of leg fatigue whilst running. All feedback received when in the zone informs the athlete that he or she is performing successfully.

*Control – A sense of control is experienced by the athlete without them attempting to exert control. Athletes feel as they can do nothing wrong, along with a sense of invincibility. The sense of control frees the athlete from the fear of failure and results in a sense of power, calmness, and confidence.

*No self-criticism – When in the zone, athletes do not criticise themselves, like they may sometimes do. Concern for the self seems to disappear during a zone experience, as do worries or negative thoughts. There is no attention left over to worry about the things in everyday life that athletes often dwell upon – for example relationship issues, work problems, or worries about body image.

*Time perception – During a zone experience, some athletes have reported that time speeds up. For instance, a marathon runner could say that the race was over very quickly, whereas other athletes have said that time slowed down and they felt they had so much time to make a decision. However, this is the dimension for which there is the least evidence in the scientific literature, and many athletes do not experience a transformation of time⁶.

*Feeling high – The experience of being in the zone is extremely enjoyable to athletes. Some have reported feeling very high, which can last for several hours after a race has finished⁷. Descriptions from athletes include “it felt great the whole way” and “it felt like such a rush.”

Concern for the self seems to disappear during a zone experience, as do worries or negative thoughts. There is no attention left over to worry about the things in everyday life that athletes often dwell upon

Case study: Phil Latter – a runner’s account of being in the zone

“Why did my fastest race feel the easiest?” Phil Latter was a university runner when he experienced being in the zone⁸. During a 3000-metre race he reported feeling speed, lightness, and wondering how fast he could run. His mindset was completely different during this race. As he describes: “For once, the usual negative feedback loop of how many laps do I have left and how much longer must I hurt was replaced with, ‘I wonder what I can do today? How fast can I run?”

Phil also experienced other aspects of the zone, such as knowing he was performing well, enjoyment, and a sense of control. “What overwhelmed me was how enjoyable the whole thing had been, from the crack of the gun all the way across the line. Never before had I felt more in control of my body, like I could respond to any and all challenges the race presented.” He summarised his feelings thus: “Everything came together when it mattered most, and that felt indescribably good.” Phil was undoubtedly in the zone, and reported some of the common characteristics. Everyone experiences the zone differently and some of the dimensions will be more prominent for some athletes.

Assessing your zone score

Researchers from the University of Queensland have developed a questionnaire to measure zone experiences⁹. Table 1 is an adapted version, so you can assess your own scores and monitor whether this changes over time after trying out some of the strategies recommended in this article.

TABLE 1: ZONE QUESTIONNAIRE

Scoring the zone questionnaire

It is important to note that your score represents just one race or training session. In order to get an average, it would be ideal to complete the scale on at least three occasions. Your score will range between 18 and 90.

• If you scored between 18 and 42, it would suggest that you struggle to get into the zone, or at least you did on that particular race or training session.
• If you scored between 43 and 66 you experienced elements of being in the zone during your race or training session, but the intensity of these feelings was not significant.
• If you scored between 67 and 90 you were in the zone for most of the session.

Getting into the zone more often It is evident that flow is a desirable psychological state that enables or pushes athletes to the limits of their sporting capabilities. The good news is that research suggests that people can learn to get into the zone more intensely and more frequently. Based upon the recommendations from researchers at Queensland University of Technology¹⁰, table 2 outlines what you can do in order to experience the different components of flow more often.

TABLE 2: STRATEGIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE NINE DIMENSIONS OF FLOW

Flow dimension	Strategies
Challenge-skills balance	• See stressful sporting events as being challenging, and identify what you can gain from each challenge (eg winning, competition). • Set your own challenges (eg to place in top ten). • Relish the challenges you face in sport. • Believe in your own skills to meet the challenges you are faced with. • Muhammad Ali once said “It’s the lack of belief that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believe in myself.”
Action-awareness merging	• Forget about yourself and let go of any concerns of what others may think of you. The greatest obstacle to achieving the zone is the self. Achieve this merging by not being self-critical when performing.
Clear goals	• Set goals in advance of each season, competition, and training session.
Unambiguous feedback	• Take advantage of all feedback you receive and use it constructively.
Concentration on task at hand	• Let your competitors worry about themselves - you should focus on what you want to do. • Accept the environment you are in. If the environment is not conducive to optimal performance, say to yourself “the other competitors have to put up with the same conditions.” • Stay in the present by focusing on the process of what you are doing (eg maintaining good running form or holding an aero position on the bike).
Sense of control	• Reducing your desire for control will actually result in greater feelings of control. Forget about the outcome and focus on what you are doing during the competition.
Loss of self-consciousness	• Negative thoughts have the potential to stop you from experiencing a loss of selfconsciousness. Stop these negative thoughts by using thought stopping. Say “stop” to yourself and focus on your goals.
Transformation of time	• Strategies to encourage a transformation of time are somewhat under researched. However, if you are an endurance athlete who wants to experience this dimension of flow, one such strategy could be to not to look at your stop watch as often.
Autotelic experience	• See the fun in competition and remember why you started playing sport in the first place.

Factors that facilitate flow

Using the strategies presented in table 2 will help you experience flow more often and more intensely. There are however a number of other things you can do, and things that you should not do to enter this state on a more regular basis. Researchers at Eastern Illinois University and Queensland University of Technology have examined the factors that facilitate flow and found that there are nine factors that can make flow more likely to occur among athletes (see figure 2) ^{11 12 13 14}.

• Develop a plan of what you are going to do during the competition in response to different scenarios. For instance, “If my opponent tries to jump past me on the bike, I will be prepared and ready to respond”.
• Know your optimal level of arousal. Are you the type of athlete that performs better when you are psyched up, or an athlete that plays better when you are relaxed? If you are better when you are psyched up increase your levels of arousal prior to competition, starting by remembering previous competitions where you
  were pumped. Alternatively, if you perform better when relaxed, engage in deep breathing exercises.
• Enhance your motivation prior to competing by deciding what you want to achieve in the upcoming competition.
• Earn the right to be confident by preparing properly.
• Make sure your training and diet leading up to the competition is correct.
• Use your experience, by focusing on successful past achievements.
• Concentrate on what you want to do.
• Focus on the elements of your performance that have gone well.

SUMMARY

Being in the zone is associated with superior and more enjoyable performances; it allows you to reach your full potential in a way that may be less painful during endurance races or training sessions. There are a number of strategies you can employ to get into the zone more frequently and intensely. These include developing a plan, focussing on what you want to achieve, preparing well, and believing in your ability.

See also:

Rule 3, 5, 8, 24 seconds in basketball and their violations

Hello, dear visitors of basketball-training.org.ua! Today I want to tell you about the most important basketball rules related to playing time. These rules are quite simple to understand and apply, however, as practice shows, many players do not interpret them quite correctly, which causes a lot of controversy.

So I decided to write an article that will dot the "i" in questions 8, 5, 3 and 24 seconds in basketball rules . Let's start with the three second rule.

Rule of Three Seconds

Quoting Official Basketball Rules:

A player must not remain in the opposing team's restricted area for more than three consecutive seconds while his team is in control of a live ball in the frontcourt and the game clock is running.

An exception must be made to a player who:

• Attempts to leave the restricted area.
• Is in the restricted area while he or his partner is in the act of shooting and the ball is leaving or has already left the player's hand(s) on a shot for a field goal.
• Dribbling in the restricted area for a shot for a field goal while in the restricted area for less than three (3) seconds.

To be considered outside the restricted area, the player must place both feet on the floor outside the restricted area.

Something to watch out for: You can stand in the 3-second zone until the ball has gone to the opposing team. You can stay in the zone if your partner is throwing the basket. Well, to get out of the zone, you need to go out with both feet (and not one, as is often the case).

8 second rule

Let me quote the basketball rules again:

Whenever:

• Player gains control of a live ball in his backcourt
• On a throw-in, the ball touches or the ball is legally touched by any player in the backcourt and the thrower's team continues to have control of the ball in their backcourt, that team must bring the ball into their frontcourt within eight (8) seconds.

A team kicks the ball into its frontcourt when:

• A ball not in control of any player touches the frontcourt.
• The ball is touched or the ball is legally touched by an attacker who has both feet in contact with his frontcourt.
• The ball is touched or the ball is legally touched by a defender who has part of his body in contact with his backcourt.
• The ball touches an official who has part of his body in the frontcourt of the team in control of the ball.
• During a dribble from the backcourt to the frontcourt, the ball and both feet of the dribbler are in contact with the frontcourt.

The eight (8) second count continues from whatever time remains at the point of stoppage when the same team that previously had control of the ball is awarded a backcourt throw-in as a result of:

• Ball out of bounds.
• Injuries of a player of the same team.
• Jump ball situations.
• Double foul.
• Compensation of the same penalties against both teams.

What we pay attention to: both feet must go to the side of the opposing team, otherwise you will lose the ball. You can also throw the ball at the referee to avoid breaking the 8 second rule (just kidding, of course).

The 24 second rule

Before you read what is written below, you can read a very interesting article about how 24 seconds saved the NBA from discouragement: link.

And now let's turn to the original source published by the Basketball Federation (FIBA):

Whenever:

• Player gains control of a live ball on the playing court
• On a throw-in, the ball touches or the ball is legally touched by any player on the playing court and the team of the player taking the throw-in continues to have control of the ball, that team must shoot for a field goal within twenty-four seconds.

To consider a shot for a field goal taken within twenty-four seconds:

• The ball must leave the player's hand before the twenty-four second device signal sounds and
• After the ball has left the player's hand, he must touch the ring or enter the basket.

When a shot for a field goal is taken just before the end of the 24 second period and the 24 second device signal sounds while the ball is in the air:

• If the ball enters the basket, no offense occurs, the signal is ignored and the hit counts.
• If the ball touches the ring but does not enter the basket, no offense occurs, the signal is ignored and the game continues.
• If the ball does not touch the ring, a violation occurs. However, if the opposing team gains immediate and obvious control of the ball, the signal is ignored and play continues.

All restrictions related to hitting and ball interference must be taken into account.

If the referee stops play:

• When a foul or violation (but not when the ball goes out of bounds) is committed by a team not in control of the ball
• For any other reason related to the team not in control of the ball
• For any reason unrelated to either team, possession of the ball must be awarded to the same team that previously had control of the ball.

If the throw-in is administered in the backcourt, the twenty-four second clock must be reset to 24 seconds. In the event that the face-off is administered in the frontcourt, the twenty-four (24) second device must be set as follows:

• If there are 14 seconds or more remaining on the device when the game is stopped for 24 seconds, then the readings on the device must not be reset, and the countdown must continue from the time it was stopped.
• If the twenty-four second device has thirteen seconds or less left when the game is stopped, the device must be reset to 14 seconds.

However, if, in the judge's opinion, the opposing team will be placed at a disadvantage, the twenty-four (24) second count shall continue from the time of stoppage.

If the 24 second device signal sounds in error while either team is in control of the ball or neither team is in control of the ball, the signal is ignored and play continues.

However, if, in the opinion of the referee, the team in control of the ball has been disadvantaged, play shall be stopped, the 24 second clock shall be corrected and the ball shall be awarded to that same team.

Well, here the explanations will be superfluous, and so it is painted in great detail.

5 second rule

And this is the most interesting rule, often called " close player ". Almost none of the amateur players know about it, it is not judged in the framework of streetball tournaments (if you want to know more about the rules by which 3v3 are played in the Ukrainian Streetball League, read Streetball Rules) and in the USA it does not exist at all! So, what is its specialty?

Close Player

Definition : A player who is holding a live ball on the playing court is considered to be closely guarded when an opponent is in an active defensive stance no more than one meter away.

A closely guarded player must pass, shoot or dribble within five seconds.

Actually, if you defend tightly with a player for 5 seconds, but he did not start the dribble, the referee should whistle a violation. If the player has completed the dribbling and you again come close to him - again a violation (of course, after 5 seconds have passed).

A small conclusion

You just got acquainted or simply updated in your memory the basketball rules related to the countdown of playing time. It is important to understand that for each violation of this rule (in your opinion), you do not need to stop the game (if you play without a referee) or run to express your displeasure to the referee. The main thing here is not only not to break these rules yourself, but, if possible, to tell young players about them who are just starting their career in basketball and are not always well versed in the nuances of the game.

And this concludes the article, I wish you successful training, compliance with all the rules of our favorite game and I look forward to seeing you again on the pages of our site!

Rules of the game of basketball - Internet portal Sportmaster Media

September 28 3 min.

Ball in the basket - victory is yours

Basketball

This is a material about the basic rules of playing basketball. We also have a text about the risks of injury in sports.

Basketball is a team game with a ball. The goal of each team is to attack the opponent's ring and score the most points during the match. We tell you how not to break the rules in a tough fight for the ball and become a winner.

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Each basketball team consists of 12 players who substitute for each other during the match. At the same time, five people from each team are on the site.

According to the rules of basketball, the entire team must have the same uniform and even socks of the same color. Jerseys of team members must be numbered.

For safety, remove jewelry and any accessories that could injure other players.

The game consists of four periods of 10 minutes. Breaks between the first and second quarters, as well as between the third and fourth, are 2 minutes. The longest break is 15 minutes, it is taken in the middle of the game, after the second quarter. At this moment, the teams change rings.

If the score is tied by the end of the match, the referee adds 5 minutes of overtime. Overtime is appointed as many times as necessary until the winner is revealed.

During the game, the coach of the team may take a time-out. This break lasts for a minute. Most often, a time-out is taken to adjust tactics.

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Basketball court measures 28 meters long and 15 meters wide. Each site should have markings. It is applied around the perimeter and marks the zones:

• center circle
• free throw line
• three-point hit zone
• face-off lines
• restricted area
• semi-circle without fouls and 902 40170 An obligatory element of a basketball court is a ring. It is hung at a height of 3.05 m.

  In basketball, the ball is played only with the hands, it can be hit on the floor, passed, thrown and hit. You can’t run without a lead or kick the ball with him.

  With the ball in hand, you can take two steps, but only to stop, pass or throw into the ring.

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  • 1 point - Scored for free throw
  • 2 points - For goal scored from 2-Point Zone
  • 3 points - for a ball scored from a three-point hit zone

  There are a lot of fouls in basketball, let's look at the main ones.

  A run is the movement of a player with the ball in his hands without dribbling. For this, the referee appoints a throw-in by the opposing team.

  Three Second Rule - A player of the attacking team cannot stay in the highlighted area under the hoop for more than three seconds. For such a violation, the ball is transferred to the opponent.

  Foul is a touch on an opponent that limits his freedom of movement. In some cases, a free throw is awarded for a foul - this is decided by the referee. A throw from the penalty line is performed by a member of the opposing team, for a professional this is an almost guaranteed hit.

  You can also get a foul without contact - technical. It is given for unsportsmanlike behavior, disrespect for the referee or other participants in the game. Two technical fouls are followed by disqualification.

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