Basketball is a sports game played on a court by teams of five players. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basketball The premise of the game is for opposing teams to make it to their own goal and score by landing a ball inside the basket. The term basketball refers to both the game and the ball used to play. The goal is a raised basket which requires the ball to be shot into the air by the players. Regulation basketball is played on an indoor court in most cases while community games or home courts may be established outside.

The sport of basketball originated when James Naismith was tasked to create a game to be played indoors to provide distraction to a group of rowdy students.http://www.ultimate-youth-basketball-guide.com/history-of-basketball.html Naismith, a Canadian, is credited with the invention of the game during his employment at the YMCA College at Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891.http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/history-basketball.htm Inventing the game was not an easy task and his first attempts of bring soccer and lacrosse indoors proved to not work out because of the physical aspects of those games. Naismith developed the game of basketball around a childhood activity of tossing balls in baskets.http://www.ultimate-youth-basketball-guide.com/history-of-basketball.html

1. The first official game took place in the Springfield YMCA where the game was invented.http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/history-basketball.htm
2. The highest rated televised college game was one which starred Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and pitted Michigan State against Indiana State in the NCAA tournament championship game in 1979.http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/history-basketball.htm
3. The NBA was founded in 1946.http://www.rauzulusstreet.com/basketball/nba/nbahistory.htm
4. The Women’s NBA (WNBA) began play in 1997.http://www.insidehoops.com/wnba/history.shtml
5. Basketball became an Olympic sport in 1936 at the Berlin Games.http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/history-basketball.htm
6. The current National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was originally called the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the U. S. (IAAUS) and was founded in 1906. http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/history-ncaa-basketball.htm

Two five player teams compete at the game of basketball with each team assuming both offense and defense and each player participating in both roles. The start of the game begins with a jump ball where a player from each team jumps to tap the ball (thrown by the referee) and allow their teammate to gain ball control first. Offensive portions of the game involve handling the ball, passing, and shooting to attempt to score. Offensive scoring may result in two points or three depending on the distance from which the ball is shot. Teams of players work together through plays to work the ball to the basket while passing the defensive players.

Defense during the game involves attempting to steal the ball from the offensive player, block attempted shots, prevent players from receiving passes, and rebound when a shot does not successfully score. When a defensive player assumes control of the ball as a result of one of these actions, his role converts from defense to offense and his new goal becomes making it to his end of the court to shoot and score.http://42explore.com/hoops.htm