Fouls and Violations
In addition to stealing the ball from an opposing player, there are other ways for a
team to get the ball.
One such way is if the other team commits a foul or violation.
FOULS
Personal fouls: Personal fouls include any type of illegal physical contact.
Hitting
Pushing
Slapping
Holding
Illegal pick/screen -- when an offensive player is moving. When an offensive
player sticks out a limb and makes physical contact with a defender in an attempt to
block the path of the defender.
Personal foul penalties: If a player is shooting while a being fouled, then he gets two
free throws if his shot doesn't go in, but only one free throw if his shot does go in.
Three free throws are awarded if the player is fouled while shooting for a
three-point goal and they miss their shot. If a player is fouled while shooting a three-
point shot and makes it anyway, he is awarded one free throw. Thus, he could score
four points on the play.
Inbounds. If fouled while not shooting, the ball is given to the team the foul
was committed upon. They get the ball at the nearest side or baseline, out of bounds,
and have 5 seconds to pass the ball onto the court.
One & one. If the team committing the foul has seven or more fouls in the
game, then the player who was fouled is awarded one free throw. If he makes his first
shot, then he is awarded another free throw.
Ten or more fouls. If the team committing the foul has ten or more fouls, then
the fouled player receives two free throws.
Charging. An offensive foul that is committed when a player pushes or runs over a
defensive player. The ball is given to the team that the foul was committed upon.
Blocking. Blocking is illegal personal contact resulting from a defender not
establishing position in time to prevent an opponent's drive to the basket.
Flagrant foul. Violent contact with an opponent. This includes hitting, kicking, and
punching. This type of foul results in free throws plus the offense retaining
possession of the ball after the free throws.
Intentional foul. When a player makes physical contact with another player with no
reasonable effort to steal the ball. It is a judgment call for the officials.
Technical foul. Technical foul. A player or a coach can commit this type of foul. It
does not involve player contact or the ball but is instead about the 'manners' of the
game. Foul language, obscenity, obscene gestures, and even arguing can be
considered a technical foul, as can technical details regarding filling in the scorebook
improperly or dunking during warm-ups.
VIOLATIONS
Walking/Traveling. Taking more than 'a step and a half' without dribbling the ball is
traveling. Moving your pivot foot once you've stopped dribbling is traveling.
Carrying/palming. When a player dribbles the ball with his hand too far to the side of
or, sometimes, even under the ball.
Double Dribble. Dribbling the ball with both hands on the ball at the same time or
picking up the dribble and then dribbling again is a double dribble.
Held ball. Occasionally, two or more opposing players will gain possession of the ball
at the same time. In order to avoid a prolonged and/or violent tussle, the referee
stops the action and awards the ball to one team or the other on a rotating basis.
Goaltending. If a defensive player interferes with a shot while it's on the way down
toward the basket, while it's on the way up toward the basket after having touched
the backboard, or while it's in the cylinder above the rim, it's goaltending and the shot
counts. If committed by an offensive player, it's a violation and the ball is awarded to
the opposing team for a throw-in.
Backcourt violation. Once the offense has brought the ball across the mid-court line,
they cannot go back across the line during possession. If they do, the ball is awarded
to the other team to pass inbounds.
Time restrictions. A player passing the ball inbounds has five seconds to pass the ball.
If he does not, then the ball is awarded to the other team. Other time restrictions
include the rule that a player cannot have the ball for more than five seconds when
being closely guarded and, in some states and levels, shot-clock restrictions requiring
a team to attempt a shot within a given time frame.
