Spotlight Sport - Basketball

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Gateway to the Summer Games - Spotlight Sports

Basketball
Men's Olympic basketball became an official sport in 1936 at the Berlin Games. The tournament was held outdoor on courts of clay and sand. On the day of the final it rained heavily, turning the courts to mud, which made it difficult to dribble and undoubtedly contributed to the low score of 19-8. In the end, the United States defeated Canada for the gold.

In 1989 the Federation Internationale de Basketball Amateur (FIBA) membership voted to allow professionals to join amateurs in the Olympics. Women's basketball made its Olympic debut at the 1976 Games in Montreal, Canada. The Soviet women won the gold medal, and the U.S. women took home the silver medal.


		Scoring \| News, History, Fast Facts All About Athletes \| More Sports

Scoring
Foul shots count for one point and ordinary field goals, or "baskets", count for two points. A field goal is worth three points if it is shot from outside the three-point field goal line. Play consists of two 20-minute halves, separated by a halftime break.

There are several differences between U.S. and Olympic basketball. The Olympic court is slightly smaller than the court used in the United States. The popular U.S. "alley oop" shot (a pass received near the basket rim by a leaping player who jams the ball in the basket while still in the air) is not allowed in Olympic play. However, "goal tending," (touching the ball while it's on the rim) is allowed in Olympic Games but not in the NBA.

News, History, and Fast Facts

For complete information about playing, coaching, and watching basketball, visit the Copernicus Education Gateway's School Athletics Center: Basketball page.
NBCOlympics.com All About Basketball will fill you in on the international rules, which often differ from the pro game. For more basic information, visit the NBCOlympics.com basketball homepage.
Did you know that James Naismith invented basketball with hoops made of peach baskets? Find out more on the history of basketball at the USOC site, read athlete journal entries, or participate in online chats.
The official site of the Games, the Sydney 2000 site, contains schedules, rules, and a look at the best competition around the world, as well as simple explanations for kids.
Check out the Basketball Mania site made for kids and by kids.
The world's ruling body for basketball, the Federation Internationale de Basketball Amateur (FIBA), and U.S.A. Basketball will keep you informed of news about amateur athletes and national teams.

All About Athletes

Check out the U.S.A. Basketball site for bios and a photo gallery of Team U.S.A.
Who's got game in other nations? NBC Olympics.com takes a look at the best in the world.
Research all the gold medal winners and team members at Hickok Sports.

More Sports

Baseball	Boxing	Canoeing & Kayaking	Cycling
Diving	Equestrian	Fencing	Gymnastics
Rowing	Soccer	Swimming	Tennis
Track & Field	Volleyball	Water Polo	Wrestling

General Sports Links
Olympians will compete in dozens of sports this summer. Even though Gateway to the Summer Games can't feature them all, you can learn about each and every one by visiting the sites listed below.

Griffin Publishing Group's Official Olympic Sports page
For information straight from the source, click on a sport to connect to its organization's official Web site.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation News
This site provides excellent information about Olympic sports and their rules. It also sizes up the best international competitors.
CBS Sportsline's Olympics 2000
Get top news stories and in-depth features about every sport.
CCN/SI
In addition to news on every sport, this site contains athlete diaries.
NBCOlympics.com
Select a sport to study or hear firsthand from an athlete who plays it.
Sydney 2000
The official site of the Sydney Olympics covers the events in detail.
Sydney 2000 Kids' Guide to Olympic Sports
Visit the Sportzone for sports-related information written especially for young students.
USOC
The United States Olympic Committee site includes the rules and history of events as well as athlete bios, diaries, and chats.
Sydney 2000 Fans
This unofficial site provides basic description of events and useful links to more information.

Portions of the above text were excerpted from Share the Olympic Dream--Volume II.
(c) 1995 by Griffin Publishing Group/United States Olympic Committee.

For information on purchasing Griffin materials, please visit the Griffin Publishing Group Web site at http://www.griffinpublishing.com.