Basketball

basketball (in German: basketball) is a ball sport that is usually played indoors and in which two teams try to throw the ball into the opponent`s basket. These baskets are attached to the narrow sides of the 28x15 meter playing field at a height of 3.05 m. A team consists of 5 field players and up to 7 substitutes. A game lasts 4x10 minutes. Each hit is worth 2 or 3 (long throw) points, depending on the distance. One point is counted for each free throw. Both teams can take one time-out in each quarter of the game, and even two in the last quarter. A player in possession of the ball is only allowed to hold the ball for 5 seconds, after which he must either start to dribble or pass the ball. In order to speed up the game, there is the so-called 8 second rule, which states that the team in possession of the ball must play the ball out of their own half within 8 seconds and, if attacked, must shoot for a field goal within 24 seconds. The team that has the higher number of points at the end wins.
This sport was invented in 1891 by Canadian James Naismith. Today, basketball is a very popular sport, especially in the USA. World Championships are held in a different country every 4 years. These are organized by the Fédération Internationale de Basketball.