Learn All About Basketball

While watching your favorite basketball players on the court, there’s a good chance you’ve heard an official call out “loose ball” during the game.

A loose ball occurs when players illegally grab or shove each other when struggling to regain possession of the ball. This happens when the ball is “loose.”

These fouls are most common during shot attempts and passes, and it is a fairly common foul to be called. Nevertheless, a loose ball foul can sometimes be confusing, so we’re here to clear things up.

When looking at a basketball court, you may notice a strikingly different stretch of color beneath both hoops compared to the rest of the ground.

Analysts and commentators usually reference this area during the play to highlight critical parts and positioning of players in the game. A frequent question new enthusiasts have is, what is the paint in basketball?

It is easily identifiable through its unique color and is a rectangular shape extending from the baseline to the free-throw line.

This article discusses why the paint is such a prime spot for basketball and which rules it helps enforce.

Have you heard about a hedge in basketball before? How does it apply to the sport?

It is said that good defense is the best offense. Well, that might as well apply to basketball, specifically the hedge in the game.

You probably hear coaches and other basketball enthusiasts talk about a hedge and wonder what it is. When they talk about hedging, they are talking about a defensive play.

However, there is more to hedging than simple defense. There are proper ways to perform a hedge, amongst other things. Here’s the deal:

Even if you’ve never heard of this type of foul before, you’ve properly done or experienced it when playing basketball with friends. Hand-checking means that a defender has placed or illegally kept his hands on an opponent.

Hand-checking occurs when a defender places their hands on an opponent and impedes their movement in the process.

In other words, a referee will award a foul when a defender checks and impedes an opponent from moving. What is hand checking? Is there a penalty for hand checking? This article covers all you need to know about the hand-checking rule.

Goaltending in basketball occurs when a player stifles a goal attempt. However, many people do not know about it. In fact, you won’t see the referees in youth leagues making this call. Shocking, right? Well, it won’t be in a few minutes.

Both offensive and defensive players can commit this offense, but it is more prevalent in the former. The NCAA, WNBA, and NBA all follow this rule. You’ve probably seen the call being made on TV, but how exactly can a player commit this offense? What exactly is it? How is it punishable?