BASKETBALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 April 1939, Page 9

BASKETBALL

NEW INTERNATIONAL RULES. INTERESTING INFORMATION. (By “Sports Mistress.”) Basketball is now firmly established as the most widely played winter game for girls. It is the experience of all who have tried it. in basketball. as in all other sports, that the better one can play the game. the greater is the enjoyment derived from it. Basketball is both a reason forgetting fit and a means of keeping fit. Its physical benefits comprise aID round exercise and development, with the enhancing of grace and quickness. Its satisfactions lie in the zest of, a good game well played, with the sense of body and mind working effectively together, and the joy of united effort to a team end. Guiding principles to assist in attainment of good play are: 1. Use the whole court, move freely in your third, avoid crowding. 2. —Speed is essential, the short, swift pass is most effective. 3. —Added to good court play accurate goal throwing gained only by consistent practice. 4. —Team play should be the constant aim and ideal. To make it easier for those controlling groups wishing to practice at once these are the main differences.

The court. —Same as 1938, 100 ft by 60ft.

Marking the court. —The 12ff line has been deleted and instead there is a goal circle of radius 16ft at each end, with the middle of goal line as its centre.

The ring.—Now 15 inch and projects 6in into the court.

The ball. —Weight now 14 to 16oz, slightly heavier. Players.—Each player on ,the field has a name —attack wing, goal thrower, attack right wing centre, centre, left wing centre, defence wing, goal defence, defence. Commencement of game.—The centre pass shall be taken alternately throughout the game by the centres, i.e., after each goal or after intervals. Centres shall stand one at each end of the centre line, toeing the 9ft centre line. The centre shall stand facing her opponent, with her back parallel to the side line and with her left side towards the goal she is attacking. All other- players stand side by side, not touching. The players of the team not in possession of the ball shall say on which side their opponents must stand. (Please note this carefully, as it is quite different from anything everplayed in this country). All guarding is now eliminated.

Throw in.—An opponent of the one throwing in must stand outside the court till the ball is thrown. Both must enter the court directly. No players may stand within 9ft of a player throwing in, but this does not mean 9ft back from the line; it may be 9ft along. Termination of game: Game ends immediately on timekeeper’s signal. This is new. Methods. —When a player is in a position to take a shot at goal all play ceases and players stand out of the way. The shot must be taken within five seconds. If it fails the ball .is thrown in where it went out. (This means only one shot allowed at goal). Goals can only be shot from inside the circle.

Penalties. —These are simpler and are obvious. The penalty is usually a free pass. On the line is not wrong now.

Throw up. —The only alteration is that players must stand with hands touching behind their backs. In April, 1940, the N.Z. tournament will be held in Wellington and invitations have been sent to the countries of the British Empire.